1. General information
Course:
THE MEDIEVAL SOCIETIES AND THE TRANSITION TO MODERNITY
Code:
44753
Type:
CORE COURSE
ECTS credits:
6
Degree:
381 - UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMME IN HUMANITIES: CULTURAL HISTORY
Academic year:
2023-24
Center:
11 - FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES OF CUENCA
Group(s):
30
Year:
2
Duration:
C2
Main language:
Spanish
Second language:
English
Use of additional languages:
English, French, Italian, Latin.
English Friendly:
Y
Web site:
Bilingual:
Y
Lecturer:
JOSE ANTONIO JARA FUENTE
- Group(s):
30
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
Gil de Albornoz 5.13
HISTORIA
4367
joseantonio.jara@uclm.es
They will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
2. Pre-Requisites
In accordance with the Degree on Humanities: A Cultural History, there are not previous requirements.
3. Justification in the curriculum, relation to other subjects and to the profession
The subject The Medieval Societies and the Transition to Modernity is part of Module III. The Historical and Cultural Background of Subject Group 2. The Medieval World, and has a mandatory academic nature.
This subject constitutes an obligatory complement to the subject History of the Medieval World, which is taught in the same module and subject group, since it provides a final vision of the problems that affect the late medieval centuries and the transition from the Middle Ages to Modernity. While History of the Medieval World focuses on the analysis of the transition from ancient societies to the Middle Ages, and on the examination of the processes of construction of feudal and seigneurial societies between the 5th and 13th centuries; The Medieval Societies and the Transition to Modernity seeks to delve into the political, economic, social and, in general, cultural processes that took place in the last medieval centuries (XIV and XV, and early of the XVI), in order to identify the elements and processes of change that led to the transformation of the medieval into the modern world. Although the analysis of these issues have a European dimension, the subject proposes the history of the Iberian Peninsula as a privileged laboratory on which to observe said questions in the long term, examining the origin and development of the transformation processes that, especially in the Hispanic kingdoms, led to modernity.
On the other hand, both subjects are linked to the subjects History of the Ancient World and History of the Modern World; and, likewise, with the optional subject (fourth year) History of the Iberian Peninsula up to Modernity.
Finally, and within the framework of the professional opportunities opened by this degree, this subject is basic for all those activities linked to historical-cultural approaches and especially those aimed at teaching activities, both in the Secondary and University fields, and to scientific research.
4. Degree competences achieved in this course
| Course competences | |
|---|---|
| Code | Description |
| E01 | Knowing and analysing theories related to the concept of Culture and theories about human and social diversity |
| E03 | Analysing and interpret data from research, reports and works inherent to the different disciplines of the field of study (Anthropology, Art, History, Geography, Philosophy, Language, Literature and Cultural Heritage) |
| E04 | Understanding and using different sources of information: oral, source documents (bibliographies, records, etc.) and references from the Internet. |
| E05 | Understanding and analysing the diachronic structure of the past and its cultural manifestations |
| E06 | Combining the temporal and spatial dimensions of the explanation of socio-territorial processes. |
| E08 | Establishing links between the historical framework and the cultural manifestations of each stage and comparing the results |
| E09 | Drafting different types of texts in his/her own language (both specialised and informative) |
| E11 | Analysing and describing different types of data related to tangible and intangible culture and objectifying a record including its features and assessing the meanings thereof. |
| E12 | Discovering, identifying and interpreting the symbolic meaning of tangible culture and landscapes. |
| E13 | Knowing, understanding and building the structure and evolution of the different kingdoms and stated in Europe and abroad in different periods of history. |
| E17 | Identifying the cultural transfers and borrowings between societies, both in the past and in today's world. |
| E18 | Approaching the ways of life and religious concepts in the past and nowadays. |
| E22 | Valuing the importance of the heritage resources maintained as an evidence of safeguarded memories. |
| G02 | Knowledge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) |
| G03 | Expressing correctly in oral and written forms in his/her own language |
| G04 | Ethical commitment and professional ethics |
| G05 | Analysis and synthesis capacity |
| G06 | Making assumptions to solve issued in his/her field of study |
| G07 | Applying critical, analytical and creative thinking and proving innovative capacities |
| G08 | Ability to work independently within a framework of individual responsibility |
| G09 | Ability to work collaboratively with shared responsibility regarding the group's tasks |
