The course this year will be taught by Carolyn Kagan (Paper Leader), Kath Knowles, Rebecca Lawthom, Elliot Cohen and Paul Duckett. We will each be responsible for one or more of the integrated topics within the course.

The learning outcomes are that by the end of the course you will:

Throughout the term, we will use a variety of teaching techniques. These may include experiential techniques, the use of different media, lectures and group discussion. Some sessions may include visiting speakers. Throughout the course, we will not be teaching psychology, culture and identity as an external body of knowledge. Instead, we will be grounding the topics in our own experiences and linking these, and those of others, to psychological literature. We will all need to be prepared to contribute actively to the sessions, in a non-judgemental atmosphere.

The teaching and learning schedule is as follows:

There may be a number of reasons why you may be interested in this course. You may be interested in exploring some of the ways psychology helps or hinders us from understanding diverse social experience, and the implications of this for personal and social lives. You may be interested in the limitations of the discipline of psychology for understanding social phenomena that affect us all and that influence legislation and social policy. You may be interested in developing a psychological understanding of social issues and contemporary events.

Poverty and social exclusion are life defining experiences, embedded within social policies and practices. Social Exclusion is a relatively new concept that is being incorporated into the social worlds of governments and citizens, although the fact of social exclusion has always existed. This session will explore the extent to which poverty and social exclusion are linked socially, culturally and psychologically and how the discipline of psychology helps us understand the phenomena and how they may be reduced.

Atd Fourth World. Participation Works. (from ATD Fourth World

48, Addington Square, London SE 5 7LB)

Cohen, A. (ed) (1982) Belonging : identity and social organisation in British rural cultures Manchester University Press

Gilchrist,R. and Jeffs, T (2000) Settlements, social change and

community action - Good Neighbours. Jessica Kingsley

Hopper,P. ( 2001) Rebuilding Communities in an age of individualism

Ashgate

Lister, R (1998) From equality to social inclusion: New Labour and the welfare state Critical Social Policy 18 (2) 215-226

McDonald, R (ed) (1997) Youth, The ‘Underclass and Social Exclusion London, Routledge

Millar, B. (1995) Heaviness in the Air Health Services Journal 25 May p.16

Parker I and Spears R (Eds) (1996) Psychology and Society London Pluto Press (Ch By M. Burton and C. Kagan 'Rethinking Empowerment')

Preece, J. and Houghton, A-M (2000) Nurturing social capital in

excluded communities Ashgate

Room, G. (1996) Beyond the Threshold: The Measurement and Analysis of Social Exclusion Bristol, Policy Press

Spear, R., Defourny, J. Favreau, L., Laville, J-L (eds) 2001 Tackling

social exclusion in Europe. Ashgate 0 7546 1383 6

Our values and beliefs, as well as our personal learning styles influences both how we seek out opportunities and how we respond to them. Throughout our lives we are subject to lots of influences which contribute to our self-concepts and interests in life. These in turn influence who we spend time with and what we spend our time doing.

In this session we will draw on personal experiences to explore how and why we use our time as we do; how we respond individually to different experiences and how individual experiences combine at institutional and societal levels.

Revans, R. (1998) ABC of action learning [3rd ed.]. - London : Lemos & Crane,

Rokeach, (1968) - Beliefs, attitudes and values : a theory of organization and change London : Jossey-Bass,

Housley, W. and Hester, S (2001) Language Interaction and National

Summary:To compare and contrast Western and Eastern approaches to

Psychology.

'Who am I?' although a universal question, has been approached (and

continues to be approached) in radically different ways. This topic

shall explore Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist forms of (what is recognised today as being) Psychology, as well as some key Kabbalistic concepts. The East

meets West dialogue shall also be explored; how Eastern thought helped to

shape and influence many philosophical/psychological theories post 1960s.

The session will involve lecture, group discussion and traditional

Buddhist meditation.

Outcomes: To overcome ethnocentric notions about Psychology being purely

Western or even purely scientific.

Buddha (500 BCE) 'The Dhammapada'

Mark Epstein (1996) 'Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a

Buddhist Perspective', Basic Books:US

Lao Tzu (300 BCE) 'Tao Te Ching'

Jean-Francois Revel, Matthieu Ricard (1999) 'The Philosopher and the

Monk' HarperCollins, UK.

