Crossing the Threshold Between Neuroscience, Psychology, and Human Rights - An Online Course

For decades, human rights defenders (HRDs) have sought answers to the world’s most grievous human rights abuses by seeking to implement structural adjustment policies or advocating for political transitions. Others have opted for media-based forms of engagement, reporting on human rights abuses and focusing attention on “naming and shaming” forms of human rights advocacy.

While each genre of human rights work has its place, we are often missing one crucial element: the human brain.

To change hearts and minds, we must first learn how to access them.

Transforming and catalyzing the field of human rights into a new era means moving beyond traditional forms of engagement to access the deep, underlying neural and psychological mechanisms ultimately driving behavior. By understanding how the human brain works, HRDs gain critical insight in disrupting the unconscious drivers underlying bias, hate, and violence, while unlocking the potential for unity and hope. 

Course Overview

Synapse is an 8-week interactive, seminar series designed to cross the threshold between neuroscience, psychology, and human rights. Throughout this course, HRDs will:

  • Learn the fundamental mechanisms underlying human behavior, providing insight as to the ways in which programming and media can be reimagined using neuropsychological applied science

  • Engage in hands-on exercises designed to allow participants to integrate key insights directly into their work

  • Receive The Synapse Guide containing a summary of all modules as well as a collection of exercises, and handouts to share with your organization

  • Become a Synapse Fellow and access the Synapse Community Group - a community platform providing ongoing support and resources following completion of the course

 

Course Overview

  • An overview of the course and an opportunity to get to know your fellow participants.

  • An introduction to the foundational building blocks of the brain and how those structures ultimately relate to human belief and behavior.

  • Empathy is not always what it seems. Understanding empathic processes, how we have been engaging with empathy incorrectly, empathic opportunities, and the path to better programming.

  • It’s not about the facts. Neuropsych concepts and strategies for understanding and counteracting misinformation.

  • Participants will unpack the individual as well as societal neuropsychological consequences of online shaming. Here participants will be introduced to alternative methods of engagement, such as deep listening strategies, and gain an informed approach as to which tactic to use when and why.

  • In this session, participants will be joined by the founder of Hope-Based Communications, Thomas Coombes, for an exploration of values-based messaging and communication strategies grounded in neuropsychological science.

  • Throughout the previous 6 weeks, participants will have engaged in a range of exercises designed to help them apply what they learned to their work. This session is an opportunity to focus on a key project or strategy, integrating session components into their design or direction.

  • Participants will have the opportunity to present their key project or strategy to the group, gaining invaluable feedback and insight from cohort participants. This session will focus on integration and next steps, carrying the work forward within their respective organizations. Participants will gain access to The Synapse Guide as well as the Synapse Community Group.