| G10 | Transmitting knowledge of the way of life of societies in a contextualised way |
| G11 | Communicating ideas, problems and solutions in public or in technical contexts efficiently |
| G13 | Sensitiveness to multiculturalism and gender-related issues |
| G15 | Committing to the defence of human rights |
| G16 | Understanding cultural heritage from a critical, multicultural and universalist perspective |
| G17 | Sensitiveness to environmental issues |
| G18 | Acquiring perceptive skills and awareness to appreciate and enjoy human creations |
5. Objectives or Learning Outcomes
| Course learning outcomes | |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Understanding the processes of change and evolution experienced by European and Mediterranean societies. | |
| Situating the different cultural periods chronologically. | |
| Transmitting contextual knowledge about the life of medieval communities | |
| Linking the historical framework and the dissemination of European culture and its values. | |
| Describing the historical events and the diversity of the cultural manifestations that have taken place in Europe. | |
| Commanding oral and written communication in different registers. | |
| Analysing, arguing and organising a presentation, combining summary and explanatory development. | |
| Communicating, using all personal resources and those of new technologies applied to teaching. | |
| Working in groups, participating in discussion forums, etc., respecting the opinions of others. | |
| Identifying the structure and evolution of the concept of power in European and Mediterranean societies. | |
| Linking historical events to cultural manifestations to explain the contributions of culture to the medieval world throughout history. | |
| Assessing the importance of the heritage resources from the medieval world preserved according to certain specific criteria. | |
| Justifying cultural manifestations as a product of a specific age and society. | |
| Reasoning and explaining historical and cultural processes. | |
| Drafting correct texts that suit the objective for which they were prepared. | |
| Drafting and defending a report or story about an event, a historical event or a specific cultural manifestation of a specific time in the framework of a specific society. | |
| Transmitting the importance of the medieval legacy to today's societies | |
| Using information collected from different sources, especially online resources. | |
| Additional outcomes | |
| Description | |
| Identifying, in their different social, political, economic and cultural singularities, the great political constructions that arise and coexist in Europe, in general, and in the Iberian Peninsula, in particular, as well as the various paths of organization of power relations at its multiple levels of socio-political organization, in the late medieval period. | |
| Situating chronologically the various political, social and cultural stages that affect late-medieval societies. | |
| Analyzing the various elements that make up each "historical fact" and integrate into a single analytical vision the "historical fact" and the "cultural expressions" that frame it in the transition to modernity, especially in the Iberian Peninsula. | |
| Being able to link the various historical-cultural processes that affect medieval societies in the transition to modernity, identifying the points of friction, the continuities and the ruptures that are operated in the short and medium duration. | |
| Describing and explaining the main events and historical and cultural processes through the use of geographic and cognitive cartographies. | |
| Understanding the processes of change and evolution of late-medieval societies and representing them through conceptual chronological tables. | |
| Understanding the relationship between "historical framework" and "cultural framework" and being able to point out its main manifestations in late medieval societies and specifically in the area of the Iberian Peninsula. | |
| Selecting the political, social, economic and cultural features that define late-medieval societies. | |
6. Units / Contents
-
Unit 1: The Political Framework and the Territorial Transformations. Political Dynamics and Structures.
-
Unit 1.1: Political, economic, social and ideological foundations of the "Reconquista" process: a) Political-territorial agency and Hipanic community.
-
Unit 1.2: Political formations and territory: Christian territorial expansion in the Iberian Peninsula. The process in the Crown of Castile: a) The beginnings of the Reconquest: the models of the repopulation; b) The conquest of the Duero sector and the expansion over the Tagus area; c) The occupation of the areas of Andalusia, Betica and Murcia; d) Internal repopulations; e) Reduction and conquest of the kingdom of Granada.
-
Unit 1.3: The political formations in the Iberian Peninsula: a) The political configuration of the Hispanic kingdoms in the transition to the Late Middle Ages; b) Political-institutional development of the Castilian and Aragonese crowns in the Late Middle Ages.
-
Unit 1.4: The European political context: a) The crystallization of the main Christian political formations: England, France, the Empire and the city-states Italian; b) The decline of Islam in the West and its development in the East.