Alan Watts, (1996), 'The Tao of Philosophy', Eden Grove Editions:US

This session will explore the experience of mental illness in our community today and how cultural issues affect the personal identity of people who suffer from a mental illness. The session will start by exploring a psychological model of personal identity, its features and its functions, especially in regard to psychological health. Then cultural issues will be examined with special reference to organisational culture, professional culture and resistance to change as reflected in the mental health service in the UK. The position of the users of the mental health services will be considered in relation to notions of power and oppression.

In this session we will examine current policy and practice regarding the participation of service users in the development and delivery of mental health services and the implications for personal identity. Finally we will ask what is the role of psychology in this area and what are the implications and possibilities for change.

A range of teaching/learning methods will be used for these sessions. These will include the viewing of excerpts from a video of the case of one person’s experiences as he moves from his home in the community to the psychiatric hospital and back to his home again. The will be some tutor input on theoretical and conceptual issues. There will also be some group discussions and exercises.

Barham, P and Hayward R, 1995, Relocating madness, Free Association Books. London

Barnes M and Bowl R, 2001, Taking over the asylum: Empowerment and mental health, Palgrave, Basingstoke, Hants

Bond MH, 1998, Working at the interface of cultures, Routledge, London

Chmiel N (ed), 2000, Introduction to work and organisational psychology: A European perspective, Blackwell Publishers Ltd, Oxford

Clegg, S, 1979, The theory of power and organisation,

Coleman R, 1998, The politics of the madhouse, Handsell Publishing, Runcorn, Cheshire

Crisp AH, Gelder MG, Rix S, Meltzer HJ and Rowlands OJ, 2000, Stigmatisation of people with mental illness, BJ Psychiatry, 177, 4-7

Fernando S, 1988, Race and culture in psychiatry, Croom Helm Ltd, Beckenham, Kent

French JRP and Raven BH, 1959, The bases of social power. In D Cartwright (ed), Studies in social power, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Institute for Social Research

Handy C, 1993, Understanding organisations, Penguin, London

Johnson DW, 1993, Reaching out: Interpersonal effectiveness and self-actualization, (5^th Ed), Allyn and Bacon, London etc

Myers F and Macdonald C, 1996, Power to the people? Involving users and careers in needs assessment and care planning – views from the practitioners, Health and social care in the community, 4(2), 86-95

Pilgrim D and Rogers A, 1993, A sociology of mental health and illness, Open University Press

Sayce L, 2000, From psychiatric patient to citizen: Overcoming discrimination and social exclusion, McMillan Press Ltd, London

‘Representation is not a luxury: it is an integral part of a process concerned with access, empowerment, collective action and rights. It is a political agenda’ (Langley’s foreword in Hevey, 1992)

Our sense of who we are: woman, man, heterosexual, gay, disabled, black, white come not only from our embodiment (having a body, skin, gender to define us) but also from the way other perceive us. The images and representations we are subject to position us in certain ways. These positionings can influence self-esteem, having both positive and negative implications in terms of roles ascribed. Roles we occupy in society in private arenas (the family) and more public spaces (the labour market) are shaped by identity formation and representations held by others (and ourselves). In this session we will consider the way in which representations of groupings of people, in particular female disabled identities, can impact upon life experiences and opportunities.

Atkinson, D., & Williams, F. (Ed.). (1990). 'Know me as I am': An

Anthology of Prose, Poetry and Art by People with Learning

difficulties. Kent: Hodder & Stoughton in association with the Open

University and MENCAP.

Hevey, D. (1992) The Creatures that time forgot: Photography and Disability Imagery. London:Routledge.

Oliver, M. (1996). Understanding Disability: From Theory to Practice. London: Macmillan.

Morris, J. (1991) Pride against prejudice. London: The Women’s Press.

Morris, J. (Ed.). (1996). Encounters with Strangers: Feminism and Disability. London: The Women's Press.

Thomas, C. (1999) Female forms: Experiencing and understanding disability. Buckingham: OUP.

Feminism and Psychology

Disability & Society .

In terms of Websites there are many and these link into other sites and related journals.

codi.buffalo.edu - cornucopia of disability information

leeds.ac.uk/dru/dru.htm - Disability Research Unit at Leeds University

disabilitynet.co.uk/groups/gmcdp/index.html - superb site of Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People. Local and radical!

In this session we will explore the notion of self via social identity theory as well as concepts such as personal and social agency and the sources of personal belief and value systems. The limitations of Western psychology will be a central element throughout.

