Netherlands

This course studies utopian and speculative literature as narrative tools to imagine the future. Students learn that these utopian texts reflect a historical setting and mind set. The course studies the function and meaning of utopian texts at two turning points in history: the age of colonialism and the scientific revolution (sixteenth through eighteenth century) and the social-economic tensions and changes in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Central in these two periods is the focus on the interplay between the European and non-European visions on possible futures. In the early modern period, utopian writers and thinkers have to adapt to a broader geographical (The New World) and philosophical (a New World view) perspective. They have to deal with their role as colonizers (cultural superiority vs. cultural relativism) and scientists (positivism vs. skepticism). In the second period, utopian writing itself is becoming a global endeavor, and often takes the shape of a literary dialogue between former colonizing and colonized countries. In both periods the role of utopias and dystopias in social and political constellations is addressed. Students consider how literature intervenes in conflicts and debates on science, religion, and politics; how utopian optimism or irony can develop into pessimism and (dystopian) skepticism. 

In this course, different motivational systems and their interactions are looked at. The basic approaches to the study of motivation are surveyed: the physiological, behavioral, and cognitive (or psycho-social) approaches. The topic of motivation is also intertwined with that of emotion. Emotions can have motivational properties, but what is an emotion? And what do we know about the neural systems involved in emotional processing? These questions are covered in the last part of the course. The course discusses topics including theories, findings, and major questions regarding motivation; the methods and techniques used to study motivation; and applying this knowledge to the study of a specific human behavior, theorizing about the reasons for the behavior, predicting future behavior, and designing research to test predictions

In this course, students are introduced to the innovative 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 attempt to find solutions to the questions presented by researching various articles and group discussion. 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. Students examine 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. Prerequisites for this course include at least one intermediate level psychology course. It is recommended that the students have an interest in the development of the human brain and cognitive development. An interest in scientific research and methods is also recommended.

This course examines the basic knowledge and skills needed to give an academic presentation and to interact with others in an English-language classroom. It also covers how to modify the pronunciation of English in order to be better understood by both native and non-native speakers of English; and how to recognize and understand a number of well-known native and non-native accents of English.