- you will gain an active understanding of social and cultural-psychological theories relevant for understanding intergroup relations and cultural differences.
- you will critically apply these scientific insights to current topics and themes present in our multicultural society.
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A significant portion of our lives is played out within groups such as friends, family, colleagues and compatriots. These groups offer a sense of identity, and these group memberships appear to be necessary for us to function as people. However, belonging to a group also has a direct effect on your view of people who are not members of the group. One specific example of the problems this may cause can be found in the current debate on how people in the Netherlands should live alongside one another. Since the great influx of immigrants at the beginning of the 1960s and 1970s, Dutch society has ever more become a ‘multicultural society’. We cannot ignore the fact that people display great behavioural differences from one another, which stem from their national origin, and that these differences are tenacious. Cultural diversity can therefore become a source of intercultural tensions. Another example is whether inequalities between different groups in society are acknowledged or addressed by high and low status groups.
This course will focus on (intercultural) relationships between groups within our society, and discuss these using psychological perspectives on society and culture, In addition, we will analyze the social and cognitive consequences of group membership. The lectures are complemented by discussion or interactive sessions to help you to apply these theoretical perspectives to actual cases from practice and the media.
The course addresses the following topics:
- The public debate surrounding the integration of immigrants in the Netherlands
- The function of group membership
- Social-cognitive effects of group membership on the individual
- Psychological dimensions of multiculturalism
- Acculturation and integration
- Cultural and implicit prejudices
- Structural inequality in society
- The improvement of relations between groups.
This course connects to SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
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Completed first-year Psychology programme or other first-year university programme.
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Written examination, open ended questions (100%).
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