1. Cognition in Context: Applying Psychological Science to Contemporary Social Issues

Ms Emma Pitt & Ms. Joan Kim – CORE (Conceptual Organization, Reasoning & Education) Lab (COS), Advanced PhD candidates.

Meetings: Tuesdays, 6pm-9pm. Dates: February 4th, 11th, 25th, March 11th, 18th, 25th, April 1st & 8th. (No meeting on March 4th). This is an In-Person Studio.

Description

Since all social issues are essentially human issues, involving how people understand and interact with the world around them, the perspectives offered by psychological science are critically important for understanding our most pressing issues. This is an experiential Studio in which students will critically engage with contemporary social issues through the lens of social and cognitive psychology. Students will learn to apply social-cognitive frameworks to social issues, such as environmental justice, racial inequalities, and nationalism, taking psychology outside the classroom and beyond the traditional academic setting. This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to research, teaching students about the ways that psychology interacts with various disciplines–ranging from history to environmental science–to shape the way people understand the world around them. Students will have the opportunity to hone their research skills and focus on social issues that are important to them. Class sessions will feature discussions, guest speakers, and field trips that emphasize the role of psychological science in a real-world context. This Studio is designed for and welcomes students from all majors and colleges.

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2.  Immigrant Justice: Fighting for Immigrant Rights By Drafting A Report for An Asylum Seeker

Professor Hemanth C. Gundavaram — School of Law, Co-founder & Director, Immigrant Justice Clinic; Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Meetings: Wednesdays, 6pm-9pm. Dates: January 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, February 5th, February 12th, February 19th, February 26th. This is a Hybrid (In-Person/Virtual) Studio.

Description

Under both international and domestic law, the U.S. has a legal obligation to protect those who arrive on our soil and claim asylum. Yet harsh statutes, policies, and regulations have put the asylum system in jeopardy. In many cases, the last line of defense against these attacks are the immigration attorneys representing asylum seekers throughout the country and at the border. Amid this unrelenting attack on immigrants, the Northeastern University School of Law Immigrant Justice Clinic (IJC) was founded in 2017 as an on-campus pro bono (free) legal clinic.

This Inside the Honors Studio series will allow students to help the IJC in the fight for immigrants’ rights. Every asylum seeker who claims asylum must submit various documents to the U.S. government to prove that they have been persecuted in their home country and should be granted asylum here. Students will assist in creating one of the many documents that must be submitted to demonstrate that the asylum seeker is unsafe in their home country. This series is designed for students from all majors and does not require any previous knowledge of – or experience in – immigration law.

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3. Photography and Engineering: An Interdisciplinary Studio for All Majors

Professor Andrew Gillen, First Year Engineering, COE.

Meetings: Mondays, 6pm-9pm. January 6th, 13th and 27th, February 3rd, 10th and 24th.

Description

Do you enjoy taking photos, casually or more seriously? Are you curious about what actually happens after you press that button? Do you think photography is more art than science or vice-versa? If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, then this is a Studio for you. Designed to be highly experiential and specifically for students from all majors, and requiring no STEM background, in this Studio, we pull back the curtain on the hidden engineering behind cameras and photography. Beyond the basics of how cameras function, we will explore bespoke, fascinating and unusually engineered photographic technology as well as applications of photography such as forensic engineering. The Studio will include a guided photo walk. Each week students will be asked to submit one photograph. Studio participants will be requested to bring to each meeting a laptop computer and a digital camera, e.g. on their phone. (Note: this Studio is designed to be fully accessible. Students unable to provide these items will be accommodated.)

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4. Knowledge, Belief, & Critical Thinking

Ms. Shannon Carnahan, M.S. Candidate, Counseling Psychology, Bouve

Meetings: Wednesdays, 6:00pm-7:30pm. January 22nd, February 5th, 19th, and 26th, March 19th, and April 2nd

Description

Epistemology, in simple terms, is the study of how we know what we know. This concept is interested in the nature of knowledge, and the limits to our understanding. Through examining case studies from diverse sectors and academic disciplines like technology, policy, and
healthcare, we will critically analyze how knowledge is shaped by dominant culture and societal norms, and how it aligns or confÏlicts with our individual beliefs and goals. Students will explore the intersection between the construction of knowledge and their own backgrounds and
experiences. By the end of this studio, students will have a stronger understanding of how to become active, ethical practitioners, rather than passive consumers.