-
-
Unit 2: The Political Framework and the Transformation of Political Relations
-
Unit 2.1: The configuration of late medieval political systems: a) Theocratic doctrines and secularization of power; b) The "popularization" of the political forms: the doctrine of popular sovereignty; c) Royal authoritarianism and political pactism: noble political action and the formula of "leagues", and the urban brotherhoods; d) The crystallization of Western political formulas: the development of monarchies.
-
Unit 2.2: The European political context (continuation): a) Central and Eastern Europe: the Empire, the military orders and the Slavic principalities; b) Italy Central, the Vatican State and the Kingdom of Naples; c) The Netherlands and Scandinavian monarchies.
-
-
Unit 3: The Social Framework: Dynamics and Social Structures.
-
Unit 3.1: Introduction.
-
Unit 3.2: The Visigothic period: a) General features; b) Organization of the social structure.
-
Unit 3.3: The Reconquest society (9th to 12th centuries): a) General features; b) Organization of the social structure.
-
Unit 3.4: The organization of social relations in the Late Middle Ages: the construction of a noble society: a) The political context: the transition towards the Trastámara monarchy and the reorganization of the noble group; b) The consideration of the noble: the dynastic memory and the reconstruction of the (mythical) lineage; c) The consideration of the noble: specific traits and social conflict: nobility and chivalry.
-
-
Unit 4: The Economic Framework.
-
Unit 4.1: Introduction. Crisis and transformation in the transition to the Late Middle Ages.
-
Unit 4.2: The evolution of rural structures: a) Rural society; b) The late medieval lordship.
-
Unit 4.3: Commerce, market and merchants: a) Towards a more effective training of commercial agents; b) Commercial companies; c) The financial instruments; d) Projection areas of Castilian commerce; d) The social condition of the merchant.
-
Unit 4.4: State taxation: a) The construction of the tax apparatus of modern monarchies; b) The emergence of public debt (in the urban world).
-
7. Activities, Units/Modules and Methodology
| Training Activity | Methodology | Related Competences (only degrees before RD 822/2021) | ECTS | Hours | As | Com | Description | |
| Class Attendance (theory) [ON-SITE] | Lectures | E01 E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E13 E17 E18 E22 G02 G03 G04 G05 G06 G07 G13 G16 | 1.2 | 30 | N | N | It comprises a synthesis of each unit, orienting the students' learning. | |
| Writing of reports or projects [OFF-SITE] | Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles | E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E09 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G03 G05 G06 G07 G08 G10 G13 G16 G18 | 1.16 | 29 | Y | Y | Writing of reports on political history. Their aim is to synthesise the main avenues in the evolution of the principal political formations in Europe and the Mediterranean. Depending on the number of students, topics will be distributed among them with a maximum assignment of two essays. These essays can be worked in a Wiki format at the teacher's choice. | |
| In-class Debates and forums [ON-SITE] | Case Studies | E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E11 G02 G03 G05 G06 G09 G10 G11 | 0.12 | 3 | Y | Y | Political history essays will be presented in class and their aim notions and conceptual connections to the unit will be debated. | |
| Study and Exam Preparation [OFF-SITE] | Case Studies | E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G05 G06 G07 G08 G09 G10 G11 G16 G18 | 0.8 | 20 | N | N | All units incorporate one or two dossiers of historical sources highlighting the most important issues tackled in each unit. These dossiers contribute to connect all units with each other. Students must examine these dossiers in order to participate in their collective in-class analysis in the time assigned in each unit. | |
| In-class Debates and forums [ON-SITE] | Practical or hands-on activities | E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G02 G03 G05 G06 G07 G08 G09 G10 G11 G13 G16 | 0.46 | 11.5 | Y | Y | Students must present in class their analysis of the historical sources dossiers, connecting them with their corresponding unit and their theoretical and practical issues. Inclass teaching and political history dossiers must be applied to the examination, relation and debate of the issues suggested by the historical sources dossiers. | |
