Syllabus

Spring 2012
 
HIST 349 - Medieval Popular Beliefs
Prof. Jarbel Rodriguez
MW 2:10 - 3:25
Classroom: BUS 111
Office: SCI 267A
Phone: 415-338-1560
Office Hours: M 12:30 - 2:00, W 3:30 - 5:00 or by appt.
e-mail: jarbel@sfsu.edu
 
The aim of this class is to provide an introduction to medieval and renaissance popular beliefs. Using saints, relics, miracles, magic, charms, folk traditions, fantastic creatures and places as our points of entry, we will attempt to understand what role popular beliefs played in medieval society and more importantly what these beliefs reveal about the medieval world. The class will be a combination lecture/discussion course in which we will have weekly debates on primary and secondary source readings drawn from saints’ lives, proceedings from witchcraft trials, inquisitional records, the writings of mystics, penitential books, and stories about ghosts and supernatural creatures, among others.
 
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will learn and be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Medieval Popular Beliefs, their origins, and their impact on European society, both short and long term (Department Undergraduate Objective 1).
2. Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyze and interpret historical evidence, both primary and secondary, by their participation in class discussions and the research paper (Department Undergraduate Objectives 2 & 3).
3. Students will have to demonstrate an ability to do extensive research in primary and secondary sources on a topic of their choice pertaining to Medieval Popular Beliefs. They will also have to effectively communicate the results of this research in a 10 page research paper due at the end of term (Department Undergraduate Objective 4).

Required Books

John Shinners, Medieval Popular Religion 2 nd ed. (Toronto, 2008)
Michael Bailey, Battling Demons: Witchcraft, Heresy and Reform in the Late Middle Ages (University Park, 2003)
Robert Bartlett, The Hanged Man (Princeton, 2006)
Carlo Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms (Baltimore, 1992)
Mark Pegg, The Corruption of Angels (Princeton, 2005)
 
Grades
Class Participation: 20% (missing classes will affect this part of the grade. I expect every student to participate in every class discussion)
Book Review: 20%, 975 - 1025 words. On any of the above secondary sources (due the day we discuss the book in class)
Research Paper Abstract: 10%
Final Research Paper: 10 Pages 50%
 
Your final grade will be calculated on the following scale:
93 – 100 = A 73 – 76.99 = C
90 – 92.99 = A- 70 – 72.99 = C-
87 – 89.99 = B+ 67 – 69.99 = D+
83 – 86.99 = B 63 – 66.99 = D
80 – 82.99 = B- 60 – 62.99 = D-
77 – 79.99 = C+ 00 – 59.99 = F
 
If you take the class CR/NC you must earn at least a C- to get a CR grade.  
Assignments
Book Review: Select one of the secondary sources that we are discussing in class and write a 3-4 page critical review of the author’s work. The review is due the day we discuss the book in class.
Class Participation: This is measured by your comments during our weekly class discussions—not so much quantity as quality. I expect everyone to show up having read the assignments and ready to speak up. If you are fatally shy or believe that you cannot make useful comments, now is the time to get over it. Do not risk your grade by not speaking up.
Research Paper: The research paper will be on a topic of your own choosing that relies significantly on primary sources—in other words, do not go and read a couple of books on your topic and tell me what they say. PLEASE NOTE THAT PAPERS THAT DO NOT USE PRIMARY SOURCES CAN NOT EARN A GRADE HIGHER THAN AN 80. Instead, put together a group of primary sources that address your particular topic, develop a thesis/argument and create a work of original scholarship. The thesis must be underlined in your final draft.
You are required to turn in an abstract that describes your paper topic along with a brief bibliography of sources and secondary material you are thinking about using. The abstract should contain 6 primary and 6 secondary sources. Among the secondary sources, at least 2 must be articles, while the rest can be books. The abstract is due March 9 th. Substantial additional information is available in the class website under “Research Paper.” Make sure to use this resource and to understand the information it provides. Late papers will be accepted for one week after they are due and will be penalized 5% each day they are late. It is impossible to pass the course without turning in a research paper. Research paper is due May 18 th.
 
A Note on Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one’s grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another to do so. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material so used as one’s own work. It includes “borrowing” ideas and quotations from books, articles, and websites. If you are not sure about something, double check with me. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism is not a defense against it. Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a 0 in the assignment and could result in expulsion from the University. For more on the University’s policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the University Catalog (Policies and Regulations).
 
History Graduate Students
History graduate students will have to turn in a research paper 15-20 pages in length.
 
Disability Statement Policy
Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415-338-2472) or by email (dprc@sfsu.edu).
 
Readings
All readings are to be done by the time of our weekly meetings. Readings that are marked as being [online] can be accessed via the class website.
 
Week 1
Jan 23: Introduction
Jan 25: Class Lecture - God
 
Week 2
Jan 30 : Class Discussion – God
Readings: Shinners, #1-5, 8-10, 13, 15, 17, 19; Innocent III, “Sermon on the Resurrection of the Lord”
Feb 1 : Class Lecture – Virgins, Saints, and Relics
 
Week 3
Feb 6 : Class Discussion – Virgins, Saints, and Relics
Readings: Shinners, #22-23, 25, 27-28, 30-32; Guibert of Nogent, “Saints and their Relics”; Reginald of Durham, “Life of St. Goderic”
Feb 8: Research Paper and Book Review Overview
 
Week 4
Feb 13 : Class Discussion – Bartlett, The Hanged Man
Feb 15 : Class Lecture – Devotion and Piety
 
Week 5
Feb 20: Class Discussion – Devotion and Piety
Readings: Shinners, #54-61, 63-65, 69
Feb 22: Class Lecture – Rituals and Sacraments
 
Week 6
Feb 27: Class Discussion – Rituals and Sacraments
Readings: Shinners, # 46-53; “The Seven Sacraments: Catholic Doctrinal Documents”; Caesarius of Heisterbach, “The Eucharist as Charm”; Caesarius of Heisterbach, “Confession, Ordeal and Miracle”; Caesarius of Heisterbach, “Tales of Confession”
Feb 29: Class Lecture – Heresy and Error
 
Week 7
Mar 5: Class Discussion
Readings: Shinners, # 70-76; Bernard Gui, “Inquisitorial Technique”; Angelo Clareno, “On an Inquisitorial Torture Session” [online]; Confession of Agnes of Francou; Confession of Arnaud Gelis; Confession of Barthélemy Amilhac; Confession of Baruch
Mar 7: Class Lecture – Pilgrimage and Crusades
 
Week 8
Mar 12: Class Discussion – Pilgrimage and Crusades
Readings: Shinners, #29, 33-35, 66-67; Pietro Casola’s Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, chs. X-XIII (pp. 221-280); Urban II, “Speech at Clermont”; Raymond d’Aguiliers, “The Discovery of the Holy Lance”; Crusader Letters
Mar 14: Class Lecture – Magic
ABSTRACTS DUE
 
Week 9
Mar 19: SPRING BREAK
Mar 21: SPRING BREAK
 
Week 10
Mar 26: Class Discussion
Reading: Pegg, The Corruption of Angels
Mar 28: Class Lecture – Judaism
 
Week 11
Apr 2 : Class Discussion – Judaism
Readings: Solomon bar Samson, The Crusaders in Mainz, 1096; Thomas of Monmouth, St. William of Norwich, 1144; Ephraim ben Jacob, Ritual Murder Accusation at Blois, 1171; Rigord, The Expulsion of the Jews from France, 1182; Innocent III, Constitution for the Jews, 1199; King John of England, Jewish Charters, 1201; Las Siete Partidas on the Jews, 1265; Gregory X, Letter on the Jews, 1270s; Ordinance of the Jews of the Crown of Aragon 1354 ; The Expulsion from Spain, 1492
Apr 4: Class Lecture – Belief and Interpretation
 
Week 12
Apr 9: Class Discussion – Belief and Interpretation
Reading: Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms
Apr 11 : Class Lecture – The Monstrous Body
Week 13
Apr 16: Class Discussion, The Monstrous Body
Readings:
Apr 18 : Class Lecture – Boo!
 
Week 14
Apr 23: Class Discussion – Boo!
Readings: Shinners, #37-45; William of Newburgh, History, Book 5, chs. 22-24; The Saga of Grettir the Strong, chs. 32-35
Apr 25: Class Lecture - Witchcraft
 
Week 15
Apr 30: Class Discussion – Witchcraft
Reading: Bailey, Battling Demons
May 2: Class Lecture – Death and Judgment
Week 16
May 7: Class Discussion – Death and Judgment
Readings: Shinners, #77-82; Catherine of Genoa, Treatise on Purgatory (You can skip the introduction and read only the treatise)
May 9: NO CLASS – WORK ON PAPERS (I will be in my office during class time for last-minute help)
 
Week 17
May 14: Final Papers due in my office by 4:00 PM.

 

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