MRST 5301 001:
METHODS IN MEDIEVAL
& RENAISSANCE STUDIES
Tuesdays, 7-9:30 pm, HH119
Spring Term 2018
TEACHER
John Howe,
Professor of
History,
Interim
Director of the A&S
Medieval & Renaissance Studies Center, TTU
Office: 143 Holden Hall
Office Hours: M 11:00am-12:30pm; Tu 9:30-10:15pm; WF 11:00-11:30am; and by
appointment
Telephone: 834‑7544
E‑Mail: john.howe @ttu.edu Fax
806 742-1006
Web: http://myweb.ttu.edu/jhowe
(the best way to access this syllabus)
PURPOSES OF THE COURSE
To introduce the scholarship of
medieval and renaissance studies.
To examine how different academic disciplines analyze and interpret the
post-classical, pre-modern past. To
introduce resources available at Texas Tech University for the study of the
middle ages and the renaissance.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this
class students will be able to:
1. Describe multiple medieval and renaissance images that have shaped
discourse on the development of Western Civilization;
2. Describe major historiographical trends related to medieval and
renaissance studies;
3. Describe major attempts at preserving and recreating medieval and
renaissance culture;
4. Identify resources available at
Texas Tech University for medieval and renaissance studies;
5. Be more proficient in the
following genres of writing: essay
and identification examinations, book reviews, and term paper.
Methods for Assessing the Expected Learning Outcomes
The Expected
Learning Outcomes of the course will be assessed through: examinations, book
reviews, a term paper, class discussion, and miscellaneous classroom assessment
activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required
Texts
Blanning, Tim, The Romantic Revolution:
A History. New York: Modern Library, 2012.
Bull, Marcus. Thinking Medieval: An Introduction to the Study of the Middle Ages. New York: Palgrave, 2005.
Caferro, William. Contesting the
Renaissance. Maldon, MA:
Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
Highet, Gilbert. The Classical Tradition:
Greek and Roman Influence on Western Literature. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2015.
[pp. v-xi,xv-xl,1-254, 541-49]
In addition to the above, there are relevant texts hyperlinked to this
electronic syllabus or available through Texas Tech Library electronic
databases. Visiting guest instructors may proviide hand-outs or Web texts
of modest length which should be read prior to their classroom appearances.
Access to these assignments will be provided a week or more in advance.
Required Reading
Some specific reading assignments for
each class are listed below in the "Reading and Lecture Schedule," placed just
ahead and to the right of the lecture date by which they should be completed.
Each assignment is the subject of the following lecture or discussion. Read so
that you arrive in class prepared to explain, praise, criticize, and question.
Class Attendance
Success in this course requires regular class attendance. When this seminar
meets, difficult
reading assignments are interpreted and contextualized; additional subject
matter is introduced. Many speakers
will be experts in disciplines that are not your home departments and you will
need to be in class in order to ask questions you might have. You should
not be enrolled if you cannot attend 80% of the scheduled classes (that is, do
not miss more than four classes).
Examinations
There will be two written
examinations. The first, on Monday, March 5, written in class, will include
identifications (from a list prepared in advance) and a single
essay to be
selected from two or more choices.
The second examination will be a take-home project, due on Tuesday May 15,
requiring descriptions of the medieval and Renaissance studies paradigms of four
different academic disciplines (each individual description to be no longer than
500 words).
Term Paper
Students will produce a typed
double-spaced paper of about ten pages (ca. 4000 -5000 words) describing and
analyzing the medieval and Renaissance teaching and research carried out on this
Texas Tech University campus in one particular academic department or program
(one approved by the lead teacher, who will not approve papers on departments
that lack teaching and research in these fields).
The paper should include specific references to courses, faculty members, research and publications, etc.
It should examine what is currently done, aspirations for the future, and
the level of coordination with related programs in other TTU departments.
When appropriate, this analysis may include connections between TTU
efforts and national and international efforts in medieval and renaissance
studies.
A subject (that is, an academic department) must be proposed by Monday,
March 5 (one question on the first exam will be "What is your research
subject?"); a preliminary draft of the paper is due on Monday, April 9 (a draft
must be submitted by April 9 or a grade of F will be assigned with no
opportunity allowed for rewriting). Graded timely papers will be returned
no later than Monday, April 16.
Either the initial grade can be kept or the paper can be rewritten and
resubmitted for a new grade. No rewritten papers will be accepted after 9:00am
on Tuesday, May 15.
Book Reviews
Over the course of the semester, each
student will write two book reviews,
one on an article selected from a group of assigned articles (due Feb 19); one
of an item taken from a list of readings (due Feb 26).
Each review should not be much longer than two double-spaced typed pages.
Students should be prepared to report orally in class on works they have
reviewed.
Extra Credit
Bonus Points for Examples of“Dark Age”and“Golden Age”Ideologies
Students can win extra credit points
by nominating and submitting a text or other media sample that is chosen as the
winning entry in one of the five award contests described below.
Each student is limited to no more than one dozen total entries, to be be submitted as
appropriate among the contests. The
winners will be determined by vote of the students in class, a vote which is
advisory to the lead teacher who will approve/make the final decisions.
Winning entries will be sought
for:
1) The passage of published dialogue judged to be the most extreme
(best? or worst?) example of
"mock medieval dialect" or "mock renaissance dialect"--the sort of jargon
used by participants in Renaissance Pleasure Fairs--found in a
modern or contemporary source (for example, "Look hard for the truth!" rendered
as "Through full care yon mede of wisdom seekest thou!").
