Studying Medieval History

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course will introduce students to the study of medieval European history as a dynamic exercise in crafting and evaluating theories and narratives in conversation with the primary sources. We will consider why the Middle Ages have played the role that they do in modern historiography; ways in which the Middle Ages underpin major theoretical movements in the social sciences; and how medieval historians have challenged these theorizations. We will begin with an overview of the periodization of the Middle Ages from Late Antiquity to the Later Middle Ages, visit Special Collections to meet some of the primary sources, and test what we have learned against some of the main arguments about what happened to transform ancient Rome into early modern Europe.