Cognitive Science 0219 - Time, History, and Memory

This course offers a critical appraisal of the concepts of time, history, and memory in the social and cognitive sciences. We will start by defining our field of research at the intersection of sociology, psychology, history, anthropology, and cognitive neuroscience. We will examine the emergence of memory as an object of study within these disciplines, and focus on the interplay of individual and collected/collective memory. We will discuss the social marking of time and temporal ordering, as well as the individual and collective processes of attention and dis-attention in conjunction with historical narrative. We will analyze the processes by which individual memories are shared by larger collectivities, and the ways in which practices, spaces, and objects become means to articulate, legitimate, and construct personal biographies and collective identities. Additionally, we will explore issues of cultural transmission and cultural continuity.

Mind, Brain, and Information Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research