This course is structured to help students acquire an in-depth understanding of the primary intellectual tools of contemporary historical methodology as applied to medieval studies.

“Tell me, Daddy. What is the use of history?” This is the question with which Marc Bloch opened The Historian’s Craft (Fr: Apologie pour l’histoire), a book that in the nearly 80 years since its publication has influenced generations of readers. Today, confronted with a present so radically different from the past that all lines of continuity between the generations seem to have been broken, the simplest response would be, “Nothing.” History appears nothing more than an evocative story, to be made as spectacular, gripping, and mysterious as possible. And should something be invented, ah well... inasmuch as it is ever more difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction, between actual events and propaganda, between real life and virtual reality. But it is precisely because of this situation that history is useful, indeed, essential. Its critical methods are fundamental if we are to orient ourselves once again, distinguishing history from everything else that resembles it. This course consists of a methodological reflection on history – in particular on medieval history – starting from its jagged edges, from that which surrounds it: its relation to forgery, its contiguity with literature, its tendency to assume forms determined by preexisting models and ideological positions, its inclination to invent imaginary situations which it then passes off as real events, its confusion between apparent analogies and demonstrable correspondences. In short, this course will examine some of the discipline’s ambiguities in order to reveal the intellectual power that, despite everything, it does in fact possess, with the goal of restoring history to its rightful place in contemporary society.

Knowledge and understanding
Students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding that extends beyond and reinforces that typically associated with the three-year undergraduate programme and that permits the student to develop and apply original ideas, including research ideas, in reference to content, methodological and applied content regarding medieval history.

Applying knowledge and understanding
Students must be able to apply their knowledge, understanding and problem-solving skills to new and unfamiliar topics in broader interdisciplinary contexts associated with the study of medieval history.

Making judgements
Students must have the ability to integrate their knowledge and manage complexity, as well as make judgements on the basis of limited or incomplete information, including reflection on the social and ethical responsibility connected with the application of their knowledge and judgement in full awareness of the fundamental importance of the use and public role of History.

Communication skills
Students must know how to communicate clearly and succinctly their conclusions, their knowledge and the reasoning behind these to specialists and non-specialists. They must be able to evaluate maturely information related to both themes and events of medieval history as well as methodological, epistemological, communicational, social and ethical problems related to the discipline of medieval history.

Learning skills
Students must have developed learning, analytical and applied skills that allow them to continue to study autonomously and thus permit access to the third cycle of university study or other specialized levels as well as to the world of professional work.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Lectures and thematic seminars, held by the professor and guest speakers; attending students will carry out short research projects and present their results.

Attendance

Prerequisites: it is advisable to have taken the three-year undergraduate course exam in Medieval History. Attendance is not mandatory, but it is recommended. Frequency: at least 2/3 of the lessons. 

Course books

M. Bloch, Apologie pour l’histoire ou Métier d’historien/The Historian Craft [1949, or any further edition]

T. di Carpegna Falconieri, Nel labirinto del passato. Dieci modi di riscrivere la storia, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2020

M. Gazzini (a cura di), Il falso e la storia. Invenzioni, errori, imposture dal medioevo alla società 2.0, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020

Assessment

Oral exam.This exam consists of some questions (usually three) about the texts and the topics discussed in class. The questions are general in nature and posed in the form of a conversation.

- They will give rise to evaluations from excellent to very good (30 cum laude-27): the student's possession of excellent- very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to connect the topics dealt with in the course; the use of an appropriate language with respect to the specific nature of the discipline.

- They will give rise to good-discrete evaluations (26-23): the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical capacity and connection between the themes dealt with: the use of an appropriate language.

-  They will give rise to sufficient evaluations (22-18): the achievement of minimal knowledge on the subjects dealt with by the student, even if there are some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual study

Attendance

Prerequisites: it is advisable to have taken the three-year undergraduate course exam in Medieval History. As well as the three books that attending students must read, non-attending students (less than 2/3 of frequency) must write a term paper of approximately 25,000 characters on a topic of medieval history to be approved with the professor.The paper should be sent to the professor at least one week before the exam.

Course books

M. Bloch, Apologie pour l’histoire ou Métier d’historien/The Historian Craft [1949, or any further edition]

T. di Carpegna Falconieri, Nel labirinto del passato. Dieci modi di riscrivere la storia, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2020

M. Gazzini (a cura di), Il falso e la storia. Invenzioni, errori, imposture dal medioevo alla società 2.0, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020

Assessment

Oral exam and evaluation of the term paper. This exam consists of some questions (usually three) about the texts and the topics discussed in class. The questions are general in nature and posed in the form of a conversation.

- They will give rise to evaluations from excellent to very good (30 cum laude-27): the student's possession of excellent- very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to connect the topics dealt with in the course; the use of an appropriate language with respect to the specific nature of the discipline.

- They will give rise to good-discrete evaluations (26-23): the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical capacity and connection between the themes dealt with: the use of an appropriate language.

-  They will give rise to sufficient evaluations (22-18): the achievement of minimal knowledge on the subjects dealt with by the student, even if there are some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Professor's websites: www.tommasodicarpegna.it; https://uniurb.academia.edu/TommasodiCarpegnaFalconieri