Gender, Brain, Cognition. Critical Analysis of Neuroscience 2401-CS-MF-GBC-s2

The course will focus on the following thematic blocks:
• The origin, history, and popularization of neuroscience in culture, increasing powerful role of neuroscience among other sciences, sexist aspects of neuroscience.
• The initial idea of the sexed brain and how it has become popular.
• Basic methodological problems of neuroscience: deterministic explanations (causal, linear explanations of connections, from genes to hormones, the brain and behavior); reliance on the interpretation of brain scans (false-positive test results); unauthorized generalization of research results, small research samples, lack of the repeatability of research; focus on gender differences, not similarities.
• Gender and cognitive abilities: differences in mathematical abilities between women and men. Sexual bilateralization of the brain. Nature/ culture dualism, beyond binarism in neuroscientific research on gender.
• Socially responsible neuroscientific advanced research on female and male brains. The idea of gender mosaic.

Material for the analysis:

NeuroCultures Manifesto, http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/neurocultures-manifesto/#sthash.2dOobnYD.dpuf.

Critical texts:
• Haslanger, S. (2000). Gender and Race: (What) Are They? (What) Do We Want Them to Be? “Nous” 34 (1), 31-55.
• Joel D, Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab D. (2020). The Complex Relationships between Sex and the Brain. The Neuroscientist 26(2), 156-169. doi:10.1177/1073858419867298
• Joel, D., Fine, C. (2022). Who Is a Woman: Sex, Gender and Policy Making. Controversial_Ideas 2 (2), 6.
• van Anders Sari M., Schudson Zach C. et al. (2017). Biological Sex, Gender, and Public Policy. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Vol. 4(2) 194–201.
• Jäncke L. (2018). Sex/gender differences in cognition, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy. F1000Res. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.13917.1
• Caselles E. L. (2021). Epistemic Injustice in Brain Studies of (Trans)Gender Identity. Front. Sociol., Sec. Gender, Sex and Sexualities. Vol.6/ https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.608328
• O’Connor C., Joffe H. (2014) Gender on the Brain: A Case Study of Science Communication in the New Media Environment. PLoS ONE 9(10): doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110830.
• Pitts-Taylor, V. (2019). Neurobiologically Poor? Brain Phenotypes, Inequality, and Biosocial Determinism. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 44(4), 660–685. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243919841695

Material for the analysis:

NeuroCultures Manifesto, http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/neurocultures-manifesto/#sthash.2dOobnYD.dpuf.

Critical texts:
Joel, D., Fine, C. (2022). Who Is a Woman: Sex, Gender and Policy Making. Controversial_Ideas 2 (2), 6.

Joel D, Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab D. (2020). The Complex Relationships between Sex and the Brain. The Neuroscientist 26(2), 156-169. doi:10.1177/1073858419867298

van Anders Sari M., Schudson Zach C. et al. (2017). Biological Sex, Gender, and Public Policy. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Vol. 4(2) 194–201.

Jäncke L. (2018). Sex/gender differences in cognition, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy. F1000Res. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.13917.1

Caselles E. L. (2021). Epistemic Injustice in Brain Studies of (Trans)Gender Identity. Front. Sociol., Sec. Gender, Sex and Sexualities. Vol.6/ https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.608328

O’Connor C., Joffe H. (2014) Gender on the Brain: A Case Study of Science Communication in the New Media Environment. PLoS ONE 9(10): doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110830.

Pitts-Taylor, V. (2019). Neurobiologically Poor? Brain Phenotypes, Inequality, and Biosocial Determinism. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 44(4), 660–685. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243919841695

Multimedia material:
https://www.ted.com/talks/daphna_joel_a_future_with_no_gender

The criteria for passing the class are the following: reading texts which will be discussed during the class (30 % of the grade), active participation in class discussion (30% of the grade), preparing a final presentation (40% of the grade).
All details concerning assessment methods and criteria will be discussed with students during the first organizational warm-up meeting.

The criteria for passing the class are the following:
• reading texts which will be discussed during the class,
• active participation in class discussion,
• additionally preparing a final presentation may increase the grade.
All details concerning assessment methods and criteria will be discussed with students during the first organizational warm-up meeting.