PhD Course: Cultural psychology of Dynamic Semiosis

This Doctoral Summer School is meant to provide opportunities for Ph.D. aspirants in psychology, anthropology, history, education, and semiotics to learn the basic principles of cultural organization of the human affective mind.  It is currently the only systematic framework where the whole theory of Cultural Psychology of Semiotic Dynamics  (developed over two decades: Valsiner, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017) is brought to interested audience in its most recent formulations. The unique aspect of this Summer School is concrete joint work on methodology—developing new solutions to the needs of participants to introduce cultural psychology into their particular research projects.

ECTS

5 points

Teaching methods:

A combination of lectures, group work, practical exercises and small group discussions.

Key literature and course schedule:

Monday, August 27, 2018

14-16  Introductory lecture Cultural Psychologies and CPSD (Cultural Psychology of Semiotic Dynamics)

16-18  Seminar: participants’ self-presentations of expectations from the week

Readings:

Valsiner, J. (2014). Invitation to cultural psychology. London: Sage.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

9-11 Lecture Double functions of signs in irreversible time: implications for research

11-13 Seminar on signs in social practices (based on participants’ projects)

14-16 Synthetic lecture What can be gained from locating double nature of signs in research projects?

Reading:

Valsiner, J. (2017).  From methodology to methods in human psychology.  New York: Springer

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

9-11 Lecture Methodological innovation from CPSD—systematic investigation of the open-systemic nature of the human mind

11-13 Seminar on higher psychological functions embedded in social practices (based on participants’ projects)

14-16 Synthetic lecture Structures of dynamic processes

Readings:

Michell, J. (1999). Measurement in psychology.  Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Poddiakov, A. N., and Valsiner, J. (2013).  Intransitivity cycles and their transformations: How dynamically adapting systems function. In L. Rudolph (Ed.), Qualitative mathematics for the social sciences  (pp. 343-391). London: Routledge.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

9-11 Lecture Societal guidance of the human mind

11-13 Seminar on the investigation of directional nature of semiosis and activities (based on participants’ projects)

14-16 Synthetic lecture From points to vectors: bringing intentionality back into psychology through CPSD

Readings:

Valsiner, J. (2007). Culture in minds and societies. New Delhi: Sage.

Friday, August 31, 2018

9-11   Lecture New applications of CPSD in research projects (based on participants’ work over the week)

11-13  Seminar: Participants’ retrospects of the week and prospects towards their work

Readings:

Valsiner, J., Marsico, G., Chaudhary, N., Sato, T., and Dazzani, V. (Eds.) (2016). Psychology as the science of human being. Cham: Springer