Hallucinations: Case Studies in Interdis

PSYC2472OC: Hallucinations: Case Studies in Interdisciplinary Research (link to syllabus), 3 credits
Instructor Luca Iemi, Department of Neuroscience & Behavior, Barnard College

The course examines the phenomenon of hallucinations, in which the brain creates perceptual experiences that do not correspond to external sensory input. To explore this phenomenon, students will engage with a variety of media—such as podcasts, documentaries, and memoirs—alongside scholarly articles from fields like cognitive neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, and anthropology. Drawing on case studies centered on the lived experience of hallucinations, we will investigate how key theories of the mind and brain influence the interpretation of first-person accounts and how, in turn, these accounts challenge and refine these theories. Guest lectures will enhance the case studies by presenting current and future directions in hallucination research. By integrating interdisciplinary academic research with first-person perspectives, this course offers students the opportunity to critically examine how knowledge of the mind and brain is constructed and how it can be applied in real-world contexts.

To enroll in this course, you must apply to the Columbia Summer Program: Global Neuroscience program through the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE). Global Learning Scholarships available. Tuition charges apply. 

Please note the program dates are different from the Summer Sessions Terms. Visit the UGE website for the start and end dates for the Columbia Summer Program: Global Neuroscience