University of Manchester

In this course basic principles of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neurochemistry are discussed to develop an understanding of how these biological factors underlie human brain function. Topics include biological basis of emotion, motivation, stress, sleep, autistic, ADHD, and substance abuse disorders. Students become familiar with multidisciplinary methods of investigation through use of behavioral, computational, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging tools.

This course examines ideas of culture, ideology, and hegemony, discourse, media aesthetics, and digital convergence. Class discussions investigate the history of communications techniques, the implication of media in the workings of power in modern societies, the politics of media aesthetics, the role of audiences in shaping media, and the impact of digital technologies. Specific examples are introduced to clarify the main ideas, including the printing press, 19th-century visual entertainments, early and avant garde films, fan-fiction, and computer games.

This course explores the institutions and practices of international aid through the lens of development and humanitarian expertise. The course is structured around a visit in the last lecture from aid practitioners such as from the British Red Cross who discusses their work and how to get into the profession of development, humanitarianism, and other related careers. Students work in groups throughout the semester to prepare for this event, ultimately producing blog entries that showcase what they think anthropology can offer to understand humanitarian and development issues. 

The course introduces students to the foundational concepts in the study of language from the perspective of cognitive science. It explores questions that are still a matter of debate in the field, critically evaluating both evidence and arguments. Students develop a deeper understanding of how language works, some of the principles governing the complex interactions between language and other cognitive dimensions (such as attention, perception, and thought), and a basic understanding of how language functions in the brain.