SPRING 2006, HH141
John Howe
Office: 143 Holden Hall
Office Hours: MWF 11-11:30; TuTh 8:15-9:00 am; Tu 9:30-10:00pm; and by
appointment
Telephone: 742-1004 ext. 233 E-mail: john.howe@ttu.edu Web: http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/howe
Senate Office: 301 or 304 Administration Telephone: 742-3656
Purposes:
To examine some of today’s major historical debates as they apply to medieval history, debates that affect how European history as a whole is envisioned. Although the class will start out with a traditional problem, “the rise of the West,” the remaining problems will be chosen by the students themselves. Students will read and report on current literature concerning them. Types of research materials will be introduced. Students will produce an extensive term paper informed by the methodological and research strategies described in the course.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this class students will be able to:
1. Describe some major historiographical debates regarding the development of Europe.
2. Discuss the documentary foundation that underlies these debates.
3. Write formal historical analytical papers with greater proficiency and better procedures.
Methods for Assessing the Expected Learning Outcomes
The Expected Learning Outcomes of the course will be assessed through:
examinations, class discussion, and miscellaneous classroom assessment activities.
Attend class regularly. Difficult material will be analyzed in class, often through student reports. Part of the course grade is based on class participation, and you cannot participate if you are not present. In-class essays on particular historical topics will be based in large part on material covered in class. If you must miss more than three classes, you should not be enrolled.
Reading--a great deal of reading--is central to this graduate seminar. There will be specific texts assigned for most classes, from reading lists provided. Student reports and discussion will play a major role in class proceedings, so it is important to complete all assignments as scheduled.
Over the course of the semester, students will write nine book or article reviews. Each should be not longer than two double-spaced typed pages. Students should be prepared to report in class on works they have reviewed. Late assignments disrupt class proceedings, and will be penalized a grade point. Students will email their reports to all members of the seminar.
After several topical units (covering two to four meetings), students will write short in-class essays. These will serve to pull together the material and to stimulate thought and discussion on the historical models in question.
Over the course of the semester, students will write a twenty to thirty page double-spaced paper, either on a topic concerning the historical problems raised in the seminar itself or on a topic connected with on-going thesis or dissertation research. In either case, the topic must be approved by the instructor. Students will use Chicago style or an alternate system approved by the instructor. Get the topic approved in the first two or three weeks if possible. Students looking for new topics must have a topic chosen by Tuesday, .
First draft due April 18; final draft due May 7.
Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible so that the necessary accommodations can be made.
The course grade will be computed as follows: 15% for in-class essays (5% each); 40% for reviews (5% each, worst grade drops); 40% for the semester paper; 5% for class participation.
The class participation grade is determined by attendance, class preparation, and class contributions. At the end of the semester, each student will be classified as belonging to one of three groups: 1) outstanding; 2) generally average; and 3) significantly below acceptable standards. In computing the course grade, the first group gets the class participation component credited as an ‘A’; the second group has the points removed from the averaging process (so they neither help nor hurt); and the third group has them credited as an ‘F’.
READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE
Tu Jan 17 Introduction / Designing the Course/ Intro: The Rise of Europe
Tu Jan 24 The Rise of Europe
[F Jan 27 Last Day for Degree Candidates to File a Statement of Intent]
[F Jan 27 Last Day to Drop a Course on the Web and Receive an Automatic W]
Tu Jan 31 The Rise of Europe (concluded)
Read René Metz, "Monasticism, Origins," Dictionary of the Middle Ages,
13 vols. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1982-89. 8:459-62; R.W.
Southern, "The Benedictines," in Western Society and the Church in the
Middle Ages. New York: Penguin, 1970), pp. 217-40; decide on the
area of your research project
Tu Feb 7 In-Class Essay on the Rise of Europe / Research Project Areas / Monasticism
Read and report on an item from List #2: Origins of Monasticism
Tu Feb 14 Origins of Monasticism
Read Peter Brown, "The Rise and Function of the Holy Man in Late Antiquity,"
Journal of Roman Studies, 61 (1971), 80-101; Howe "Review Article:
Revisiting the Holy Man." Catholic Historical Review, 86 (2000): 640-44;
Tu Feb 21 How to Write a TTU Thesis or Dissertation (Becky Davidson, Thesis/Dissertation
Supervisor, The Graduate School) / The Holy Man as Religious Symbol
[W Feb 22 Final Day to Declare Pass/Fail Intentions]
Read and be prepared to discuss one translated life of a desert saint from
those available on line in the Medieval Sourcebook: Saints' Lives:
"Early Monks [Eastern]" or "Patristic Era Saints"; read and report on one
book from List #3: Hagiographical Sources for Early Monasticism; complete
an outline of your proposed semester project, indicating points to be covered
and sources of evidence
Tu Feb 28 Hagiographical Sources for Early Monasticism / Sketches of Semester Projects
Read List #4: Rules, Customaries, and Libraries
Tu Mar 7 Sources for Monastic History
[Tu Mar 14 Semester Break]
Read Cluny's Charter; Constance B. Bouchard, “Merovingian, Carolingian,
and Cluniac Monasticism: Reform and Renewal in Burgundy,” The Journal
of Ecclesiastical History, 41 (1990), 365-88; Constable, Giles. “Cluny in
the Monastic World of the Tenth Century.” In Il Secolo di Ferro: Mito e
realtà del secolo X, 14-25 aprile 1990. 2 vols. Settimane di studio del
Centro Italiano di Studi sull’alto medioevo 38. Spoleto: CISAM, 1991.
Pp. 391-448; John Howe "Monasteria Semper Libera: Cluniac-Type
Monastic Liberties in Eleventh-Century Central Italian Monasteries." Catholic
Historical Review, 78 (1992), 19-34.
Tu Mar 21 In-Class Essay on Early Monasticism / Carolingian and Cluniac Monasticism
Read Maureen Miller, "Introduction: The Investiture Controversy in Western
History," In Power and the Holy in the Investiture Controversy: A Brief
History with Documents. Boston / New York: Bedford / St. Martin's. 2005.
pp. 1-29; Read List #5: The Gregorian Reform
Tu Mar 28 The Gregorian Reform
[Th Mar 30 Final Day to Defend Thesis or Dissertation]
List #6: Monastic and Liturgical Dimensions of the Gregorian Reform
Tu Apr 4 The Gregorian Reform: Monks in Power
Tu Apr 11 New Religious Orders
List #8: Popular and Elite Religion
Tu Apr 18 The Twelfth Century Church: Lawyers in Power
Read Robert I. Burns, "The Significance of the Frontier in the Middle Ages." In
Medieval Frontier Societies, edited by Robert Bartlett and Angus MacKay (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1989), pp. 307-39.
Tu Apr 25 In-Class Essay on Reform in the Central Middle Ages / The Problem of "Frontiers"
Tu May 2 Medieval Frontiers
Finish Revised Papers
Tu May 9 Final Class Meeting: Presentation of Research Papers & Problems