| Study and Exam Preparation [OFF-SITE] | Combination of methods | E03 E04 E05 E06 E09 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G05 G06 G07 G08 G16 | 1.16 | 29 | Y | Y | Students must submit a maximum of two off-site written reports. In order to elaborate them, students can access and consult any material at their disposal. These reports will tackle a few set of questions posed by the professor, building an essay from the issues proposed and reflecting on the problems examined in the subject. This activity pursues that students show their ability to understand historical problems, to link them to the notions examined in the subject, and, on that basis, to write an original essay. These reports represent the activity assessed under the training activity final test. | |
| Group tutoring sessions [ON-SITE] | Guided or supervised work | E03 E04 E05 E06 E08 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G02 G04 G05 G08 G09 G10 G11 G13 | 0.54 | 13.5 | N | N | Especially oriented to supervise and guide the subject's practical activities. | |
| Final test [ON-SITE] | Assessment tests | E01 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G03 G05 G06 G07 G10 G11 G16 | 0.08 | 2 | Y | Y | Submission of the one or two off-site written reports that represent the activity assessed in this final test. | |
| Writing of reports or projects [OFF-SITE] | Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles | E03 E04 E05 E06 E09 E11 E12 E13 E17 E18 E22 G05 G06 G07 G08 G16 G18 | 0.48 | 12 | Y | Y | For each unit, students must undertake an evaluation activity directed to assess their understanding of the unit. Students must present a written report synthesising each unit. | |
| Total: | 6 | 150 | ||||||
| Total credits of in-class work: 2.4 | Total class time hours: 60 | |||||||
| Total credits of out of class work: 3.6 | Total hours of out of class work: 90 | |||||||
As: Assessable training activity Com: Training activity of compulsory overcoming (It will be essential to overcome both continuous and non-continuous assessment).
8. Evaluation criteria and Grading System
| Evaluation System | Continuous assessment | Non-continuous evaluation * | Description |
| Final test | 30.00% | 30.00% | In continuous assessment, it comprises one or two off-site written reports, representing the subject's final test. In noncontinuous evaluation it represents a traditional exercise (an exam) on the subject's overall contents and competences. |
| Theoretical papers assessment | 0.00% | 30.00% | It comprises, at the decision of the teacher, one or two written essays. |
| Theoretical papers assessment | 30.00% | 0.00% | It comprises the oral and written presentation of the «political history dossiers» (included the Wiki format) assigned to each student. |
| Oral presentations assessment | 10.00% | 0.00% | It comprises the written production and oral presentation of the «sources dossiers» assigned to each student. |
| Portfolio assessment | 20.00% | 40.00% | It comprises the evaluation activities undertaken for each unit (syntheses). |
| Assessment of active participation | 10.00% | 0.00% | It comprises the students' participation in all programmed activities undertaken under the direction of the professor or other students, and not directly assigned to them. |
| Total: | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to art. 4 of the UCLM Student Evaluation Regulations, it must be provided to students who cannot regularly attend face-to-face training activities the passing of the subject, having the right (art. 12.2) to be globally graded, in 2 annual calls per subject , an ordinary and an extraordinary one (evaluating 100% of the competences).
Evaluation criteria for the final exam:
-
Continuous assessment:Given the ECTS working system offered in this subject, students will not be evaluated through traditional testing but on their academic progress, assessing
their performance in the activities and practices proposed in the subject. All assessable activities are compulsory, and must be passed to pass the subject.
The minimum score to pass each activity is 5 out of 10.
Foreign students under the English Friendly programme are offered the opportunity to make all oral and written essays either in Spanish or in English. -
Non-continuous evaluation:Students opting for the non-continuous evaluation system, will have to pass the following activities: synthesis essays for each unit, written
reports, and a final test assessing their knowledge of the subject.
The minimum score to pass each activity is 5 out of 10.
Foreign students under the English Friendly programme are offered the opportunity to undertake all activities either in Spanish or in English.
