As heartbreak enters the classroom, Delhi University (DU) students will soon be decoding the anatomy of modern relationships — from ghosting to grief. Administered by the Department of Psychology, a new course titled “Negotiating Intimate Relationships” attempts to guide Gen Z students about the complexities of modern romance, navigating heartbreaks and identifying red flags.
Rishika Raj, a second year student from Bharati College, DU, feels the course to be surreal as relationships are such a hush-hush topic in academics, especially in India. “The course sounded funny at first because students have a lot of issues with how the DU administration works, but I also thought that ‘finally,’ something of the sort is introduced,” she says.
The course aims to tackle the rising incidents of crimes among teenagers due to emotional vulnerability or lack of relevant mechanisms. Between May and June alone, Delhi witnessed three murders pertaining to this very trait of toxic love.
“I can say from personal experience, that one faces a lot of hardships when it comes to navigating relationships at this age. We have never really been taught the do’s and don'ts of intimate relationships. I would definitely want to enroll in this course as I am really intrigued to learn how to communicate and recognise patterns in my own behaviour as well as the others. I feel understanding myself better would make any relationship healthier. I think this course will have a great impact on our lives,” says Kumari Kajal, a first-year student at Hansraj College, DU.
Course Curriculum
The four-credit course is designed for undergraduates who possess a foundational understanding of psychology. It comprises three lectures and one tutorial per week focusing on discussions that are often frowned upon in conventional academia. The course curriculum outlines four modules through which it will be administered.
The first unit, “The Psychology of Friendships and Intimacy” would delve into how friendships transition into romantic bonds. The second unit focuses on the theories of love and sexuality, including Sternberg’s triangular theory and the two-factor theory. It would further include modules and discussions into how to recognise toxic patterns in relationships such as jealousy, emotional manipulation, and intimate partner violence. The final aspect would elaborate on how to build healthy relationships by promoting emotional support, communication, and emotional resilience.
The course would also analyse social media patterns, host debates on modern dating culture and scrutinise films such as Kabir Singh and Titanic to ascertain the portrayal of toxic love. “We are only taught about technical subjects, but no one prepares us for handling emotional realities. This course feels more human and practical to be applied in our lives,” says Kajal.
Speaking about the integration of pop culture into the course, Rishika said that “Films like Kabir Singh reflect how unhealthy behaviors are often glorified as passion, and we unconsciously absorb those ideas. Discussing such movies in a critical academic space could help us separate fiction from reality and question what we've normalized in love and attraction.”
“We have got classes on macroeconomics and Mahabharata, but no one teaches us how to not lose ourselves in love or deal with ghosting. Compared to my other coursework, this feels more rooted in real life. It is not just about notes and assignments, it is something that could actually help me grow as a person,” says Simar Preet Kaur, a third-year student from DU.
