| Unit name | Renaissance Engagement with History, Texts, and Self |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRSM0099 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Balserak |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The rationale is that the Renaissance had an enormous impact upon Western thought and life, in terms of religion and life generally. Its impact is particularly strongly felt in the areas of history, texts (particularly the Bible) and thoughts about the self. In these areas, the Renaissance represents a watershed for the modern age.
To provide an understanding of the historical, social, political and intellectual landscape out of which the Renaissance sprung. To provide an understanding of the Renaissance in its varied expressions. To analyse the way those in the Renaissance assessed and thought about texts, especially the Bible. To analyse the way those in the Renaissance thought about history and the way they wrote about it. To analyse the way those in the Renaissance thought about the self; in particular, we want to consider the notion of self-fashioning and the crafting of one's self-image by Renaissance humanists. To discern the ways in which western thought on these three areas (history, texts, and self) changed from the medieval era to the Renaissance. To develop analytical skills through the discussion and essay writing.
By the end of the unit students will be expected to have: — acquired knowledge and skill to discuss historical, social, political and intellectual landscape out of which the Renaissance sprung — acquired knowledge and skill to discuss the Renaissance in its varied expressions and to relate these expressions one to another through an understanding of the deeper reasons why the Renaissance occurred. More specifically: — acquired knowledge and skill to discuss intelligently the changes which took place in thinking on history and the writing of history. — acquired knowledge and skill to discuss intelligently the changes which took place in thinking on texts and scholarly work on texts. — acquired knowledge and skill to discuss intelligently the changes which took place in thinking on the self, on self-fashioning, and on the crafting of one's self-image by intellectuals in Europe (particularly humanists). — and additionally to: • incorporate a strong grasp of the Renaissance context into one’s analysis of it. • be able to describe, evaluate and/or challenge current scholarly thinking on the Renaissance. • demonstrate a clear and penetrating understanding of the deeper ideas which seem to have brought about changes in these areas.
lectures
Students will be assessed via a summative 4000-word essay. They will submit a 500 word non-assessed essay on an assigned topic.
1. Erika Rummel, The humanist-scholastic debate in the Renaissance & Reformation (Cambridge, Mass ; London: Harvard University Press, 1995) 2. Paul Kristeller, Renaissance thought and its sources (New York: Columbia University Press, 1979) 3. Charles Nauert, Humanism and the culture of Renaissance Europe (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) 4. William Bouwsma, The waning of the Renaissance, 1550-1640 (New Haven ; London : Yale University Press, 2000) 5. Jacob Burckhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1990)