Specifications for the resit/retake exam:
Students who have not passed the ordinary call in their continuous or non-continuous evaluation, must, in the extraordinary call, retake the failed activities,
except for the political dossier and the off-site, written report (in the case of students in continuous evaluation), and only the off-site, written report (in the case of
students in non-continuous assessment), which, due to their needs for temporary execution, are impossible to reproduce within the framework of said
extraordinary call, as well as the final test, in the case of failing to pass it. These activities will be replaced by a final exam that will include:
a) In the case of students in continuous assessment: a practical essay (in replacement of the political dossier), in which students will have to analyze one or more
historical documents and, in addition, select and define the terms and concepts used in each document; their value in the final grade being the same as that of
the political dossier
(30%). And a theoretical essay (replacing the off-site, written report), consisting of one or more questions that will comprise the same set of syllabus of the subject
as the written report it replaces; its value in the final grade being the same as that of the written essay (30%).
b) In the case of students in non-continuous assessment: a theoretical essay (replacing the written report), consisting of one or more exam questions that will
comprise the same set of the syllabus of the subject as the written report that it replaces; being its value in the final grade the same as that of the written report
(30%). And a battery of short questions (in substitution of the final test), which will affect to the subject as a whole; its value in the final grade being the same as
that of the final test (30%).
The minimum mark to pass each activity is 5 out of 10.
Foreign students participating in the English Friendly program may take said exam in Spanish or English, at their choice.
except for the political dossier and the off-site, written report (in the case of students in continuous evaluation), and only the off-site, written report (in the case of
students in non-continuous assessment), which, due to their needs for temporary execution, are impossible to reproduce within the framework of said
extraordinary call, as well as the final test, in the case of failing to pass it. These activities will be replaced by a final exam that will include:
a) In the case of students in continuous assessment: a practical essay (in replacement of the political dossier), in which students will have to analyze one or more
historical documents and, in addition, select and define the terms and concepts used in each document; their value in the final grade being the same as that of
the political dossier
(30%). And a theoretical essay (replacing the off-site, written report), consisting of one or more questions that will comprise the same set of syllabus of the subject
as the written report it replaces; its value in the final grade being the same as that of the written essay (30%).
b) In the case of students in non-continuous assessment: a theoretical essay (replacing the written report), consisting of one or more exam questions that will
comprise the same set of the syllabus of the subject as the written report that it replaces; being its value in the final grade the same as that of the written report
(30%). And a battery of short questions (in substitution of the final test), which will affect to the subject as a whole; its value in the final grade being the same as
that of the final test (30%).
The minimum mark to pass each activity is 5 out of 10.
Foreign students participating in the English Friendly program may take said exam in Spanish or English, at their choice.
Specifications for the second resit / retake exam:
Same as the retake exam.
Foreign students under the English Friendly programme are offered the opportunity to do this exam either in Spanish or in English.
Foreign students under the English Friendly programme are offered the opportunity to do this exam either in Spanish or in English.
9. Assignments, course calendar and important dates
| Not related to the syllabus/contents | |
|---|---|
| Hours | hours |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Combination of methods] | 29 |
| Group tutoring sessions [PRESENCIAL][Guided or supervised work] | 13.5 |
| Unit 1 (de 4): The Political Framework and the Territorial Transformations. Political Dynamics and Structures. | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 8 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 7.6 |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Case Studies] | 5.7 |
| In-class Debates and forums [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 3.1 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 3.2 |
| Group 30: | |
| Initial date: 29-01-2024 | End date: 25-02-2024 |
| Unit 2 (de 4): The Political Framework and the Transformation of Political Relations | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 8 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 7.6 |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Case Studies] | 5.2 |
| In-class Debates and forums [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 3.1 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 3.2 |
| Group 30: | |
| Initial date: 28-02-2022 | End date: 27-03-2022 |
| Unit 3 (de 4): The Social Framework: Dynamics and Social Structures. | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 8 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 8.1 |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Case Studies] | 5.2 |
| In-class Debates and forums [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 3.1 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 3.2 |
| Group 30: | |
| Initial date: 02-04-2024 | End date: 28-04-2024 |
| Unit 4 (de 4): The Economic Framework. | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 6 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 5.7 |
| In-class Debates and forums [PRESENCIAL][Case Studies] | 3 |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Case Studies] | 3.9 |
| In-class Debates and forums [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 2.2 |
| Final test [PRESENCIAL][Assessment tests] | 2 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Reading and Analysis of Reviews and Articles] | 2.4 |
| Group 30: | |
| Initial date: 29-04-2024 | End date: 19-05-2024 |
| Global activity | |
|---|---|
| Activities | hours |
| General comments about the planning: | English Friendly Students will have tutoring sessions adapted to their necessities and programs, provided either in English or Spanish, at their election. |
10. Bibliography and Sources