This workshop will be a combination of input and experiential activity.

Birkitt I (1992) Social Selves. Sage

Breakwell G (ed) (1992) Social Psychology of Identity and the Self. Academic Press

Burr V (1995)An Introduction to Social Constructionism. Routledge

Gergen K (1999) Introduction to Social Constructionism. Sage

Harre R (1998) The Singular Self. Sage

Michael M (1996) Constructing Identities. Sage

Rowan J (1988) Ordinary Ecstasy: Humanistic Psychology in Action. Routledge

Shotter J & Gergen K (eds) (1989) Texts of Identity. Sage

Stevens R (ed) (1996) Understanding the Self. Sage

Wilkinson S (ed) (1996) Feminist Social Psychologies Open University Press

Ager, A 1999 Refugees: Perspectives on the experience of forced migration Cassell

Breakwell, G. (1996) Changing European identities : social psychological analyses of social change. Butterworth-Heinemann,

Breakwell, G (ed) (1992) Social psychology of identity and the self concept Academic Press

Breakwell, Glynis M.(1986) Coping with threatened identities. Methuen, 1986.

Breakwell, G. (ed) (1983) Threatened identities Wiley

Campbell, B, (1993) Goliath : Britain's dangerous places Methuen

Chambers, R. 1997 Whose reality Counts? Intermediate Technology

Cohen, A.P (1986) Symbolising boundaries : identity and diversity in British cultures Manchester University Press

Goffman, E (1968) - Stigma : notes on the management of spoiled identity. - Penguin,

Holdstock, T.L. (2000) Re-examining Psychology. Critical Perspectives and African Insights. London Routledge

J. Langer (ed) (1997) The Bend in the road : refugees writing - Nottingham : Five Leaves Publications

Minority Rights Group, (1998) Forging new identities : young refugees and minority students tell their stories London :.

Owusu-Bempah, K and Howitt, D (2000) Psychology: Beyond Western perspectives Leceister, BPS Books

Saraga, E. (1998) Embodying the social: Social constructions of difference Open University Press

Sharratt, S. (1999) Assault

We have moved from Exam and Assessed Coursework to assessment by Assessed Coursework only.

There are two elements to the assessed coursework.

1. Critical Analysis of a learning session
2. Essay

This is a portfolio assessment in which you record your impressions of any of the learning sessions, focusing on both the content and the teaching and learning process.

You should hand in a completed session form for at least 7 of the 10 learning sessions. See Appendix I for a sample form.

For ONE of these topics, expand your analysis to be a 1500 word report of the session, analysed with reference to relevant psychological literature.

In addition to the general marking criteria for undergraduate assignments, we will use the following criteria for assessing the report.

1. Critical use of relevant psychological literature, linked coherently to the particular session.
2. Application of insights gained from the session to identity and cultural diversity
3. Insight into learning content and process demonstrated
4. Explicit analysis of the influence of and on personal identity within the session and/or the literature used.
5. Analysis of cultural influences within the session and/or within the literature used

Appendix II shows the marking form to be used for the assignment.

Choose ONE. 2500 words

You must discuss your ideas with a tutor before doing a lot of work oin this assignment (the tutor responsible for each assignment is indicated below). Discuss your ideas with colleagues on the course too – but remember this is not a joint assignment.

Take care to structure your work (see advice under each assignment). You must make appropriate reference to the literature, critically where possible. In all assignments you will need to go beyond description and opinion. However insightful, description will not lead to a good mark. Good grades will be achieved by choosing an argument and pursuing it with the support of literature. Whilst we encourage the use of literature from outside psychology, you must anchor this in the use and limitations of psychological literature. So, wherever possible, appraise the psychological literature with reference to its adequacy in either helping to understand the phenomena under discussion or in constituting an acceptable body of knowledge. Credit will be given for critical thought.

Assignments that focus on only psychological knowledge and make no attempt to ground the discussion in some personal or cultural phenomena will not get good marks.

It is appropriate in these assignments to write at least some of the work in the first person, but don’t forget to back up your views with additional support material where possible. In some assignments it will be quite appropriate to reflect upon how the material discussed has affected you, and we encourage the inclusion of a reflexive component.

You MUST reference your material according to academic conventions in psychology. This means using the Harvard referencing style. In the text include names and dates only, and in the reference list, list all references cited in alphabetical order, whether they are primary or secondary references.

