Empathy, Compassion and Meaning: Theory and participatory approaches (PHD304)

This transdisciplinary course will put doctoral fellow candidates at the front of knowledge, and with participatory research skills for research based on empathy, compassion and meaning. We offer this course in the believe that universities are not only to prepare doctoral candidates on how to do research, but to prepare scholars to do research that is implemented in ways that helps others and contributes to the better good in the world, and in accordance to the UN Sustainability goals.

During this course, the candidates will analyse three dimensions related to empathy, compassion and meaning:

1) the state of art of empathy, compassion and meaning studies;

2) core research approaches and relationship skills in the applicability of the principles of empathy, compassion and meaning when collaborating with candidates, colleagues, users, clients and or research participants; and

3) an reflexive practice about the impact of empathy, compassion and meaning for the candidate’s own experiences of well-being and their role as researchers. This course will bring relational processes at the core, through experiential learning, as well as a continuous process of critical thinking. To ensure this, the course targets a parallel orientation. On the one hand, the candidates will work on the formulation of a case where empathy, compassion and meaning are at stake in their PhD project. In addition to this case formulation, the candidates will submit a process-oriented report about reflexivity, self-awareness, collaboration, and critical thinking.

This transdisciplinary course will put doctoral fellow candidates at the front of knowledge, and with participatory research skills for research based on empathy, compassion and meaning. We offer this course in the believe that universities are not only to prepare doctoral candidates on how to do research, but to prepare scholars to do research that is implemented in ways that helps others and contributes to the better good in the world, and in accordance to the UN Sustainability goals.

Empathy, compassion, and meaning have become central notions in contemporary psychology, social sciences, the humanities, healthcare sciences, and leadership. Emotional fatigue, stress, time pressure, ruptures of trust, a mismatch between working tasks and our core values, the lack of sense of direction and purpose in what we are doing, are only some of the aspects that make empathy, compassion and meaning difficult to practice. Despite our best aspirations at being kind, trustworthy, caring, and proactive, our relationships with colleagues, leaders, clients, users and nonetheless, with ourselves can go astray. Different decisions, structural constraints, policies, or relational conflicts make it challenging to embrace empathy, compassion and meaning, which also becomes an obstacle for the planning, implementation, and assessment of collaborative projects in research and development.

During this course, the candidates will analyse three dimensions related to empathy, compassion and meaning:

1) the state of art of empathy, compassion and meaning studies;

2) core research approaches and relationship skills in the applicability of the principles of empathy, compassion and meaning when collaborating with candidates, colleagues, users, clients and or research participants; and

3) an reflexive practice about the impact of empathy, compassion and meaning for the candidate’s own experiences of well-being and their role as researchers. This course will bring relational processes at the core, through experiential learning, as well as a continuous process of critical thinking. To ensure this, the course targets a parallel orientation. On the one hand, the candidates will work on the formulation of a case where empathy, compassion and meaning are at stake in their PhD project. In addition to this case formulation, the candidates will submit a process-oriented report about reflexivity, self-awareness, collaboration, and critical thinking.

The candidates will be asked therefore to keep fieldnotes during all the modules, which will be central for the process-oriented aspects of the course. This will be a dual resource, both as a skills training in journaling to promote self-awareness and relational awareness, as well as a skills training on fieldnote taking as part of research. In addition, each of the plenary sessions will have at least one micro-mindfulness which will serve as an experiential learning of micro-mindfulness practices the candidates can implement at their workplace and or whet their collaborators and participants.

Knowledge

Upon course completion, the candidate :

• LOK1 has advanced theoretical knowledge about the contributions from different traditions in the study of empathy, compassion and meaning.
• LOK2 contributes significant to the development and documentation of new research-based knowledge and practices in empathy, compassion, and meaning.

Skills

Upon course completion, the candidate can:

• LOS1 challenge established knowledge and practices in the fields of empathy, compassion and meaning.
• LOS2 plan and conduct research that addresses issues of empathy, compassion and meaning in their projects in a reflective way
• LOS3 handle complex issues about the impact that our own emotions and values, as well as those of others, have in mental health and well-being.

