Course: Medieval and Early Modern Society through the Eyes of Modern Historiography

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Course title Medieval and Early Modern Society through the Eyes of Modern Historiography
Course code KHI/KBH82
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 1
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 5
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Tomíček David, Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Drška Václav, doc. PhDr. Ph.D.
  • Fukala Radek, prof. PhDr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Medieval and Early Modern Society - Introduction to the Study 2. Gens and regnum: the origin and nature of the medieval "state" 3. Fief and vassality in contemporary rethinking 4. Reform and the medieval church: reality and its discursive levels 5. Concepts of universalism 6. The nation in the Middle Ages? 7. Medieval heresies 8. Disease, the sick and the physician in the Middle Ages 9. Scholarly and popular culture in the Middle Ages 10. Braudels lessons in early modern history (grammar of civilization, temporal rhythms, center and periphery, structures of the everydayness, from macrohistory to microhistory) 11. Parker conception of the global crisis of the 17th century versus earlier Marxist discussions of the crisis of feudal society (climate changes, disasters, demographic, economic and social disruptions) 12. The Thirty Years War and the Military Revolution. Transformations of research 13. The powerful and the dominated. Corruption and clientelism of elites in power. Early modern political systems (absolutism, centralism, Estates). Issues and problems of early modern political thought in modern history

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The course introduces students to the basic themes and problems of medieval and early modern research in the field of political, social and cultural history. The lecture is primarily oriented towards the presentation of these topics and their genesis. The practical seminars serve to analyze possible solutions by working with source material. The aim of the course is to deepen the students knowledge of trends in historiographical approaches and, at the same time, to deepen their ability to interpret source evidences.
The student is able to comprehend terminologically the studied issue. He/She is able to orient himself/herself in the basic trends of historiographical discourse, is capable of grasping continuities and breaks in historical development. Possesses a deeper knowledge of selected topics in medieval and early modern history. The student is also familiar with the application of this knowledge to specific source material.
Prerequisites
None

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
The student will demonstrate the ability to understand the basic principles of modern scholarly discourse on medieval or early modern topics. The credit is granted on the basis of regular and active participation in the class. The examination has both a written and an oral part: the written test ascertains basic knowledge of the material discussed; a deeper understanding of the topics is verified by an oral colloquium.
Recommended literature
  • BEDNAŘÍKOVÁ, Jarmila et al. Krize a kairos. Červený Kostelec. 2010.
  • BRAUDEL, Fernard. Dynamika kapitalismu. Praha. 1999.
  • DRŠKA, Václav. Divisiones regni Francorum. Ústí nad Labem. 2011.
  • FUKALA, Radek. Třicetiletá válka, nebo všeobecný evropský konflikt 17. století?. České Budějovice. 2012.
  • GUREVIČ, A. J. Kultura a společnost středověké Evropy očima současníků. Praha. 2022.
  • HRBEK, Jiří. Evropa a absolutismus v 17. a 18. století. Praha - Kroměříž. 2012.
  • HROCH, Miroslav - PETRÁŇ, Josef. 17. století - Krize feudální společnosti?. Praha. 1976.
  • LE GOFF, Jacques. Intlektuálové ve středověku. Praha. 1999.
  • SUCHÁNEK, Drahomír, DRŠKA, Václav. Církevní dějiny. Antika a středověk. Praha, 2013.
  • ŠMAHEL, František. Idea národa v husitských Čechách. Praha, 2000.
  • TOMÍČEK, David. Víra, rozuma a zkušenost v lidovém lékařství pozdně středověkých Čech. Ústí nad Labem. 2009.
  • VÁLKA, Josef. Česká společnost v 15. - 18. století II. Praha. 1983.
  • Zbíral, D. Největší hereze. Praha, 2007.
  • ZBÍRAL, David. Největší hereze. Praha. 2007.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester