Literature and Professional Practice

PRO9018

The purpose of this PhD course is to explore the various possibilities that reading literature offers for practice and research in practice. Researchers in the Humanities have frequently argued for the benefits of literature in fostering empathy and critical thinking, claims that have garnered empirical support from initiatives such as Medical Humanities and other empirical approaches. In spite of this, these benefits are rarely explored in any systematic way in regard to areas of welfare practice in which such capacities are most needed. As such, literature and the arts remain under-exploited resources for conceptualizing the complexities of professional practice and for developing research agendas therein. This course will specifically address the possible role and value of literature for professional practice and practice research. Amongst the themes covered are, (a) cognition; (b) ethics; (c) imagination; (d) identity; (e) professional formation

Knowledge

Participants should be:

at the forefront of knowledge regarding key research results on the relationship between fiction and cognition, fiction and ethics and related areas

able to assess the appropriateness and application of fiction in research and educational contexts

Skills

Participants should be able to:

plan and conduct research on the relationship between fiction and practice

conduct research in the application of fictional texts to issues in professional practice

use literary texts in mapping and handling complex academic questions within their own subject area

General competence

Participants should learn to:

identify key issues related to the use of fiction in research and debate this with peers

assess the need for innovation in one's own subject area, identify and disseminate how fiction can contribute to development within one's own subject area

Generell adgangsinformasjon for emnet

Participants should normally be in possession of a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in a relevant field. Candidates in the research school PROFRES will be prioritized for acceptance to the course

No tuition fees. Semester fees and cost of course literature apply. It is assumed that the students has a laptop

This is a campus-based course and will consist of lectures, seminars, and group work.

Evaluation using mid-term and final surveys. Students are also encouraged to participate in the central quality surveys.

Participants wishing to receive course credit must write a 3,000 word essay (OP) on a topic related to the themes of the course.

A minimum of 80% attendance is required (OD)

The course essay (HJ) will be submitted 4 weeks after the week of instruction

Course essays will be graded pass/fail