Human Memory: A Lens Through the Extremes

Catalog description

This 3-week mini-course offers a journey through the extraordinary landscape of human memory. Students will explore case studies of individuals experiencing memory at its extremes, from those who struggle to retain even yesterday's memories to those blessed (or burdened) with incredibly precise recall. The primary focus will be delineating the intricate spectrum of long-term memory, with occasional excursions into cases of extremes in short-term memory. The course aims to demonstrate how memory manifests differently when shaped by natural variation, brain injury, or psychological trauma. These real-world examples often defy neat theoretical models, revealing memory as far more complex and nuanced than textbooks suggest. Discussions weave through themes of memory's relationship to identity, its role in law and justice, and collective memories across generations, inviting deeper reflection on what it truly means to remember and to forget. Sessions will be delivered by Dr. Zulkayda Mamat.