Lecturer: Ragna Winniewski 

Course Nr.: 15304.0184

Date/Time: tbc

Location: S34, Building 102, U1, -1.309

New Medical Humanities is a thriving inter- and transdisciplinary field of study worldwide. It aims to contribute to a comprehensive and critical understanding of health, illness, and well-being by taking important factors such as environment, embodiment, gender, age, disability, biography and cultural 
heritage into account. Given the complexity and diversity of our globalised lifeworld, this course will concentrate on key concepts such as health, illness, and well-being, resilience, lifestyle choices, epistemic injustice and social participation in order to individuate social challenges of implementation on an individual and institutional level. Questions of interest are: What does it mean to lead a healthy lifestyle? Which concepts are central for a comprehensive picture of well-being? What is needed to feel empowered in case of a chronic illness or disability? What are discriminatory practices in general and in medicine and science in particular? To answer these questions, we will read texts from different disciplines such as phenomenology, psychology, sociology, as well as gender and queer studies to identify some potentials and hindrances that exist within the dialogue within and between humanities and medicine.

Lecturers: Allen Drew Nelson

Course Nr.: 15304.0182

Date/Time: Tues, 14:00 - 15:30

Location: S34, Building 102, U1, -1.309

The Earth's biosphere consists of complex, interconnected and adaptive systems. Human actions in the present determine the framework conditions for future generations. As we face planetary boundaries, the complex problem of sustainability becomes a global challenge that can only be tackled by appreciating and integrating multiple stakeholders. But what exactly does sustainability mean to these stakeholders and how can their goals become more aligned? In this setting, what is our role, as members of academic and scientific communities?

This introductory course looks at what contemporary European education and science sectors offer at various levels of analysis; to better appreciate where we are, and to adequately equip ourselves for the necessary transition to a more robust response, within the broader context of sustainability. Each level draws upon select approaches to sustainability, including: Planetary boundaries, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Green Deal, Education for Sustainable Development, Times Higher Education Impact Ranking, university-level sustainability strategies and codes of conduct, audits, certifications, grassroots initiatives and student movements.

Students will be introduced to evidence-based evaluation and problem-solving methods, with the objective of applying them to the topic of sustainability. A list of the intended strategies for this course will address multiple stakeholders, bias identification, transdisciplinary thinking, and levels of analysis.

Suggested reading:
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin III, F. S., Lambin, E., ... & Foley, J. (2009). Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and society, 14(2).

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2020). Education for sustainable development: A roadmap.

Tokuhama-Espinosa, T. N., Nelson, A. D., Batchelor, D., Borja, C., & Simmers, K. (2023). A Theory of Mental Frameworks: Contribution to the special issue in Frontiers Psychology on Enhanced Learning and Teaching via Neuroscience. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1220664.

Lecturer: Dr. Anan Alsneik Haidar

Course Nr.: 15304.0180

Date/Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Location: S34, Building 102, U1, -1.309

The module is intended to introduce the students to the permanent judicial organ established by the European Convention on Human Rights: the European Court of Human Rights. After providing a historical background on the Council of Europe and the European Convention of Human Rights in relation to the Court, the module focuses on the Court’s structure, jurisdiction, and the conduct of proceedings, providing an understanding of key doctrinal concepts that are adopted by the Court. It also considers a selection of the most important cases the Court has dealt with and which impact positively the development of international human rights law.

Lecturer: Bianca Sola Claudio

Course Nr.: 15304.0181

Date/Time: tbc

Location: S34, Building 102, U1, -1.309

This course aims to explore contemporary migration in Europe, focusing on the intricate dynamics of migration flows, historical contexts, asylum law, and the diverse migration routes for refugees. Addressing the media and political narrative that often frames migration as a crisis and portrays migrants as a ‘burden’, this course poses a central question: does migration represent a state of crisis, or is it an integral part of European life? With this in mind, the course examines the impacts of migration on the humanitarian aid industry, as well as its influence on current European political narratives, including the rise of anti-immigrant party politics. 
Through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates perspectives from law, history, sociology and political science, the course seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of migration to European states. Key topics include the asylum routes to Europe, the legal frameworks of asylum, the socio-political ramifications of migration, and the responses of European societies and institutions to migration. The course includes a variety of readings, case studies, and media outputs, which will be thoroughly discussed to facilitate a critical analysis of contemporary issues and debates surrounding migration in Europe.