2) the most extreme (best? worst?) published example of “Dark Age”or“Golden Age"
stereotyping of the medieval and/or renaissance periods by a modern or
contemporary source;
3) the best justification published by a modern or contemporary author
for studying medieval and/or renaissance European civilization;
4) the best justification published by a modern or contemporary author for
not studying medieval and/or renaissance European civilization; and
5) identification of the published modern or contemporary scholarly theoretical analysis of a
medieval or renaissance subject which is judged the most likely to offend and
outrage a reasonably educated but non-academic general Lubbock audience.
Extra Credit for Conference Attendance
Extra credit
will be awarded to students who attend an interdisciplinary medieval and/or
renaissance studies conference approved by the lead teacher and who submit an
acceptable two-page paper describing the utility (or uselessness) of the
conference as determined by their own conference experience.
GRADING
The
course grade will be computed as follows: 40% from the midterm tests (that is,
20% from each); 15% from the two book reviews (7.5% each); 30% from the term
paper; and 15% from class participation. The class participation grade is based
on attendance, class preparation, and class contributions. Outstanding students
get the class-participation percentage credited as an `A'; those adequate but
undistinguished have the points dropped out of the average (so that they neither
help nor hurt); those below acceptable standards have them credited as an `F.'
Two
extra credit opportunities are provided.
A student who has submitted a class prize winning entry will receive
an extra 5% of A credit (up to a limit of two prize credits).
A student who attends and satisfactorily reports on an approved medieval
or renaissance conference will receive 10% of A credit.
These credits are added within the 100% base.
UNIVERSITY NOTICES
Necessary Accommodations:
Any student
who, because of a disabling condition, may require special arrangements in order
to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible so
that the necessary accommodations can be made.
Observance of a Religious Holy Day:
Texas House
Bill 256 requires institutions of higher education to excuse a student from
attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the
observance of a religious holy day. The student shall also be excused for time
necessary to travel. An institution may not penalize the student for the absence
and allows for the student to take an exam or complete an assignment from which
the student is excused. No prior notification of the instructor is required.
Academic Honesty:
"Texas
Tech is committed to creating an exciting university atmosphere that is free of
academic dishonesty. All members of the university community, including faculty,
students, and staff, are upheld to the standard of having integrity in the work
they produce. The standard is for all members of the Texas Tech community to
contribute to the campus environment in an ethical, fun, and honest manner.
Integrity matters because student success matters (TTU
Student Judicial Programs)." Because we
live in an imperfect world, it is sometimes necessary to undergird ideals and
norms with enforcement mechanisms: be aware that Texas Tech mandates specific
Disciplinary Outcomes for Academic Honesty Violations.
READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE
Tu Jan 23
Introduction / Inventing the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance /
Medieval & Renaissance Organizations
Bull 1-61; Caferro 1-97
Tu Jan 30 Periodization and Conceptualization
Caferro 98-125; classical images;
Highet, Classical Tradition
v-xi,xv-xl,1-254, 541-49
Tu Feb 6 Classical Traditions
Read Blanning, Romantic Revolution;
Sir Walter Scott, "Christmas" ;
Houses of Parliament ;
Downton Abbey
Tu Feb 13 The Romantic Tradition and “Medievalism”
Bull 62-102; Caffaro 126-212; Patrick J. Geary, "Writing the Nation"; Andrew Lynch, "War, Church, and the Medieval...for Children"; Lynn T. White Jr., "The Legacy of the Middle Ages in the American Wild West," Speculum 40 (1965): 191-202 [access through JSTOR]. Write a two-page review of Geary, Lynch, or White
Tu Feb 20 Medieval & Renaissance Roots of Western Culture
Bull 102-41; Green Man; read & review an item from
“The Middle Ages and the Renaissance as
Alterity"
Tu Feb 27 The "New” Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Study for Examination #1
Tu Mar 6 Examination / Panel on Medieval and Renaissance History (Jacob Baum, Stefano D'Amico, and Lane Sobehrad, TTU History)
|Read Brian Tierney, "Idea of Natural Rights"; Peruse ICMAC, Medieval Canon Law Virtual library, Ken Pennington, and Stephan Kuttner Institute
[Sat-Sun March 10-18
Spring Vacation]
Tu Mar 20 Medieval Law (John Howe, History)
Read
Thomas Forrest Kelly, Early Music: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2011)
Tu
Mar 27 Medieval & Renaissance Music (Angela Marianni and Stacey Jocoy, Music)
CLASS MEETS in MUSIC 209
at 7:00pm
Philosophy & Its History ;Tom Head on "Hagiography"; Peruse Hagiography Society; Société des Bollandistes | Peruse International Medieval Sermon Studies Society
Tu
April 3
Medieval Philosophy
(Francesca di Poppa, Philosophy) | Hagiography
and Sermon Studies (John Howe)
CLASS MEETS in HH119A; then at 8:20pm moves to HH 143
Bede et al.;
Bryan, "Collaborative Meaning"
Tu
Apr 10 Medieval English Literature (Brian McFadden and Julie Couch, TTU
English)
CLASS MEETS in ENGLISH 311
Angenendt, Smith, Weigert: ; "To See Ouselves..."; Schmitter
Tu
Apr 17 Medieval & Renaissance Art (Janis Elliott, Brian Steele, Art)
CLASS
MEETS in ART B02 at 7:00pm
Kiséry & Determann; Lake; Palliser ; Milton Debate
Tu Apr 24
Tu May 1 Paleography (John Howe, Stacey Jocoy, Jacob Baum)
Beusterien; Gaunt & Kay ; Crusading Passions
Tu May 8 Medieval and Renaissance Romance Literature (John Beusterien, Spanish; Lucas Wood, French)
Work on class paper and take-home exam
Tu May 15 FINAL EXAMINATION & PAPER REPORTS:
Medieval and Renaissance
Studies at TTU / Awarding of the
Class Prizes.
Th May 17 9:00 am Deadline for receiving class
papers, extra credit reports, etc.