HSE School for Historical Studies. МА Program in Medieval Studies

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HSE School for Historical Studies. МА Program in Medieval Studies HSE School for Historical Studies. МА program in medieval studies. Christian Church in the West and in the East of Europe. Late medieval and Renaissance period. (2019-2020, Fall term) Instructor: prof. Mikhail V. Dmitriev Title of the course: Christian Church in the West and in the East of Europe. Late medieval and Renaissance period. 3 credits (14 hours of lectures; 20 hours of seminars). Pre-requisites: acquaintance with medieval and modern history of Europe; mastering English. The course is neither co-requisite nor pre-requisite of any other course. It is correlated with other courses on the European and Russian history, which are taught at in the HSE School for Historical Studies. Course type: elective This course will be taught in English. This course aims to familiarize students with basic confessional peculiarities of the Western Christian traditions (Catholicism, Protestantism) as compared to the Eastern Christianity, in the period running from the XIIth through the XVIth centuries. Thus, a comparative approach is crucial and central for this course. Besides, this course will explore some aspects of the impact exerted by specifically confessional factors upon states, societies, and cultures of the Latin West (in France, Germany and Poland taken as examples) in comparison with medieval and early modern Russia. Methodologically this seminar course will be based on Max Weber’s tradition, and its recent developments; students are supposed to be acquainted with that tradition and able to apply it in a creative manner. In seminars, problem of common and different in two Christian traditions will be analyzed on the basis of a very attentive readings of some relevant medieval and early modern sources; on the other hand some individual historical situations and conjunctures will be studied too. The same way, cultural trends generated by Renaissance and studia humanitatis will stand in focus of our attention – as much as they affected the European Church history. Students will acquire experience of working on primary sources (reading and interpretation; in English translations) dealing with the Church history; some sources will be read and studied in Latin; some – in other languages. Chronologically this course continues such courses as “The Christian East and emergence of the Islamic world” and “Byzantium: emperors and saints”. Methodologically and thematically this course is linked to such subject matters as “History of medieval Latin literature”; “Renaissance literature”; “Philosophy and scholarly thought in the late medieval and Renaissance period”. Learning objectives: More specifically, this course aims: - to analyze comparatively and from the longue durée perspective some crucial aspects in the interaction of religious traditions with political, social and cultural processes in Europe’s history; - to explore some new research problems regarding relationship between religious traditions and social and political evolution of the European countries in Middle Ages and XVIth - XIXth centuries; - to familiarize students with the research issues in the given area which remain unclear, controversial and disputable, and thus most promising in terms of further research. Learning outcomes of the course: This course will develop students’ skills to analyze critically and comparatively a range of problems in religious, political and social history of Europe using appropriate theoretical and historical perspectives. Students will acquire a systemic understanding of basic religious factors influencing social, political and cultural evolution of Europe in Modern time. They will be able to form solid and argued judgments in a range of specific questions in history of France, Poland, Russia and other Europe’s countries. They will evaluate critically key concepts and comparative approaches as far as these Europe’s regions are concerned. Students are expected to demonstrate appreciation of diversity and multicultural contexts in this studies area. Students who will successfully complete the course will be equipped with an adequate knowledge and skills to pursue their studies in European and East European history. By this token, the students who are planning to continue their studies and to enroll into MA and Ph.D. programs are the most welcome. Knowledge Assessment: Grading will be based (1) on the quality of the classroom discussions and short oral presentations (up to 10-12 minutes); (2) on an essay to be handed in at the end of the course; (3) on final exam mark. The course puts a major emphasis on discussions in the class. Since the discussed issues are very diverse, students will many opportunities to show their abilities. The students are expected to participate in the course regularly. Through oral presentations, discussions on readings required, and written essays students will acquire experience in critiquing professional research articles and will develop their capacities to identify original contributions to scholarly research. The class participation will be graded on the basis of the quality of comments given as well as the precision and depth with which these comments demonstrate an attentive reading of materials suggested. The class discussions will show how thoroughly students have mastered the basic information provided in the course as well as their ability to answer the key questions that this course has been designed to address. Methods of Instruction: The course has a seminar character and focuses not so much on facts as on interpretations. All issues will be subjected to a comparative analysis. Required readings make up to 50-60 pp. per week, composed of fragments of source materials and chapters (articles) taken from research books. The objective is to get students familiar with some primary sources, and relevant interpretations of issues related to the course program. The instructor will suggest a list of questions about readings. Students will be expected to comment on such questions. Alongside with required readings, students will be expected to refresh their knowledge of history and culture of Europe on the basis of textbooks and other reference books. Through discussions students will gain insight into the analytical historical questions and methods by which they are researched. Readings are selected to provide representative case studies for comparative purposes. Most readings will be distributed as pdf files. Grading system: Accumulated grade (50% of the final grade): 50 % - seminar work: preparedness; participation in discussions; short oral presentations 50 % - term paper (20 000 signs or more): its topic should be related to the program of our course and will be chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor; students could take one of subjects of our class discussion. Thus, seminar work and term paper will make 0,5 of the final grade. Final exam (50% of the final grade) - a written detailed analytical plan on one of the topics discussed in our classes, and a short oral conversation with the instructor on topics treated. Thus, the exam will make 0,5 of the final grade. Term papers are due December 1, 2019. Course plan: topics of lectures and seminar discussions (some changes might occur): Week 1: (a). Religion, confession, state and society in late medieval and early modern Europe. Max Weber’s legacy and beyond. - Lecture. Mandatory readings: Weber M. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Trans. by T. Parsons. New York, 1958 (introduction). Optional readings: Bauman M., Klauber M.I. Historians of the Christian Tradition. Thought, Methodology and Influence. Nashville, 1995 Poggi G. Calvinism and the capitalist spirit: Max Weber’s “Protestant ethic”. London, 1983 Roth G., Schluchter W. Max Weber’s Vision of History. Ethics and Methods. University of California Press, 1979 Scaff L.A. Fleeing the Iron Cage. Culture, Politics, and Modernity in the Thought of Max Weber. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989 Max Weber: critical acessments. Vol. 1-8. Ed. by P. Hamilton. Routledge, 1991 Lehmann H. Ascetic Protestantism and economic rationalism: Max Weber revisited after two generations// Harvard theological review. 80 (Cambridge, 1987). N 3. P. 307-320 The Protestant Ethic and Modernization. A comparative View / Ed. by S. Eisenstadt New York, 1968 Gillespie M.A. The Theological Origins of Modernity. University of Chicago Press, 2008 Further optional readings will be suggested during the course. (b). The “Latin West” and the “Greek” East: what makes a difference? Two patristic legacies and their cultural effects. - Seminar. Mandatory readings: Meyendorff J. Byzantine Theology. Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes. New York: Fordham University Press, 1974 (Chapter “Man”, p. 138-149) Benz E. The Eastern Orthodox Church: its Thought and Life. New-York, 1963, p. 1-19 (The Orthodox Icon) Optional readings: Eastern Orthodox Theology. A Contemporary reader / Ed. by D.B. Clendenin. Baker Books, 1995 Geanakoplos D. J. Byzantine East and Latin West: Two Worlds of Christendom in Middle Ages and Renaissance. Studies in Ecclesiastical and Cultural History. Oxford, 1966 Lossky V. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. London, 1957 Meyendorff J. Rome, Constantinople. Moscow. Historical and Theological Studies. St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1996 Further optional readings will be suggested during the course. Week 2: (a). The Bible, “sacred books”, theological learning and Christian epistemology: late medieval West, Byzantine tradition, Rus’. – Lecture. Mandatory readings: Pseudo-Dionysius.
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