IFSA Summer in London

During your IFSA Summer in London, customize your study abroad experience by taking one or two classes during the six-week Session 1 or take one or two classes during the six-week Session 2. You can also extend your studies by enrolling in both Session 1 and Session 2.

SESSION 1 CLASSES

Computer Games Cultures and Industry
This class explores the computer and video games industry from an interdisciplinary critical culture and creative industry lens, with readings, resources, classes, guest speakers, and site visits focusing on the intersection of business and culture in the computer games industry. From mass culture multinational corporations through to smaller ‘indie’ games developers, this class examines the evolving structure of the computer games industry with an in-depth exploration of industry innovation, investment, changing demographics, and cultural appeal and implications. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Social Psychology
Drawing directly from the fields of sociology and psychology, social psychology is the examination of the perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals within their social environments. This class provides a grounding in social psychology topics such as social cognition, attitudes, social influence, individual motivations, collective behavior, and cultural influences. Content and assignments are designed to illustrate how the individual and social interaction shape and are shaped by the cultures and social structures in which they exist. Students are introduced to methodologies used to investigate social psychology phenomena, and the course will aid students’ understanding of the application of social psychology research to “real world” problems. Several carefully selected in-class exercises are included in order to facilitate application of theory to practice.  As a special topic of investigation, particular attention will be paid to the examination of socioeconomic class in Britain and its implications for social psychology issues in Britain. As part of the class, students will be guided by the instructor in brief visits to certain neighborhoods within London to provide rich context for discussions. In this way, the city of London will serve as a vibrant laboratory of learning. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Urban Identities: Gender, Race, and Class in London
Drawing from anthropology and sociology, this class utilizes intercultural learning theories to foster awareness of one’s own perspectives as well as those of the myriad communities comprising London. Multiple approaches to framing the multicultural city and appreciating common and contested spaces as inherent to urban diversity are included. This class will examine the role, function, and effects of identity as it relates to the lived experiences of Londoners. While case studies examine gender, race, religion, and class specifically, the class will approach identity from the perspective of intersectionality, in which the dimensions of diversity are understood as the simultaneous interplay of multiple factors. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

SESSION 2 CLASSES

Fantasy in the Real World: Literature through the Sociological Lens
Fantasy literature has great power – but does it also have great responsibility? This course looks at mainstream and fringe fantasy literature from the past century and the power that it has in modern society at large. We will examine its creation, consumption, and its ability to impact the real world. Using works such as Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, The Lord of the Rings, and The Game of Thrones, as well as lesser-known writings, we will embrace the fantasy genre as a safe space to explore sociological topics that are difficult to clarify in the real world, such as race, gender, class, and political processes. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Forced Migration, Refugees, and Change
More than 60 million people are displaced by war, violence, and environmental destruction in the world today. Half of them are children. Refugees, along with other migrants, affect both their home countries as well as the countries receiving them. The large numbers of forced migrants have created crises in the countries of Europe as well as the United States and elsewhere. This class focuses on Europe and the ways that governments, NGOs, citizens, and researchers seek to solve problems associated with forced migration. This class uses ethnographic approaches to investigate the sociological and political forces behind the current increase of refugees and forced migrants currently impacting Europe. The class goal is to encourage solutions to problems this migration creates by looking at what has been accomplished and what can be done in the future. This is an experiential learning class encouraging the development of transferable skills that have practical use in solving these and other societal issues in Europe and elsewhere. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

New Media and Behavior
As individuals increasingly consume news from sources of personal choice and become producers of news through social media engagement, this class investigates communication patterns and human action. The relationship between media reporting and its impact on the psyche and decision making provides a basis for class discussions. In this class, students will be introduced to the field of media psychology. Through the application of theories of psychology and principles of communications, media psychology seeks to understand the interaction between media use, message content, and the effects on users. Students will explore issues of new media through the lens of various theories. 

Specific topics of discussion will include the nature of participatory media culture, the complex interactions between media technologies, individuals and societies, and the differences between online and in-person communications and the connections of each to the ways in which humans make meaning of their worlds. We will ask ourselves questions such as: How does social networking affect our views of ourselves and others? How does our personal selectivity in news media consumption impact our behavior? What kinds of actions are taken by individuals through social media engagement that might be viewed as the production of news? The concepts of discourse, controversy and critique underpin the content and delivery of this highly interactive class.  (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Multicultural Psychology
The purpose of this class is to place psychology in a global perspective, to understand that cultural differences impact behavior, but to explore through a cross-cultural approach those behaviors and mental processes that may be universal. In so doing, we will examine and critically analyze theories associated with multiculturalism and diversity. This class examines how “cultural traditions and social practices regulate, express, and transform the human psyche, resulting less in psychic unity for humankind than in ethnic divergences in mind, self, and emotion” (Shweder, 1991, p. 91). It will explore the ways in which psychology is socially constructed and will pay particular attention to the following factors as they influence human development: oppression, language, acculturation, economic concerns, racism and prejudice, sociopolitical factors, child-rearing practices, religious practices, family structure and dynamics, and cultural values and attitudes. We will explore the meaning of culture and how it affects our thoughts and behavior. Culture is a powerful influence, and often an invisible one. If we can learn to see this invisible force in our own lives, we can come to better understand the role culture plays in our interactions with those who have different cultural expectations. While cultural differences impact our behavior, what sorts of behaviors and thought processes do we share? What commonalities can be found? And what do these observations tell us about the development of multicultural competencies, whatever they may be? Questions such as these will guide our discussions. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
• You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
• You must have completed at least one (1) full-time semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letter
Not required.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.