PHBA8220 Complexity, science and society Course description

General admission requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Behavior Analysis.

Students will be able to:

• describe the scope and ambition of the complexity research field, and point to practical applications
• describe and discuss the essential concepts and research methods in complexity research. (Concepts include emergence, complexity, networks, self-organization, pattern formation, evolution and co-evolution, adaptation, chaos, cooperation, competition, interdependence, scaling, dynamic response, information and function. Methods include statistical methods, agent-based modeling, system dynamics and cultural analysis.)
• place their own research project in a complexity context

The course consists of 1 introductory meeting, and 6 - 12 seminars of 4 x 45 minutes, and time for discussion and a final seminar (4 x 45 minutes). The introductory meeting takes place 2 weeks ahead of the main part of the course. At this meeting, the structure, content and purpose of the course are presented. The students are asked to give short presentations of their Ph.D. projects, and describe how the course is relevant to it. The main purpose of this early session is to help the students to start systematic work with the course readings.

The seminars target central themes from the course readings for discussion and reflection. A high level of student participation is expected. During this time, students will produce several reaction papers (3 - 4 pages double spaced), and a final presentation of one central theme from the course. Themes are assigned by the lecturers. The final seminar consists of a discussion of the presentations, which are distributed in advance as papers not to exceed 10 pages double spaced, and introduced by each candidate in a short (3 minute) session. Course teachers mediate the discussions.

• All papers approved,
• attendance in at least 80 % of the seminars, and
• approved paper presentation in final seminar.

Portfolio.

Portfolio requirements: 4 reaction papers

Language of instruction: English (Norwegian if no English speakers are registered for the course) 

New policies and guidelines recommend an emphasis on equitable and culturally sensitive health care services. Within the context of multi-cultural societies, this course addresses migration and minority perspectives related to mental illness and substance abuse across the life course. The course explores mental health of migrants and minorities using multisystemic perspectives, and theories of intersectionality. It puts an emphasis on multiple interacting processes related to social inclusion and marginalization. 

A special focus will be given to vulnerable situations and migrants/refugees/ torture victims/ asylum seekers within a context of rehabilitation services, resilience, and empowerment processes. Not since the Second World War have such vast numbers of people migrated or been forced to flee, both crossing nation state borders and being displaced within a nation state. People who migrate encounter boundaries that regulate access to nation states, social rights, and health care services. The course thus puts an emphasis on migration experiences: specifically addressing how the life situation of migrants influences mental well-being, family relationships, and social and labour participation in the Norwegian context and beyond. 

Within the contexts of human rights, belonging and relatedness, the course further addresses the mental wellbeing of minorities in Norway. We will discuss majority and minority perspectives within societies with a specific focus on mental illness and substance abuse.

Migration and minority positions are complex phenomena, and the course will utilize comparative knowledge and methodology to broaden holistic understanding. The students reflects on different social and cultural perceptions and explanations of mental illness and substance abuse as well as factors influencing health seeking behaviours across the life course among migrants and minorities within the Norwegian context and beyond.

Admission to the programme or course.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence: 

Knowlegde

The student

• can discuss the importance of sex and gender, age, socio-cultural and economic contexts and living conditions, including labour, housing and social participation in relation to mental health and substance abuse
• can analyse and discuss common ethical issues and values related to mental health care
• can discuss the need of self-help, peer to peer support and voluntary work
• can analyse the relationships between migration and experiences of traumatisation, and its impact on mental illness and substance abuse 

Skills

The student

•  can analyse interactions between gender, age and socio-cultural context (i.e., among minority groups and persons) and problems related to mental illness and substance abuse. Further, make use of such knowledge to understand the need of help
• can work on individual, groups, and society level to promote well-being processes, good everyday life situations and social participations for instance at schools and working places for those who concerns, their family and network
• can support self-help, peer to peer work, and voluntary work
• can analyse and reflect upon communication challanges with persons with mental health and substance abuse conditions, their families and network
• can analyse and critical reflect upon self-perceptions, attitudes, and how values and ways of being influence the work towards the person affected, the family, network and collaborative partners

Competense

The student

• can make use of knowledge and skills in exercise professionals’ judgment in encounter persons with mental health and/ or substance abuse and other persons touched upon
• can apply equitable, inclusive and culturally sensitive health and social services