The Middle Ages and the Movies (P02975)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCA-P-MAIM

The course seeks to introduce students to ideas and methods of source criticism and analysis through the media of film. As an historical record film can be used to think about the ways in which history is recorded, edited, shaped and remembered. The course takes as its focus representations of the Middle Ages, including historical figures and medieval ideologies, and considers these in conjunction with a selection of primary source materials. This provides a broad context to source criticism and allows films to be read for their accuracy, authenticity and agendas (political or otherwise). Themes to be considered include chivalry, crusades, heroes, women, heresy and death.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

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

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) 50 minutes per week for 11 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

This course will allow post-graduate students to:

- Develop a critical understanding of the interaction between sources and historical interpretation

- Develop an extensive and critical awareness of how different types of sources can be read and utilised for historical study and research at post-graduate level
- Develop an awareness of the relationship between different types of sources and specific historiographical problems including accuracy and anachronism
- Develop a critical understanding and ability to evaluate film as an historical record

- Relate these principles of source criticism to their own work within the field

Assessment Information

Candidates will be assessed by means of a 3,000-word essay on a subject to be agreed with by the course organiser, bearing in mind their own specialist research interests.