Tuesday 18th of June

14:00 - 16:00pm

Dr Miranda Anderson

This workshop offers the opportunity to explore the fast-developing field of the cognitive humanities. We’ll investigate how cognitive science and philosophy offer new ways of interpreting literary, cultural and historical works and artefacts, and of understanding the processes that shape those interpretations. You’ll leave ready to recognise different cognitive humanities approaches and to apply them to your own research practices. 

 
Part 2: Tuesday 18th - Working individually and in groups to develop methods to apply this to your research. Closing with individual presentations and peer and tutor feedback. 
 
With preparation before each day and feedback to develop students’ own research pathways. 

This is Part 2 of a 2-part workshop. 

Dr Miranda Anderson is the workshop facilitator: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/miranda-anderson  
BA (Hons) History, UCL; MSc, PhD, University of Edinburgh, HEA 
Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh & Associate Lecturer, Open University 
 
I believe in the mind-expanding value of engagement with the arts and humanities. My research focuses on philosophical and cognitive approaches to literature and culture. Author of The Renaissance Extended Mind (2015). 
Co-editor of four volumes on Distributed Cognition between Classical Antiquity and Modernism (2018-20): https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/series/series-the-edinburgh-history-of-distributed-cognition/. 
Curator of contemporary art exhibition at Talbot Rice Gallery, see ‘4ECognition and the Mind-Expanding Arts’ (2022): http://www.ejpae.com/index.php/EJPAE/article/view/51 . 
 

Learning outcomes:

1. Understanding of cognitive humanities theories and how to apply and practice these ideas as modes of textual, film, art and other forms of cultural interpretation.
2. Practicing critical close reading skills and analysis of film and material artefacts.
3. Small-group learning and discussion and individual presentation skills. 
4. Insight into the role of the body and environmental factors (including language and physical and sociocultural aspects of the world) in shaping the creation and interpretation of cultural artifacts and our understanding of being human.

Who might be interested? 

This workshop will be of interest to doctoral researchers in all disciplines of the arts and humanities who would like to think about ideas such as the role of the body, the environment or textual and technological resources in making us human and therefore as contributing to what 'the humanities' are. It will also interest doctoral researchers wishing to explore how philosophical, cognitive scientific, and empirical research and theories could inform their own studies. 

Participant pre-requisites: 

No prior knowledge required. Some recommended and optional reading resources will be provided beforehand. 

Participant access requirements: 

N/A 
 

Click here to register

Zoom links will be circulated to registrants prior to the event

First published: 9 May 2024