27280 - Seminars (1) (G.B)

Academic Year 2026/2027

  • Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in History (cod. 0962)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the seminar students will be able to interpret issues related to specific historical phenomena in a diachronic and transversal perspective, thought the elaboration and synthesis of the data coming from the analysis of written records and material sources and from the collective debate originated from the contact with other people. They will be able to formulate autonomously and in an organized way a research path or an intellectual work, using the specific acquired tools with methodological rigour, precision and accuracy.

Course contents

The seminar aims to study, from a comparative and gender studies perspective, the dimension of the marvellous in selected works of the medieval Romance tradition, between nature, faith, knowledge, and imagination, with particular attention to the visual arts.

The main topics addressed in the seminar will be:

  1. Mirabilia, miracle, and magic;
  2. Monsters, hybrids, and otherness;
  3. The Arthurian marvellous;
  4. Fairies, serpent-women, and genealogies of power;
  5. Magical gardens.

Readings/Bibliography

In progress

Teaching methods

The seminar will consist of a series of lectures, and the active involvement of students.

Given the nature of the seminar, attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral test. The knowledge of the individual topics covered during the course, the ability to contextualize the cultural and literary phenomena and to identify the elements of originality of the texts studied, the ability to personal and critical re-elaboration of the reference bibliography and the language properties will be evaluated with top marks. A manual competence without any interpretative support will be considered to be positive but will not be given a high grade. Training gaps, superficial analyses, inappropriate and confused language will make the evaluation insufficient.

Teaching tools

Multimedia resources, PowerPoint presentations, and links to websites.

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Caraffi

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality Reduced inequalities

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.