PSYC272

Description

Section information text: This capstone seminar explores the question, "what makes an activist" by examining the psychology of social/political activism and political engagement in the U.S. context. Why do some people want to change the world, and how can psychological theories help us better understand activism in the world, and in our own lives? It is not necessary for you to consider yourself an activist (or want to be an activist) in order to take this course. Together we will read empirical and theoretical work examining these questions, and make connections to the world around us. If you are involved with community-based work, or curious about why other people are, this course presents an opportunity to explore these issues from an interdisciplinary psychological perspective. The emphasis will be on how psychological processes and engagement are shaped by social context (history, social and cultural location) and individual differences (including not only personality, but also gender, race, sexuality, class, etc.). This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major.