School of Humanities  
 
 
HIS-20071 Saints and Society in Medieval Europe  
Co-ordinator: Dr Kathleen Cushing    Room: CBB0.044, Tel:33207  
Teaching Team: Miss Amanda  Roberts, Dr Philip  Morgan, Mrs Christine  Edge, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
History Dual Honours (Level 2)
History Major (Level 2)
History Minor (Level 2)
History Single Honours (Level 2)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
Pass at level one, or appropriate alternative qualifications for visiting students.

Description

In 2004 animal rights activists kidnapped the corpse of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond from a Staffordshire church-yard. In 2006 Argentine trades unionists fought a gun battle over the coffin of former dictator, Juan Perón, when it was reburied. And, in 2007 the home and grave of Elvis Presley attracted 600,000 visitors. An anthropologist might explain these phenomena as cultures in which the dead are seen as powerful. In this module we will look at an important group of powerful dead, saints, who are critical to the formation of European culture, embodying concepts of ritual, power and celebrity. The course will cover a wide range of issues including the development of the cult of saints in the early Church, its development and spread during the period c.900-c.1250, as well as the religious, social and political use functions of the saints in medieval culture.

Particular attention will be devoted to the changing nature of who was a saint, the extent to which popular acclamation made a saint, medieval society&©s belief in the saints, the difference between local and universal saints as well as the increasing procedures demanded by the Church for canonization. With case studies on martyr and confessor saints and other models of sanctity and the use of translations of primary sources, it will also look to address the problems faced by historians of medieval saints due to the nature of the historical record.
Aims
To explore the development of the cult of saints and their role in society in early medieval Europe, with particular focus on the period c.900-1250, and the religious, social and political functions of the saints in medieval culture, in order to advance students&© historical and historiographical knowledge using a wide variety of primary and secondary sources.
Intended Learning Outcomes
acquire a broad understanding of the role of the saints in medieval society and their religious, social and political functions. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
develop the ability to understand and evaluate scholarly debates on this topic, in particular the idea of $ůliving with the dead&© in medieval culture. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
develop the ability to read and use contested texts and other source materials critically, while addressing the issues of genre, content, perspective and historicity. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
Study hours
150 hours: 10 lectures, 7 seminars, 48 hours seminar preparation, 60 hours essay preparation, 25 hours lecture consolidation.
Description of Module Assessment
01: Essay-Plan
Essay plan and bibliography
Formative assessment: an essay-plan and related bibliography, to be submitted in preparation for the module essay (assessment no. 2). Feedback will be provided to guide the student in the completion of the essay.
02: Essay weighted 40%
Essay
An essay of c.2000 words, chosen by the student from a list of c.6 questions set by the tutor.
03: 2 Hour Unseen Exam weighted 40%
Unseen exam
An unseen two-hour examination in which students will be expected to answer two essay questions from a list of 8.
04: Portfolio weighted 20%
Seminar and Portfolio
Participation in seminars, assessed according to level of contribution as well as academic ability, and EITHER 5 short written exercises/source commentaries OR 2 / 3 longer written exercises, all set by the tutor and in either case totalling no more than 2000 words in length. Half the marks will be given for seminar participation and half for the written portfolio.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.