General competence

After completing the course, the candidate should be able to:

• LOG1 Identify and critically evaluate relevant ethical dilemmas around empathy, compassion and meaning in research, as well as respond to these with scholarly integrity.
• LOG2 Assess the need for, as well as initiate and practice transdisciplinary and innovative collaborations in research based on the principles of empathy, compassion and meaning.
• LOG3 Critically reflect about the epistemological and ontological implications of different understandings of empathy, compassion and meaning.

Applicants needs to have at least a master’s degree in a relevant area.

We welcome background knowledge from psychology, social work, child protection/child welfare, education, and health care sciences. Candidates with other academic backgrounds can be accepted upon consideration of their qualifications and interest in the course.

Mandatory participation

Mandatory participation in the five course days and delivery of the portfolio described in the section of "evaluation" in this form

If receiving enough applicants, the course can be delivered in two different formats:

1. Semester-based course: This course will be delivered online during 5 plenary sessions, one session of supervision per group/challenge, as well as with the candidate’s independent work.
2. Summer-school format: The candidates will meet at the campus of the University of Stavanger for one week, participating of a combination of lectures, discussions, and skills training.

A detailed timetable will be made available at the beginning of the course-semester on Canvas.

PhD candidates enrolled in PhD programmes at the University of Stavanger or accredited universities/university colleges in Norway or abroad.

The faculty decides whether early dialogue will be held in all courses or in selected groups of courses. The aim is to collect student feedback for improvements during the semester. In addition, a digital course evaluation must be conducted at least every three years to gather students’ experiences.

Article First-, second- and third-person values-based ethics in educational action research: personal resonance, mutual regard and social responsibility Brydon-Miller, Mary ; Coghlan, David, Abingdon, Routledge, 303-317, Educational action research, 2, 27, 2019-03-15, 303-317, View online Article Meaning-making and narrative in the illness experience: a phenomenological-existential perspective Daniele Bruzzone, Torino :, University of Bologna, 19-41, Encyclopaideia : rivista di fenomenologia, pedagogia, formazione, 59, 25, 2021-03-01, 19-41, View online Book Emotional Life : Phenomenology, Education and Care Bruzzone, Daniele., Wiesbaden :, Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden ; Imprint Springer VS, 1 online resource (94 pages), 14, 2023., isbn:9783658425487; 3658425482,

Chapter 5 “Caring for Our Emotional Lives” Pages 59-71  

View online Article Emotional Agility David, Susan ; Congleton, Christina, WATERTOWN, Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation, 125-, Harvard business review, 11, 91, 2013-11-01, 125 View online Article Empathic reflections by themselves are not effective: Meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis Elliott, Robert ; Bohart, Arthur ; Larson, Dale ; Muntigl, Peter ; Smoliak, Olga, ABINGDON, Routledge, 957-973, Psychotherapy research, 7, 33, 2023-10-03, 957-973, View online Article Taking the Perspective of Others: A Conceptual Model and Its Application to the Refugee Crisis Glăveanu, Vlad Petre ; de Saint Laurent, Constance, Springfield, Educational Publishing Foundation, 416-423, Peace and conflict, 4, 24, 2018-11, 416-423, View online Book Psychology at the heart of social change : developing a progressive vision for society Cooper, Mick, Bristol, UK, Policy Press, vi, 347 sider, 2023, isbn:9781447361039; 1447361032,

Chapter 3 only: "Understanding people: a contemporary framework"

View online Book Action research in a relational perspective : dialogue, reflexivity, power and ethics Hersted, Lone ; Ness, Ottar ; Frimann, Søren, Ness, Ottar ; Frimann, Søren ; Hersted, Lone, London :, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 1 online resource (225 pages), 1, [2020]; ©2020, isbn:1-000-30078-1; 1-000-22890-8; 0-429-28940-5,

