11379 - Medieval History

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student is able of a critic analysis about themes concerning history and structures of the Middle Ages by means of reflection about historiographer and documental sources; he knows, besides, chief themes, events and phenomenons of medieval world. He is able to place specific problems in wider contexts and to value with scientific judgements the results of acquired notions. He is able to orient himself into time and space, and has principal instruments for information and research on line too. He reads historiograpgher texts in another language besides italian and is able to communicate orally using subjct's technical terminology. The student shows a good knowledge of chief themes, events and phenomenons of roman world.

Course contents

The course provides a foundational introduction to medieval history and is divided into two parts: a general institutional survey and a thematic module.

General survey (weeks 1-7):

The first part of the course offers a broad overview of medieval history and covers the following topics:

1. The concept of Middle Ages
2. The decline of the Roman Empire
3. Late Antiquity
4. Byzantium
5. The Arabs and Islamic civilization
6. Lombards Italy and the Carolingian Empire
7. The Peoples of Northern Europe
8. Church, eEmpire, and religious life in the 11th-12th centuries
9. Urban revival and civic autonomies
10. The crusades
11. Papacy and Empire in the 13th century
    
12. The mendicant orders
13. The Mongols
14. The crisis of the 14th-century
    
15. Mediterranean and Eurasian reconfigurations at the end of the Middle Ages

Thematic module (weeks 8-10):

The thematic section of the course will focus on heresy and religious dissent in 11th-15th century Europe. Particular attention will be devoted to major figures and movements, the development of mechanisms of repression and selected forms of female participation in medieval religious life.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students:

In addition to lecture notes and teaching materials made available on the Virtuale platform, attending students will prepare for the examination on the basis of:

1. Alfio Cortonesi, Il Medioevo. Profilo di un millennio, Roma, Carocci 2021. OR: Gabriella Piccinni, I mille anni del medioevo, Milano, Pearson, 2023.
2. Eretiche ed eretici medievali: la disobbedienza religiosa nei secoli XII-XV, a cura di Marina Benedetti, Roma, Carocci, 2023 (parts 1 and 2).
   

Programme for non attending students:

1. Alfio Cortonesi, Il Medioevo. Profilo di un millennio, Roma, Carocci 2021. OR: Gabriella Piccinni, I mille anni del medioevo, Milano, Pearson, 2023.
2. Eretiche ed eretici medievali: la disobbedienza religiosa nei secoli XII-XV, a cura di Marina Benedetti, Roma, Carocci, 2023.
3. One of the following books:

Stefano Gasparri, Italia longobarda. Il Regno, i Franchi, il papato, Roma, Laterza, 2012.

Didier Lett, Uomini e donne nel Medioevo: storia del genere (secoli 12.-15.), Bologna: il mulino, 2014.

Luigi Russo, I crociati in Terrasanta. Una nuova storia (1095-1291), Roma, Carocci, 2018.

Marina Montesano, Ai margini del Medioevo. Storia culturale dell’alterità, Roma, Carocci, 2021.

Lorenzo Pubblici, Storia dei Mongoli. Dalle steppe all'impero (secoli XIII-XV), Roma, Carocci, 2023.

Tommaso Duranti, Ammalarsi e curarsi nel medioevo. Una storia sociale, Roma, Carocci, 2023.

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures, class discussion.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Students are required to attend the course regularly and participate actively in class discussions. Those who are absent from more than 8 classes will be required to take the exam as non-attending students.

For both attending and non-attending students, assessment will take the form of an oral examination. The examination is designed to evaluate students' knowledge of the required readings, their critical and analytical skills, their command of the discipline-specific terminology, and their ability to interpret, synthesize, and reorganize the acquired knowledge rather than merely reproduce it from memory.

Evaluation criteria:

A thorough knowledge of the reading materials, combined with strong analytical and a good command of the discipline-specific terminology will qualify for a good to excellent grade.

An acceptable but predominantly descriptive knowledge of the required readings, together with an adequate though not always accurate use of the discipline-specific terminology, will result in a satisfactory to good grade.

A fragmentary knowledge of the required readings, possibly combined with weak critical skills and an insufficient command of the discipline-specific terminology, will result in a failing grade.

NB: 8/10 exam sessions will be schedule in the academic year, held between January and July and between September and December.

 

Teaching tools

Frontal lectures will be supported by Power Point presentations aimed to show visual and textual materials.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Links to further information

https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/irene.bueno

Office hours

See the website of Irene Bueno