Others will be less obvious, such as the seemingly intimate and private act of charitable giving to the homeless. Yet the focus of the course will at all points be how the 'social' permeates our day-to-day conduct, and often in ways we are not necessarily aware of it. We are in the presence of others, not just when they clearly chant with us or step on our feet, but, more controversially, even when during our most private dreams, fantasies and other ruminations.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Understand popular representations of crowds
• Understand the relationship between identity and crowds
• Understand examples of the role of power and cultural values as applied to the Israel–Palestine conflict
• Recognise the ways in which representations are used to attempt to influence public practices of charitable giving.