Culture and Psychopathology: Cross-Cultural Perspectives and Practice 2500-EN-S-142
Each week students will be required to familiarize themselves with two
chosen texts, and contribute to a discussion of the ideas explored in
each seminar topic. Classes will involve student presentations, close
critical reading of the texts, and structured discussion. The texts will
bridge social science theory and clinical practice. Students will be able to
explore particular topics in more depth through their presentation and
essay, and the weekly reflective log will offer a context in which students
can reflect on the personal impact of texts and the ideas encountered.
This Seminar course requires a commitment to reading the assigned
materials.
This course aims to increase our awareness around the topics covered
through open-minded study and lively discussion. We will aim to
cultivate a climate of respectful listening and curiosity, sensitive
challenge, and personal reflection. Students should be willing to critically
reflect on the values and discourses informing their own perspectives
and respect those of others. In the Seminars and assessed work,
students will be invited to demonstrate a capacity to reflect on these
values and discourses, in accordance with the topics and materials
studied. We will aim to be particularly attentive to matters of equality,
diversity, privilege and difference, and participants will be encouraged to
reflect on how they themselves contribute to the group learning
experience.
2 ECTS (total 60hrs)
- Class Attendance: 15hrs
- 10min Presentation: 2hrs preparation
- Reading 28hrs (4hrs/Seminar)
- Essay 15hrs
(The Reflective Learning Log has no hours allocation as it is to be
completed as part of the process of reflection alongside the other
elements of the course, e.g. whilst reading and in response to the
seminar sessions).
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
Critical thinking; an introductory understanding of the far-reaching
influence of culture on psychology as a discipline and how
psychopathology is understood; treatment and practice implications of
cultural factors; an insight into some of the intersections between
Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology; self-reflexivity, i.e. a
developing awareness of how factors such as culture, race, gender and
our own specific contexts may affect how we think, perceive, and are
perceived by those around us.
Assessment criteria
Assessment
Written Essay, 2,500 words - 50%
Choice of 1 of 2-3 questions inviting exploration of one of the
topics covered and the implications for psychology,
psychopathology, mental health, and psychotherapy. The essay
will require students to explore a given topic in more depth and
situate the ideas in the wider landscape of psychology and
psychopathology. Students will be invited to demonstrate a
reflective capacity regarding how their own personal context
may influence their perspective.
Classroom Presentation - 20%
Maximum 10 minute presentation in pairs exploring the issues
covered in one of the papers from the weekly topics, and
offering up some points or questions for class discussion.
Students will be asked to provide fellow class members with a
summary sheet to accompany their presentation, including
questions for discussion. Students will be assessed for critical
evaluation of the material, their consideration of potential
implications for how we think about psychopathology, and how
thoughtfully they frame the points for discussion.
Classroom Participation – 10%
Classroom participation will be assessed for level of engagement
with the material and for showing sensitivity regarding power
and difference. This means developing an awareness of how
one’s own contributions to the seminar influence the overall
learning experience. Students should be mindful of voice
entitlement and aim to foster equality of voice in the seminars
so that there is an opportunity for everyone’s perspective to be
heard, as well as expressing their own. Discussion questions and
group exercises will promote this.
Reflective Learning Log – 20%
The reflective learning log is an informal collection of personal
reflections on the material covered and the experience of
participating in the seminar course. It is not assessed according
to length or formal presentation, but should be maintained
throughout the duration of the course and demonstrate a level
of personal engagement with the topics covered, as well as
some reflections on students’ personal responses to them.
Guideline length – 1 side of printed notes for each
topic/seminar.
Attendance rules
Absence maximum: 2 sessions, at least 1 of which must be sup
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: