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This is blog for students of History 102g - Medieval Civilization
Discussion Section Syllabus
History 102g, Medieval Civilization Discussion Section Syllabus
Fridays 9am, 12pm
TAs: Stacey Lutkoski & Ericka Swensson
Email: staceybl@usc.edu, emswensson@yahoo.com
Office: Shrine Offices
Welcome to the discussion section for History 102g. Discussion sections will examine and elaborate on the material presented through the lectures and readings. These classes will help us work through difficult concepts and problematize historical issues. As stated in the course syllabus, the discussion sections are worth 20% of your total course grade. Half of your discussion section grade will be determined by performance in the section itself. In order to receive full credit you need to be present at every class with the readings in hand, be an active participant, and demonstrate a familiarity with the sources.
Cell phone calls, tardiness, inappropriate use of laptops, and other disruptive behavior will not be tolerated and will adversely affect your grade.
Attendance is mandatory. Consult the course syllabus for more information on the attendance policy and penalties.
The second half of your discussion section grade will depend upon your performance in our class blog. Please email Ericka if you have not yet been added to the blog. This is your responsibility, and we will not be held responsible for your negligence. Each week we will post an assignment by Monday evening. You must post a thoughtful paragraph response on the blog by Thursday at 8pm. Late postings will not be accepted. We encourage you to use the blog not only as a place to express your ideas but also as a discussion forum by responding to your classmates’ postings. Your post should neither be a “fact” oriented question/ comment nor a question concerning the content of the works themselves, i.e.: a question that requires outside sources to answer. Rather, your response statement should deal exclusively with the contents of the texts themselves. Also, make sure that you cite the page(s) used for your question or comment.
This syllabus is subject to change. We will communicate with you outside of class primarily through email, and it is your responsibility to check your account regularly for pertinent information. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact either one of us.
Any student requiring academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained by DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to us as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
3 comments:
I decided to allow DICTIONARY.COM to provide the general populace's mis-informed, idiotic, mis-guided, stupid, lacking in intelligence, carbon sniffing definition / description of Medieval. For this cabellero (man), I have been allowed to travel in world so sublime, so colorful, so full of heart and depth of soul that we in the 21st centur, simply look like gorillas trying to find our butts. WHat does Medieval mean to Rick - this - LIKE ME - They were struggling how to define their existence in world that makes no sense. They struggled with the question of christianity and it's meaning to themselves and the world around them. Determine what the past might offer for understanding the present and future. Creation of of a new world that encompasses writings that have lasted over 1800 years. The battle for who will rule the christian world and spread the word of God. The initiation of new orders and avenues to worship God. That's a little of what it means - but my favorite passages will give you a better insight to my definition of Medieval:
Augustine:(my favorite)Augustines mother has died, "in the 56th year of her life and the 33rd of mine, that devout and holy soul was released from the body". pg181
Augustine's quandry of what the hell is he doing:"Tell me, please, what is our goal of our ambition in all these labors of ours? What are we aiming at?" Pg151
The Age of Bede: "The doings of two fathers. In bringing water out of the rock he reminds one of a similar miracle performed by St. Bendict.....and in driving away the birds he was following the example of St. Antony." I actually knew who these guys were!" Pg 71
There's more; but my time spent with these texts show that these people were somehow more enlightened then most people I know. Thanks for the memories! Rick
Oh wow, what a question..and what an elusive answer. To me medieval does indeed have to do with a certain time frame, however the definition is much more than that. And although I'm not sure what the full definition is by any means, I do know the period to be more of the sum of its parts (or texts, as we look at it). Knowing this, I don't think I can make any judgments as to the entire definition of medieval, but only bring up instances that I believe begin to characterize this idea. Much that is medieval to me has to do with things that may seem mundane to us as 21st century readers. This include what life looked like before certain technologies, or while the world was being ravaged by a massive plague. How news traveled so much more slowly than even today's “snail mail”, and how intricate book covers were made as each creation was considered a project in itself. Yet at the same time, how the concepts of maternal love we see coming from Monica and questions of spirituality remind us that we are selves are not too different from what is so egocentrically named “the dark ages”. All in all, I'm not really sure what to make of the word medieval, and I'm not sure anything can be made of it at all. However, what I can scrape together about the word is tidbits of knowledge gathered throughout this semester. Although this feels totally unsatisfying, it will have to do. I'd rather have a small, accurate picture of what is medieval rather than a blurred, overreaching image.
I remember in the beginning of the semester during one of the discussion sections we listed off things that we thought was associated with "medieval." I honestly have to say, that the things we came up with like knights and ladies, awesome architecture and such, are still what I believe medieval to be. However, after reading the assigned texts and having the many insane discussions about them, I have been able to add on to my own meaning of "medieval." In addition to glorified battles and fantasy romances, and an aura of mystical magic, religion also is a huge element of the medieval times. I have been opened to another world into the religious spiritual thinkings of the Christian people. I feel more and more that these two realms of religion and secular life are very much related with eachother.
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