- Department: History
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
The violent passions aroused by religious schism and the deadly intrigues of court politics have long made the French Wars of Religion one of the more colourful and fascinating periods for historical study. But the civil wars which tore France asunder in the second-half of the sixteenth century were also a major turning point in European history. With over one million adherents Calvinism had more widespread support than anywhere else in Europe was a major challenge to authority. The monarchy attempted reconciliation through the hitherto unheard of policy of religious toleration.
The failure of moderation and the terrible religious violence which culminated in the Massacre of Saint-Bartholomew is a phenomenon which has echoes of today’s ethnic and religious conflicts. Religion also introduced a new ideological element into traditional politics, which was transformed by the formation of religious parties. The justification of resistance to the monarchy developed by Protestants and elaborated by radical Catholics had a profound impact on the development of European political thought. Montaigne, the greatest thinker of his age, was the product of this turmoil, and his Essays will show us how religious conflict and political disintegration transformed the concept of society and the self in Europe. In his Essays we will find the seeds of European liberalism.
Students taking this module must also take the second part in Semester 2.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
The aims of this module are:
Module learning outcomes:
Students will attend a 1-hour briefing in week 1 and a 3-hour seminar in weeks 2-4, 6-8 and 10-11 of semester 1. Weeks 5 & 9 are Reading and Writing Weeks (RAW). Students prepare for and participate in eight three-hour seminars in all.
Seminar topics are subject to variation, but are likely to include the following:
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
None
For formative assessment, students will be given the opportunity to produce text commentaries in seminar, including a written commentary.
For the summative assessment students build a portfolio of two parts, to be submitted together:
a) Two text commentaries of 500-750 words; and
b) One 1,500-word essay which reflects on the significance of the chosen texts in light of scholarship and sources from across the module.
The commentaries comprise 50% and the essay 50% of the overall mark for this module. Summative assessments will be due in the assessment period.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Formative work will be live marked in seminar and supplemented by the tutor giving oral feedback to the whole group. All students are encouraged, if they wish, to discuss the feedback on their formative work during their tutor’s student hours. For more information, see the Statement on Feedback.
For summative assessment tasks, students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback within 25 working days of the submission deadline. The tutor will then be available during student hours for follow-up guidance if required. For more information, see the Statement of Assessment.
For semester time reading, please refer to the module VLE site. Before the course starts, we encourage you to look at the following items of preliminary reading: