A Cultural History of the Gael 400-800 (P00827)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCL-P-GAEL

This proposed course aims to explore the cultural and political history of the Gaelic-speaking tribal peoples of Early Christian Britain and Ireland. Its central theme is tribalism: by examining a range of contemporary historical and ecclesiastical texts, students will consider the nature of such social forces as kinship and lordship within the tzath or 'tribal-kingdom', while gaining a broader understanding of the tzath itself, and the ways in which tribalism was accommodated and challenged by such extra-tribal forces as over-kingship and the Church. The content of the course will reflect the multidisciplinary nature of Celtic studies, ranging from literary studies to social history and from source analysis to understanding the anthropology of acculturation, and so may appeal to wide student base.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : The maximum number of students in the course will be 20. As primary sources will be read in translation there is no language requirement for the course.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of History and Classics), (School of History and Classics, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 2 hour(s) per week for 2 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Friday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will engage directly with key literary sources (in translation), but will also be encouraged to think outside the traditional boundaries of historical study to consider the support that is available from other disciplines. Upon completion of the course, students will emerge with the tools necessary to evaluate the historical value of different kinds of early medieval textual evidence, and the ability to identify reliable scholarship and viable lines of argument from other matter.