This highly participatory studio will combine discussions, self-reflection, and critical inquiry to help students develop the skills to evaluate knowledge more thoughtfully, and apply these insights to their professional practices. By engaging with foundational epistemological frameworks, analyzing relevant case studies, engaging in self-reflective activities, students will develop critical thinking tools that serve them in becoming more intentional, ethical, and
informed professionals. The studio will culminate in a final project that integrates course material to further inform the practitioner you want to be.

2024 Archive

Emergent Technologies (including AI) and their Implications for Communities and Governance | Prof. Kimberly D. Lucas, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

From Global Experience to Local Action: A Project-Based Exploration of Challenges that Impact Our Collective Lives | Dr. Jalene Tamerat, CETR

Three Meanings of Argument: Disputation Training for Curious Minds | Prof. Michael Hoppmann, CAMD

Vision and Re-Vision: ‘Rite of Spring’, the Ballet and Music, 100 Years and Beyond | Shaelyn Casey, Honors

Factors Impacting International Humanitarian Law | Ms. Anne “Dunni” Sodipo, Center for Intercultural Engagement (CIE)

Creating Personal Narrative in Video and Sound for Public Consumption | Prof. Julia Hechtman, CAMD

Cognition in Context: Applying Psychological Science to Contemporary Social Issues | Ms Emma Pitt & Ms. Joan Kim – CORE Lab (COS)

Immigrant Justice: Fighting for Immigrant Rights By Drafting A Report for An Asylum Seeker | Prof. Hemanth C. Gundavaram — School of Law

The Rest of the Story: Storytelling at the Intersection of Justice and Healing | Prof. Michael Patrick MacDonald, Honors Professor of the Practice

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2023 Archive

Social Innovation in Rural Health | Prof. Kathy Simmonds (Bouvé) and Prof. Linda Trvdy (Bouvé)

Russian Culture & National Identity | Prof. Harlow Robinson, Matthews Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, CSSH

How do Large Language Models (ChatGPT & family) Work?: A non-programming class targeting students outside of math and tech fields | Prof. Felix Muzny, Khoury

Embodied Ethics | Prof. Ilya Vidrin, CAMD, COE, Experiential Artificial Intelligence Institute.

Restorative Justice: Promoting a Just Future Through Community-Based Techniques for Truth, Accountability & Repair | Prof. Michael Patrick MacDonald, Honors Professor of the Practice

Immigrant Justice: Fighting for Asylum Seekers through Research and Writing | Prof. Hemanth C. Gundavaram, School of Law

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2022 Archive

Building a Holistic Wellness Toolbox | Dr. Chong. Kim-Wong, Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students

Immigrant Justice: Fighting for Asylum Seekers through Research and Writing | Prof. Hemanth C. Gundavaram, School of Law

Restorative Justice: Promoting a Just Future Through Community-Based Techniques for Truth, Accountability & Repair | Prof. Michael Patrick MacDonald, Honors Professor of the Practice

We Wear the Masks | Prof. Vanessa D. Johnson, Bouvé

From Global Experience to Local Action: A Project-Based Exploration of the Challenges That Impact Our Collective Lives | Dr. Jalene Tamerat, Community-Engaged Teaching and Research

Novel Writing: Begin Authoring Your Own Novel | Prof. Kat Gonso, CSSH

Three Meanings of Argument: Disputation Training for Curious Minds | Prof. Michael Hoppmann, CAMD

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2021 Archive

Art, Story & Health: Narrative Health Psychology in Critical Times | Dr. Irina Todorova, Bouvé

Authorship Narrative | Dr. Emma Futhey, University Honors Program

The Future of Work | Diane Ciarletta, Anne Grieves & Steven David Torres, Career Design, & Michele Rapp, Alumni Relations

Immigrant Justice: Fighting for Asylum Seekers through Research and Writing | Prof. Hemanth C. Gundavaram, School of Law

Restorative Justice: Promoting a Just Future Through Community-Based Techniques for Truth, Accountability & Repair | Prof. Michael Patrick MacDonald, Honors Professor of the Practice

We Wear the Masks | Prof. Vanessa D. Johnson, Bouvé