You should structure your essay so that it includes the following sections: an opening paragraph setting out what the key psychological, cultural and identity issues are that you intend to focus upon in the text; an account of the theoretical resources (which may be from inside or outside psychology) that you will be drawing on to make sense of the text; a description of the text and your analysis of it (and here you may choose to provide a brief description which is followed by the analysis or provide an analytic account of the text which embeds the description within the analytic categories you have chosen); and a conclusion which draws together what this text and this analysis has shown us about psychology, culture and identity.

The way you structure your assignment is up to you, but you must state in an opening paragraph how you have structured the essay. Following the introductory paragraph, you could talk about your personal experiences and then discuss relevant literature; or you could discuss relevant literature and then illustrate with reference to your personal experiences; or you could discuss the two simultaneously. You should end the essay with a concluding paragraph which sums up the main points you have made and your conclusions about how your experience informs psychology, culture and identity, and vice versa.

You may write in the first person (’I’) throughout the essay.

Breakwell, G. (ed) (1992) Social psychology of identity and the self Academic Press

Campbell, J. (1996) Disability politics : understanding our past, changing our future Routledge,

Jackson, David, (1990)-. - Unmasking masculinity : a critical autobiography. - Unwin Hyman,

Mascuch, M. (1997) - Origins of the individualist self : autobiography and self-identity in England. - Cambridge : Polity Press

Goffman, E. (1972) Interaction ritual : essays on face - to - face behaviour. Penguin

Heron, L. (1985) Truth, Dare or Promise: Girls growing up in the fifties Virago

Osborne, S (1985) - The other side of me : black self identity. - Bristol : Campaign Against Racism in Education

Rogers, C. (1961) On Becoming a Person Constable

You have two choices:

This assessed course work requires you to trace back aspects of culture and identity evident in your identified character/programme/film, to relevant psychological theories. Which theories are most useful in informing your understanding and very importantly which theories challenge your understanding. Where are the gaps in what psychology offers? In what ways does psychology help or hinder our understanding?

• Decide which character/programme/film to use.
• Include a summary (maximum 500 words) of the character/programme/film as an appendix – including date of release, transmission etc.
• Video, if you can, your chosen programme/film.
• Watch the video a number of times.
• List those issues about psychology, culture and identity which strike you as important.
• Do some specific reading around your selected issues.
• Decide on an argument. What is it that you are wanting to say. Select the issues that best enable you to convey your particular argument.

• You must be selective – you only have 2,000 words. it is best to choose one or a few, major issue/s which you can then thoroughly explore. Remember your task is to demonstrate your critical understanding of how particular cultures and forms of psychology inform the process of personal identity.

• Sometimes writing a title, or question you wish to address, enables you to decide which issues to include.
• Structure your issues into an argument which needs to be well grounded in relevant literature as well as quotes or descriptions from the character/programme or film.
• Include some acknowledgement of reflexivity – how, who you are has influenced the whole process of this work, including your write up.
• Emphasise your argument in your conclusion.
• Write in the first person!

• issues of psychology culture and identity addressed
• clear well structured argument.
• work firmly grounded in relevant literature.
• work grounded in descriptions and/or quotes from your chosen character/programme/film.
• awareness of the influence of the socio-cultural context.
• critical awareness of theory, psychology and reflexive issues apparent.
• reflexive commentary
• summary of character/programme/film included as appendix.

Burr V (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism. Routledge

Gergen, K (1999) Introduction to Social Constructionism. Sage

Harre, R (1998) The Singular Self. Sage

Michael, M (1996) Constructing Identities. Sage

Potter, J, Stringer P & Wetherell, M (1984) Social Texts and Context: Literature and Social Psychology. Routledge

Sapsford, R (ed)(1996) Issues in Social Psychology. The Open University

Stevens, R (ed) (1996) Understanding the Self. Sage

Using a number of visual representations (in a chosen arena) explore the relationships between what is presented and theories of psychology, culture and identity.

Choose an arena in which you are interested. It is quite acceptable to choose disability (outlined in the session) or you may wish to focus on other representations, such as sexuality, race, gender etc. Alternatively, you may wish to encompass a couple of areas such as gender and sexuality, race and disability. The aims of this course work are:

• To collect 5-6 visual representations in your chosen arena: disability, gender, class
• To analyse these representations in terms of implications for psychology, culture and identity.
• To provide theoretical links between the chosen representations and theories of culture, psychology and identity.

