Syllabus MEANING OF RENAISSANCE: MACHIAVELLI BRUNO VICO - 45302

Last update 19-01-2014

HU Credits: 2

Degree/Cycle: 1st degree (Bachelor)

Responsible Department: Romance and Latin American Studies

Academic year: 2

Semester: 1st Semester

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Manuela Consonni

Coordinator Email: [email protected]

Coordinator Office Hours: sunday 10:30-11:30

Teaching Staff: Dr. Manuela Consonni

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Course/Module description: At the center of the analysis three Italian thinkers from the 15th century to the 18th century: Machiavelli, Bruno, Vico. Starting from the turbulent period of Machiavelli through Bruno's heresy and the birth of new cultural models offered by Vico, the course will analyze the Renaissance not only as a specific historical period but also as a characterizing concept that encompassed the Italian and the European history until today. The Renaissance is therefore the symbol of awakening, that gave birth to the doctrines and principles that have still a profound impact on the culture, politics and philosophy up until nowadays. The theme of rebirth still stand as a meaning of modernity and progress on the political-social, religious and scientific ground

Course/Module aims: To provide students with a panoramic overview of one of the most interesting periods in Italian history and culture. To develop analytic tools for understanding the Renaissance as outcome of socio- historical and cultural processes in Italy which influenced European history and culture, and the Renaissance as a concept the impact of which invests a period of time much longer, touching the Italian cultural scene until the end of the XVIII century.

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to: To master the corpus of canonical texts from the relevant period. To describe the content of such texts, discovering a strong inter-texuality inside the corpus. To analyze the texts as products of social, historical, and political contexts. To recognize different readings in the scrutinized corpus and their value in the period to which they belong and beyond it. To interpret the meanings of the texts. To outline the peculiarities of each work and of each thinker. To develop critical thinking, questioning the scientific articles dealing with the different authors and their texts.

Attendance requirements(%): 100

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: Seminar

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Course/Module Content: שיעור ראשון ושני: משמעות הרנסנס : מוסג ותיקוף קריאה: Robert, Black, Renaissance Thought, Routledge (London 2001): E.G. Gombrich, The Renaissance – Period or Movement? pg. 23-46

Required Reading: Robert, Robert. Renaissance Thought, Routledge London 2001 Giordano Bruno, The expulsion of the triumphant beast. Translated and edited by -nףArthur D. Imerti, with an introduction and notes; foreword by Karen Silvia de Le Jones, Lincoln 2004 Enrico De Mas, “On the new method of a new science”, Journal of History of Ideas, 32 (1971), pp. 85-94 Eugenio, Garin, Renaissance Character, University of Chicago Press (Chicago 1991) Wallace K. Ferguson, “Humanist Views of the Renaissance” American Historical Review 45 1939, pp. 1-28. Wallace K. Ferguson, The Renaissance in Historical Thought. Five Centuries of Interpretation, Cambridge, Mass. 1948, 429 pp. Denys, Hay. The Italian Renaissance in its Historical Backgrounds, Cambridge University Press (London; 1961 Paul O. Kristeller, Renaissance Thought, New York 1965, vol. II Alessandro Scarsella, Giambattista Vico - A short introduction. Biblion edizioni (Milano: 2008) Quentin Skinner, Machiavelli :‎ a very short introduction, Oxford University Press (Oxford ; New York 2000) Herbert Weisinger, “The Reanissance Theory of Reaction against the Middle Ages as a Cause of the Renaissance”, Speculum 20, 1945, pp. 461-467 Herbert Weisinger, “Ideas of History during the Renaissance”, Journal of the History of Ideas, 6, 1945, pp. 415-435 Frances Yates, Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition (London 1964)

Additional Reading Material: No additional reading

Course/Module evaluation: End of year written/oral examination 50 % Presentation 0 % Participation in Tutorials 30 % Project work 0 % Assignments 20 %

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Reports 0 % Research project 0 % Quizzes 0 % Other 0 %

Additional information: NO

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