free course icon
level 3: advanced icon
History & The Arts
Introducing consciousness
What is consciousness? How does the brain generate consciousness and how can a science of the mind describe and explain it adequately? This free course, Introducing consciousness, will introduce you to the slippery phenomenon that is consciousness, as well as some of the difficulties consciousness presents to science and philosophy.
free course icon
level 3: advanced icon
History & The Arts
Language and thought: introducing representation
How does what you say come to mean something? Does what you say inherently represent what you, the speaker, think it means, whatever that might be, or does what you say carry its own meaning, separate from your intentions in saying it? This free course, Language and thought: introducing representation, introduces you to the key questions about ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
Textiles in Ghana
Textiles in Ghana carry a far greater importance than you might expect. This free course will help you to understand how textiles can carry an assortment of meanings and values, including wealth, status and office.
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Two concepts of freedom
What defines individual freedom in a civilised society? Philosophers have argued over such questions for centuries. This free course, Two concepts of freedom, looks at a positive and a negative concept of freedom, asking you to think carefully about how freedom is restricted by our place in society and how it can vary from state to state.
article icon
Education & Development
Archive course extract: Attachment theory
This extract is from a course no longer in presentation at The Open University, and is online for archive purposes only. How do children come to develop strong attachments to people and objects, to the extent that being separated causes upset?
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Is public spending a drain on the economy or the mark of a civilised society?
Read this article outlining arguements in debate held under the auspices of the Social Sciences Student Connections, Big Conversation.
article icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Sometimes a bunny is just a bunny: The Playboy brand and sexualisation of children
Beyond the tabloid-fuelled rage at Playboy products apparently aimed at children is a much more nuanced relationship with the Bunny brand.
article icon
History & The Arts
Mizuki Shigeru: An appreciation
Manga artist, folklorist and icon Mizuki Shigeru has died. Nevin Thompson explains the role he played in Japanese culture, and why he'll be so missed.
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Are businesses just leaping on transgender trends to turn a profit?
When Selfridges is clearing space to make a genderfluid display space, and Will Young is working with trans actors, transgender people might seem to be riding a wave into the heart of the mainstream. But, says Ray Fillar, until the media goes deeper than just jumping on the transwagon, we've still a long way to go.
audio icon
Nature & Environment
Stories of Change - The Interviews
'Stories of Change' interviews with Roger Harrabin.
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Tumble And Twirl: David Bowie and gender transgression
Throughout his career, David Bowie has pushed at the edges and limits of the gender binary. Lisa Perrott offers a brief guide.
article icon
History & The Arts
Understanding Alice
Professor Kimberley Reynolds explores how Lewis Carroll transformed logic, literary traditions and ideas about childhood into the superbly inventive and irreverent Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.