• To encourage you to think about how you construct meanings in your chosen domain

You can structure the assignment around the visual representations chosen. Firstly, choose some images to focus on. It is easier to do this is visual images are chosen, however, you can use other media, such as newspaper articles, web pages etc. Select around 5 or 6 images you wish to focus on. You now need to ‘read’ the images; in other words analyse the meanings of the images presented. What is presented or given off by the image, what is assumed or absent from the image? Representations are often constructed in terms of dualities – disabled/able bodied; male/female; gay/straight and white/black. Representations are therefore ‘relational’ – they can only be understood in relation to an implied ‘norm’. Present an analysis of the images, providing a theoretical context for your particular reading. What impact might these images have upon identity formation, identity across diverse cultures and theories of identity development? How does a representations which exists in the media interact with the way that people live their lives. The analysis undertaken will depend upon your interpretation of the images and thus reflexivity and transparency are important issues. Where do you stand in this analysis – in relation to the images provided?

The structure you adopt can be flexible but remember to weave into the analysis, some theoretical ideas. You could start with theory, then move onto images or vice versa OR talk about images and theory simultaneously.

An in-depth analysis of a small sample of material, demonstrating clear interpretation of the images chosen.

An understanding of the meanings associations and underlying themes conveyed in the material.

Thoughtful linking of the images and theory used.

An explicit recognition of reflexivity and transparency.

These are more closely associated with disability and/or feminism. Come and see me for pointers regarding other literature if you wish to focus on another domain.

Hevey, D. (1992) The Creatures that time forgot: Photography and Disability Imagery. London:Routledge.

Morris, J. (Ed.). (1996). Encounters with Strangers: Feminism and Disability. London: The Women's Press.

Thomas, C. (1999) Female forms: Experiencing and understanding disability. Buckingham: OUP.

The assignment for this component of the course will be an essay of not more than 2000 words based on an interview with a representative of a stakeholder group in the mental health services. Service providers (GPs, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, community mental health nurses, psychiatric social workers, ward staff working in psychiatric units, etc), voluntary and statutory agencies (MIND, Making Space, National Schizophrenia Fellowship, Community Health Councils, etc) are all stakeholder groups. So of course are the users and ex users of the mental health services but because these are considered to be a vulnerable group, there are important ethical considerations in working with these persons. Students who are considering basing their essays on interviews with a user of ex user of the mental health services must consult me first for ethical clearance. Student should make their own arrangements for contacting, setting up the interview and interviewing a suitable stakeholder group member.

The interview should be audiotaped. It is not necessary to submit a transcript of the interview but the audiotape must be submitted with the essay.

The essay should be structured in three sections:

Introduction (around 500 words) - this should demonstrate understanding of literature in the area of psychology, culture and identity. The content of the literature review may vary depending on the stakeholder you interview but it should include the important theoretical and social issues as well as the more pragmatic bases for the development of mental health services planning and delivery (eg, theoretical models of organisational and professional cultures of psychiatry, knowledge of the social/political context mental health services, challenges to identity and the role of psychology in this arena. etc.)

Interview (around 1000 words) - this should be the thematic analysis of the interview you have conducted. Here you should demonstrate your ability to 'tease out' from the interview data any issues that link to the literature reviewed in the previous section, and any new ('emergent') issues.

Discussion (around 500 words) - here we will be looking at how well you have discussed and linked the issues from the interview to the literature that you presented in the introduction: how the issues may be interrelated; the nature of any tensions or conflictual areas; what possibilities/implications there are for change, etc. Your discussion should also be reflexive, ie, it should take into account the reactive effects of the interview situation, your personal position as interviewer, etc.

Critical reflexive analysis of this assignment (1,500 words, worth 25%)

See above notes for discussion of how to go about the set essay components.

Your work will be graded according to the extent to which you have shown:

• Achievement of General Masters’ Criteria;
• The ability to use information from the academic literature in applying concepts of psychology, culture and identity to everyday phenomena;
• Ability to critically appraise psychological knowledge in terms of cultural influences upon it;
• Understanding of the processes of personal identity formation and representations in contrasting cultures and sub-cultures;
• The ability to link issues and concepts in psychology, culture and identity to professional arenas (for example, to disability, counselling, criminological, forensic or community concerns).

Appendix II

Critical Analysis of learning session feedback and marking form.