UCL - Culture and Civilisation of Byzantium and the Christian East II

[GLOR2521]

[30h] 5 credits

This two-yearly course is taught in 2009-2010, 2011-2012,...

Teacher(s): Bernard Coulie, Andrea Barbara Schmidt, Véronique Somers(supplée Bernard Coulie)

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

By the end of the seminar, the student must have acquired :
- a deep knowledge of the civilisations of Byzantium and the Christian East ;
- a critical approach based on modern scientific studies and a practical ability to use the principal research tools ;
- the ability to conduct personal research on special topics on Byzantium and the Christian East ;
- the ability to make an oral presentation of the results of a modest research project on a well defined topic ;
- the ability to take an active part in a discussion of a relevant subject ;
- the capacity to compose an essay of modest extent on an aspect of the culture of the Christian East and the Byzantine world.

Main themes

This seminar covers cultural activities in the Byzantine world and the Christian East, a region that is geographically very wide, strikingly heterogeneous, multilingual and multiconfessional. A variety of topics and problem areas may be taken up while presenting the principal accomplishments and scientific studies in the subjects :
- cultural subjects pertaining to a specific period or region ;
- the development or disappearance of a cultural activity as a function of the historical and religious circumstances ;
- the relation between culture and literary records ;
- interaction between the Greek and Oriental milieux.

Content and teaching methods

This course presents scientific tools (lexica, monographs, journals, acts of colloquia, etc.) related to Greek and Oriental civilisation in Byzantium and in the Near East. It calls for a critical analysis of scholarly studies defined by subjects. Students are expected to conduct their own research individually or in small groups on limited subjects of their own choice. They are expected to present the results of their researches, to discuss them, as well as to write up a coherent account of the activity.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites : it is desirable to have followed the course GLOR 1521.
Assessment : continuous assessment based on oral presentations, participation in discussions and on an essay (Christian East), or and oral examination at the end of the year (Byzantine section).
Support : sources in translation, texts in French, English (or, if necessary, in other languages), photocopies, documents in digital form, etc.