Netherlands

In this course, students are introduced to the innovative and mind-blowing field of developmental neuropsychology. The anatomy of the brain and relevant brain functions are introduced at the beginning of the module. Through case studies, students explore the fundamental research and the most recent advances in the field. Students endeavor to find solutions to the questions presented by researching various articles and group discussion. For example, why is there a change in the ability to discriminate between human faces and monkey faces in babies of 12 months? And why is this difference not present at 6 months? Cognitive development is typically measured by changes or improvements in cognitive processes. In this course, processes such as language, reasoning, and memory etc. are explored in terms of their developmental trajectory and how this trajectory relates to changes in the maturing brain. It examines how these developmental changes can be measured by various neurological methods (e.g. fMRI and EEG). The field trip included in the course focuses on the importance of neuroscientific research methods and forms a unique and practical insight into the subject matter. Midway through the course the students construct a research proposal regarding developmental neuropsychology in subgroups and present this proposal.

After completing this course students are able to:  

1.     familiar with a number of literary works from different periods and regions
2.     familiar with key concepts in literary studies (such as reader response criticism, narratology, intertextuality, adaptation, postcolonial studies)
3.     able to use these key concepts to analyse primary materials
4.     able to use basic research skills (search literature, write and reference academically, present and chair a discussion)

Content

The course provides an introduction to key concepts in literary studies and acquaints students with a number of literary texts from world literature.

What is literature and how can we study it? This course allows you to become acquainted with a variety of literary works from different periods and languages, and it introduces you to some basic concepts in literary studies. Each week we focus on a different aspect of writing and reading in relation to particular works. This way, you will improve your knowledge of literary history and the literary canon, as well as your ability to ask interesting questions about the works you read. We will consider how texts are written, what their possible effects on readers are, in what ways they reflect or envision the society in which they were composed, why societies cherish some literary works and censure others, how certain writers acquire or lose value over the course of time, and how literature helps to shape the sense of who we are as individuals and as members of society.

This multidisciplinary course approaches infectious diseases from several perspectives, including the underlying biology, ecology, epidemiology, and socioeconomics. Information is provided on new insights into the causative agents of several infectious diseases including viral, prion, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, and parasitic diseases as well as arthropod vector biology and vector-borne diseases. This course focuses on the key principles of epidemiological models of infectious diseases to understand how they are used in the health economy.

Course goals

Please note: the information in the course manual is binding.

This course is developed as an integrative course that links to spatial planning, human geography (economic, social, spatial, and political aspects), sustainability, and other disciplines through addressing themes from each of these in the context of a large emerging and transforming country.

At the end of the course, participants are expected/able to:

• describe and understand the historical evolution of the country and the forces that have shaped its recent development;
• understand economic, political, social, and geographical transformation in China; 
• grasp regional and urban dynamics, development issues, and sustainability challenges in contemporary China;
• critically assess recent policies, governance changes, and planning transitions as a response to address the challenges;
• assess different discourses on the meanings for global and local development processes of China’s changing connections to and influence on the world.

Content

China’s rapid economic rise from the early 1980s has captured the world’s imagination. So does the profound social, cultural, and spatial transformation that the country has been undergoing and continues to undergo at an unprecedented scale. The latter is visible in every corner of the country, no matter how remote.

Rapid economic development has led to a number of sustainable challenges regarding environmental problems, issues of migrant integration, an aging population, and social inequality. Indeed, social, economic, and environmental sustainability and stability have come under pressure. It has been recognized that adjustment of the growth model - pursued by China’s leadership over the past decades - is imperative in order to not only sustain growth but also to achieve a broad-based increase in the standard of living and solve imbalances in development during the rapid urbanization process. In the meanwhile the main features of a new development model and path are clear. A range of reforms has been devised. What are the issues associated with the ‘old’ model of urbanization? What is the substance of the ‘new’ model of urbanization? What are the new institutional arrangements, governance models, planning practices, and social and environmental policies to address sustainability challenges? What outcomes are produced? 

Besides, China is increasingly manifesting itself in, and impacting, other regions on the globe through rapidly growing production, trade, investment, and people flows; its role in institutions of regional and global governance is changing. China going global and its growing impact (combined with the domestic issues) have given rise to substantial scientific discourse and public debate, in many parts of the world. What are the new foreign policy initiatives and how do they influence the world?

The course addresses the above questions. It starts by discussing the evolution of China and its historical development with a focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. Next, attention is given to the country's diversity, and the patterns of economic, social, and geographical transformation. Subsequently, the institutional forces, governance, and urban planning that have shaped China’s dynamics over the past decades are scrutinized. In this framework issues, unity focuses on the regional patterns of change, the position of ethnic minorities in the 'periphery', and the rural-urban divide; stability focuses on urbanization and unequal development, issues of migrant integration, and social and geographical fragmentation; and sustainability emphasizes on the aging population, energy issues, and environmental and social problems. It also discusses emerging planning practices and policies (e.g., collaborative planning/governance, smart /green city initiatives, sponge city, micro-regeneration) to address sustainability challenges.