Passions of the Soul

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Passions of the Soul: Bodily Expressions and Moral Implications
Leerdoelen	1. Explain (in their own words) the main developments in the field of the history of emotions as well as the complexity and diversity of premodern ideas on emotional practices (ca. 0–1600) (OER Learning Outcomes 2, 3, 4). 2. Apply historical, literary, and cultural-psychological theories and concepts concerning emotions to premodern sources (text, image, or materiality) while respecting their historical context. (OER Learning Outcomes 6, 7, 8). 3. Evaluate the differences between premodern and contemporary conceptions of emotional and psychological behavior and incorporate these in their analyses of various premodern sources as well as contemporary phenomena (e.g. internet culture/memes, commercials/advertisements, movies/tv-shows) (OER Learning Outcomes 8, 10). 4. Design a source-based historical or literary research project on premodern emotion concepts and practices that incorporates modern theories and concepts of emotions and results in a well-founded, relevant, and original hypothesis (OER Learning Outcome 14). 5. Evaluate the work of peers in order to determine the legitimacy of their project(s), judging their strengths and weaknesses, and providing them with constructive feedback that helps their peers improve their project and its design (OER learning outcomes 14, 15). 6. Develop their own research project befitting current practices and traditions in historical and/or literary research and communicate this to academic peers both orally (ca. 10 min. presentation) as well as written (ca. 7000 word final paper) in such a way that it is understandable, academically correct, appealing to listen to/read, and free from linguistic errors (OER learning outcomes 11, 14, and 15).
Omschrijving	Passions of the Soul: The Cultural Psychology of Emotions in Premodern History If anything, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of culture in shaping human emotions. Deprived of social engagements, the Western world faced the deterioration of mental health and the collective yearning for a past in which ‘things were still possible.’ In this research seminar, we will inquire into emotion studies from a cultural psychological perspective within the cultural tradition of Christianity and its writings. From the desert fathers of Late Antiquity to 17th-century medicine, we will investigate saints’ lives, learned treatises, sermons, letter collections, literary texts (poetry and prose), and chronicles to investigate culture’s impact on shaping emotions and their long-term history. This cultural regulation of emotions seems to have had common interests: the nourishing of communality, cooperation, solidarity, charity, and many other prerequisites for a human(e) way of living. Students are familiarized with the field of the history of the emotions, which is currently flourishing in premodern studies. We will try and catch emotions in the act, to chart their functioning in society and nail down their appreciation by different authors and publics. This course is open to students from various disciplinary backgrounds. While the strengths of each discipline will be stimulated to flourish, students will be asked to participate in an interdisciplinary environment that seeks to broaden their horizon.
Uren per week	3
Onderwijsvorm	werkcollege (3 uur werkcollege)
Toetsvorm	presentatie, schriftelijke opdracht(en), werkstuk(ken)
Vaksoort	master
Coördinator	dr. T.B. Lap
Docent(en)	dr. T.B. Lap
Entreevoorwaarden
Opmerkingen
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type Course units for exchange students 1 semester I keuze Ma Interdisciplinaire Onderzoekscolleges 1 semester I keuze Ma Letterkunde (Europese L&C / English L&C / Writing, Editing and Mediating)  (D. Interdisciplinaire Onderzoekscolleges) 1 semester I keuze