Dr Stuart Hanscomb
- University Teacher (Interdisciplinary Studies)
telephone: 01387702059
email: Stuart.Hanscomb@glasgow.ac.uk
Biography
Stuart took his degree in philosophy and psychology at Hull University, and wrote his Ph.D. on Existentialism at Durham University. He has lectured in the Philosophy Dept. at Durham, and lectured/tutored in both philosophy and psychology at a number of other institutions including City University (London), The City Lit. (London), Birkbeck College, Stirling University and Edinburgh University.
He has also worked as an academic consultant and trainer for marketing company Mountainview (London) who specialize in the role of emotion and the unconscious in processes of persuasion. Stuart also writes comedy for the ‘Melting Pot’ at The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh and is co-founder (with Benjamin Franks) of the Dumfries based comedy production organisation Taking the Nith.
Research interests
Current areas of interest and research are the psychology and philosophy of higher education (esp. student experience, emotion and authenticity); virtue theory; philosophical psychology (in particular the emotions and moral psychology), and existentialism.
Research Projects
2009-10. Dumfries & Galloway Integrated Degree Development. Funded by the South West Articulation Hub, this project aims to develop integrated degree level provision at SCQF level 9 with a focus on providing a direct articulation route for new (and recent) HND diplomates from local colleges and the local area. The broad vision is that Crichton values and contemporary imperatives (e.g. critical thinking, communication, self-development, sustainability, citizenship) are applied in vocational and other placement/project settings in order to add and superadd intellectual, reflective and skills-based learning to existing competencies.
2007-8. Glasgow University funded research into the personal development and employability needs of taught postgraduate students at Glasgow University, Dumfries.
2006-7. Project, funded by The Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies, exploring the relationship between Crichton's Core Courses and the educational aims of critical thinking and personal development (or what has been called 'critical being'). He contributed to an initial paper, principally authored by Ben Franks, on philosophy and interdisciplinarity, (Discourse, Vol. 6, No.1); wrote a further conceptual piece on philosophy and 'critical being' (Discourse Vol. 6, No.2), and, with Angela McClanahan, conducted an empirical investigation student experiences of core courses (results reported in Discourse Vol. 7, No. 1).
2001-3. Project funded by marketing psychologists Mountainview (London) into aspects of emotions, historical conceptions of the self and processes of persuasion. The end product provided part of the the foundation of a training package that has subsequently been sold to a number of corporations including HSBC and Mars.
Dissertation supervision
- Levels 3 & 4 dissertation supervisor of topics relating to undergraduate teaching and research interests.
Undergraduate
- Level 1 Core Course: Text & Communication
- Level 1 Core Course: Science, History & Culture
- Level 1: Philosophy 1K
- Level 2 Core Course: Issues in Contemporary Society
- Level 2: Human Nature & Well Being
- Level 2: Argumentation-Rhetoric-Theory
- Level 3: Existentialism
- Level 3: Power, Culture and Criticism
- Summer School (Access)
Postgraduate
- MLitt Managing Health & Well-being: Communication & Management Psychology
- MSc Carbon Management: Environmental Ethics & Behaviour Change (with Dr. Sean Johnston & Dr. Benjamin Franks)
Conference Papers and contributions
'Crichton Combined Degree Programme'. At The Crichton Campus: The Next Decade, Crichton Foundation, June 2010.
'Critical thinking's appeal and relevance beyond philosophy'. At Teaching Philosophical and Religious Studies ' Beyond Boundaries', HEA, Birmingham City University, June 2010.
'An Interdisciplinary Campus: Conceptual underpinnings, research evidence and true stories of curriculum innovation in a small higher education establishment'. At My Subject, Your Subject: Interdisciplinary Curriculum Innovation Beyond Subject Teaching, Wolverhampton University (Telford Campus), July 2008.
'Feedback & Motivation'. At University of Glasgow Learning & Teaching Conference, March 2008.