Chapters 1, 5, 6, 8

View online Book Chapter PART III COMMENTARY MEANING FOCUSED PERSPECTIVES ON SUFFERING, COMPASSION, AND CAREGIVING FOR THE ELDERLY PART III COMMENTARY MEANING FOCUSED PERSPECTIVES ON SUFFERING, COMPASSION, AND CAREGIVING FOR THE ELDERLY, Charlotte, NC :, Information Age Publishing Inc, 1 online resource (444 pages)., [2018]; ©2018, isbn:1-64113-139-X, View online Book The meaning revolution : the power of transcendent leadership Kofman, Fred,, New York :, Currency, xvi, 351 pages ;, [2018], isbn:9781524760731, View online Article Enhancing Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Compassion Cultivation Training Program Jazaieri, Hooria ; Jinpa, Geshe Thupten ; McGonigal, Kelly ; Rosenberg, Erika L. ; Finkelstein, Joel ; Simon-Thomas, Emiliana ; Cullen, Margaret ; Doty, James R. ; Gross, James J. ; Goldin, Philippe R., Dordrecht, Springer Netherlands, 1113-1126, Journal of happiness studies, 4, 14, 2013-08-01, 1113-1126, View online Article A Meta-Analysis of Compassion-Based Interventions: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions Kirby, James N ; Tellegen, Cassandra L ; Steindl, Stanley R, SAN DIEGO, Elsevier Ltd, 778-792, Behavior therapy, 6, 48, 2017-11-01, 778-792, View online Article Revisiting “The Art of Being Fragile”: Why cultural psychology needs literature and poetry Lehmann, Olga V. ; Brinkmann, Svend, London, England, SAGE Publications, 417-433, Culture & psychology, 3, 26, 2020-09, 417-433, View online Article Editorial: Psychology for the common good: The interdependence of citizenship, justice, and well-being across the globe Prilleltensky, Isaac ; Di Martino, Salvatore ; Ness, Ottar, LAUSANNE, Frontiers Media Sa, 934456-934456, Frontiers in psychology, 13, 2022-09-26, 934456-934456, View online Book Chapter Post-Traumatic Growth to Psychological Well-Being : Coping Wisely with Adversity Vanhooren, Siebrecht, Existential Empathy: A Necessary Condition for Posttraumatic Growth and Wisdom in Clients and Therapists, Cham :, Springer International Publishing ; Imprint Springer, 1 online resource (309 pages), 2022., 225-244, isbn:9783031152900; 3031152905, Article Shifting Diversity Discourses and New Feeling Rules? The Case of Brexit Moss, Sigrun Marie ; Solheim, Marte C. W., Cham, Springer International Publishing, 488-508, Human arenas: an Interdisciplinary journal of psychology, culture, and meaning, 3, 5, 2022-09, 488-508, View online Book Chapter Making a thousand diverse flowers bloom: driving innovation through inclusion of diversity in organisations Making a thousand diverse flowers bloom: driving innovation through inclusion of diversity in organisations, Northampton :, Edward Elgar Publishing, 1 online resource (280 pages), 2022., isbn:9781839108174; 1839108177, View online Article Review of The Evolution of Life Worth Living: Why we choose to live Wong, Paul T. P., 101-112, International journal of wellbeing, 3, 12, 2022-10-01, 101-112, View online Book Man's search for meaning Frankl, Viktor E., Ilse Lasch (oversetter), Boston, Beacon Press, XVI, 165 s., cop. 2006, isbn:9780807014264; 0807014265; 9780807014271, Article Compassion meditation increases optimism towards a transgressor Koopmann-Holm, Birgit ; Sze, Jocelyn ; Jinpa, Thupten ; Tsai, Jeanne L., ABINGDON, Taylor & Francis, 1028-1035, Cognition and emotion, 5, 34, 2020-07-03, 1028-1035, View online Book Chapter Silence Lehmann, Olga V. ; Fortes, Gabriel, Silence, Cham :, Springer International Publishing ; Imprint Palgrave Macmillan, 1 online resource (1812 pages), 2022., 1488-1496, isbn:9783030909130, View online

The course description is retrieved from FS (Felles studentsystem). Version 1