Venue: Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, Room 243, UCC

Every one is affected to a greater or lesser degree by some form of psychological trauma be it through personal experience, or indirectly through contact to someone who has been traumatised. At the same time we are all living in a social environment that is and has been impacted by events that are comparable to trauma. The topic of the course will be to understand how and why such experiences can have a lasting negative impact on our lives and how this disruption can be addressed through a variety of therapeutic measures. Looking at the ways in which the creative arts such as dance, music, drama, fine art and film have responded to crises will exemplify how the underlying principles of trauma therapy can be applied where culture becomes a tool with which traumatic experiences and their effects can be faced and managed.

A. Understanding trauma and violence
1. The history of the concept of psychological trauma. Understanding memory. The anomaly of trauma memory.
2. Trauma memory and its pathological consequences. The link between trauma and violence
3. Methods of trauma resolution and violence prevention. The therapeutic potential of the creative arts in the collective context.

B. Samples from the creative arts in which traumatic experiences are reflected and addressed
4. Reflecting the traumatic experience and its effects. Butoh Dance, The Theatre of the Absurd.
5. Tracing the roots of trauma and portraying violence in its socio-historical context.
The mixed-media installation Black Box / Chambre Noire by William Kentridge (2005)                                                                                       6. The mirror neuron effect and the re-establishment of lost social and emotional connections through facial representation. The paintings of Mexican femicide victims by the Irish painter Brian Maguire (2013), the documentary Human by Yann-Arthus Bertrand (2015)                             7. Bearing witness and addressing dissociation through association: the film Germany Pale Mother by Helma Sanders-Brahms (1980)                  8. The therapeutic potential of music as portrayed in the film The Story of the Weeping Camel by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni (2003).

This course will establish a positive understanding of trauma through an interdisciplinary approach by referring to studies from neurobiology, psychology, psychotherapy and sociology. This understanding will then be applied to an analysis of samples from the creative arts (dance, music, drama, fine art and film) to discuss a variety of ways in which trauma can be reflected on and reprocessed.  The course will consist of presentations on theoretical perspectives and analysis of creative art works followed by discussions. Screenings of film and video extracts will be included where appropriate. A bibliography, a list for further reading and viewing material as well as a handout on the presentation will accompany each lecture.

Short courses are non-assessed

Dr. Stefanie Dinkelbach is an independent artist, filmmaker and scholar, who completed a PhD in film studies in 2013. Her approach is experimental, multi as well as interdisciplinary and her main research topic is trauma and the way in which cultural productions can contribute to a reprocessing of trauma equivalent experiences in the collective. Dinkelbach presents regularly at national and international conferences and contributes to academic publications.

Regina Sexton, Short Course Co-ordinator,  E. r.sexton@ucc.ie

Marian O Keeffe, Short Course administrator,  E: marian.okeeffe@ucc.ie

T: 021 4904700

To register and pay please click the ‘apply now’ button

Students may also apply by completing the application form below and returning same with a cheque, postal order or bank draft made payable to UCC. Please return to Adult Education at The Laurels, Western Road, Cork by Monday 18 September 2017. Payment may also be made by calling to Adult Education during normal office hours.