Understanding and Tackling Violence

Full course description

Today, violence appears rampant across all levels and sectors of society. Media reports paint a grim picture of the world we live in – ranging from, for example, an increase of domestic violence on females since the pandemic started, to brutality and racism within law enforcement, and school shootings as a few examples. Violence seems to be a key aspect of human nature and has historically been an area of interest, from the violence in Roman arenas to modern video games and true crime fascination. Violence happens everywhere – at work, in schools, in health care facilities, on the streets, and at home. Historically, it has become one of the biggest societal issues to tackle. No matter which field of study a student focuses on, how to deal with violence is relevant for everyone.

This course provides students with an in-depth transdisciplinary understanding of violence. It will provide students with the ability to analyze and engage with problems of violence drawing from areas of social, cognitive, clinical, and neuropsychology, as well as from a legal, historical, and biological perspective. Themes in the course range from political activism, to terrorism, and sexual violence. Through working with case examples, theoretical background, and methodological tools, students will be familiarized with various issues relating to violence and crime in today’s society. Students will learn to work together with classmates outside of their own study discipline and will identify solutions through examining the problem together.