Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- analyse the occurrence of presence experiences at the individual, group and community level in different contexts
- discuss and critically reflect on presence experiences from different theoretical perspecives
- compare and discuss cultural psychological and clinical perspectives on extraordinary experiences
- discuss and evaluate different empirical research methods applied in the study of invisible presence
- choose, justify and apply a research method for a small empirical investigation
- independently and nuancedly apply relevant theoretical perspectives and concepts to a defined material.
Course Content
This course deals with experiences of invisible presence in religious, spiritual and popular cultural contexts; experiences that are sometimes described as mystical or supernatural, but can also be interpreted in more secular terms. The course deals with presence experiences in different contexts, such as charismatic Christianity, Buddhism, esoteric practice, psychedelic rituals, lucid dreams and unexpected experiences in a secular context. By integrating evolutionary psychology, clinical psychology, cultural psychology and sociological theories, the course explores the existence of presence experiences. in addition, the qualitative and quantitative research methods used to study this phenomenon are discussed. In addition to the deepening in religious studies that the course provides, different cultural perspectives on mental health are also examined, as the interpretation of extraordinary experiences often challenges the school medical understanding of, for example, hallucinations and psychoses.
Assessment
- Active participation in seminars
- Written Assignments
- Oral Presentations
Grades
The grading scale used for the final course grade is U–VG.
Grades are reported as follows:
- Sensing Invisible Presence - 7.5 Credits | U–VG
Prerequisites
- 90 credits in Humanities and/or Social Sciences
Other Information
For an online course, it is required that the student can communicate with audio and video via a computer or equivalent.
This course cannot be counted towards the same degree along with courses that have equivalent content.
If the student has received a decision/recommendation granting study support from Dalarna University because of a disability, then the examiner has the right to offer an alternative examination arrangement. The examiner takes into account the objectives in the course syllabus when deciding whether the examination can be adapted in accordance with the decision/recommendation.