11379 - Medieval History

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will know the essential characteristics of the political-institutional and socio-economic history of the V-XV centuries focusing on the fundamentals. They will know the main agents ans structures which in this length of time have created both events and phenomena.

Course contents

Multiple Middle Ages


The course aims to provide a basic knowledge of the medieval period, the different methods of approaching the period, and of its representations up to the contemporary age. At the beginning, themes and problems of the historical method and periodization will be discussed to challenge the very definition of Middle Ages. The course will then offer blocks of lectures that in chronological order will deal with themes related to the changes and the long-term phenomena distinctive of the medieval millennium: the transformation of the Roman world; fragmentations and uniformities in the early medieval world; the evolution of ecclesiastical structures and religious phenomena; the establishing of monarchical and princely powers. Some lectures will frame problems related to the contemporary way of thinking about the Middle Ages by giving case studies and new interpretations concerning: national identities, gender and the Mediterranean world.


Monographic section. The choice of a language in the long 12th century: authors, publics, contexts.


The second part of the course (5 lectures) intends to offer the fundamental elements for understanding the characteristics of the "12th century Renaissance" with particular attention to the phenomenon of multilingualism. The lectures will focus on the cultural and institutional changes that took place during the 12th century, focusing on the different European contexts in which authors were in a position to write in regional languages. The case studies will deal with the Italian, Occitan, English and Iberian contexts to contextualise the use of regional languages and to take a critical perspective on the idea that this period is the origin of national literatures.

Readings/Bibliography

• All students, must study the textbook on which the written test will be based:

 

G. Albertoni, S.M. Collavini, T. Lazzari (eds.), Introduzione alla storia medievale. Nuova edizione, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2020 (also available in digital format on the Pandora platform)

 

To prepare the oral test:

•   students will have to choose one short scientific essay that will be uploaded on Virtuale and study the lecture notes and the Powerpoint contents.

• Non-attending students will have the possibility to choose one short scientific essay that will be uploaded and one books from this list to prepare for the oral test:

- Chris Wickham, L'Europa nel Medioevo, Carocci ed. 2020/21

- «Branca, branca, branca. Ritorno al medioevo», Zapruder 56, 2021 + Giuseppe Sergi, L'Idea di Medioevo, Donzelli 2005

- John A. Burrow, Medieval Writers and Their Work: Middle English Literature 100-1500, Oxford University Press, ed. 2008

 

 

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures will  make use of the presentation of written sources and cases of study in order to illustrate the process of critical construction of the historical narrative. The active participation of the students in the discussion of the texts and problems presented will be stimulated.

Assessment methods

All students must take a written test.

To be admitted to the oral test, you must have taken the written test and passed it with a score of at least 18/30.

The written test and the oral test may be taken in the same call or in different calls.

The written test is intended to test acquired knowledge of the textbook and comprises 4 multiple choice questions, graded from 0 to 4 points, and 2 open questions, requiring precise answers and good synthesis skills, graded from 0 to 5 points. The maximum possible result is 30/30.

The oral test is a free conversation aimed at ascertaining the knowledge acquired

- of the contents of the lectures and on of the in-depth readings on "Virtuale" ;
- one of the in-depth readings on "Virtuale" and, if the non-attending student chose to not be examined on the content of the lectures, one chosen books.

The interview will assess the knowledge acquired, the ability to synthesise and the critical skills developed by the student.

In the assessment of the test, particular account will be taken of the student's ability to orientate himself within the examination material in order to extract the useful information that will enable him to illustrate themes and problems and to be able to link them together.

The following will therefore be assessed:

- The mastery of the contents

- The ability to synthesise and analyse themes and concepts

- The ability to be able to express oneself adequately and in language appropriate to the subject matter.

The student's achievement of an organic vision of the themes, together with their critical use, a good mastery of expression and specific language will be assessed with marks of excellence.

A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with skills of synthesis and analysis articulated in a correct, but not always appropriate language, will lead to fair marks.

Formative deficiencies and/or inappropriate language - albeit in the context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to grades that do not exceed sufficiency.

Formative deficiencies, inappropriate language and lack of orientation within the bibliographical material will be negatively assessed.

The maximum mark awarded in the oral examination is 30/30.

The final examination mark will result from the reasoned average between the result of the written test and the result of the oral test. A mark of honours may be added at the teacher's discretion.

Teaching tools

For almost all the lessons, the course will make use of texts and images displayed on Power Point. "Virtuale", the University's repository for sharing teaching support tools will be used to share the power points discussed during the lessons and the proposed readings.

Office hours

See the website of Fabrizio De Falco