Not a survey of the medieval period, rather this course is an introduction to some of the major problems of medieval studies (e.g., literary, artistic, historical, archaeological) and the methods by which such problems may be resolved. It examines specific periods and places, and treats various aspects and expressions of medieval society in both depth and detail. Topics vary from an examination of how ninth-century European authors reacted to the perceived social and moral decline of the Carolingian realm, to the investigation of the concepts of forgery and authenticity in the Middle Ages and Renaissance and the ways in which the practice of forgery led to the advancement of critical skills in dealing with evidence from the past and its impact upon historical consciousness.
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver campus