Martiality and sociality: Cultural histories of violence in late-medieval Europe 3700-AL-MSCH-OG

The course focuses on the analysis of martiality – a term loosely translatable as “the cultivation of combativeness” – as a phenomenon with a crucial social dimension (sociality) within the urban communities of late-medieval Europe. It integrates approaches from cultural history, social history, and violence studies, allowing students to critically examine the diverse manifestations of martial preparedness and the regulation of violence in social, emotional, and symbolic contexts. The course is based on the reading of historical sources (primarily from Germany, England, France, and Italy) and scholarly literature. Participants will become acquainted with theoretical frameworks concerning the ritualisation of violence, the martial dimensions of civic identity, and the social roles of fighters and martial instructors. The course also addresses contemporary revivals of martial culture discourse.

Throughout the semester, we will clarify key terminological issues – including distinctions between aggression, bravery, and martiality from anthropological, sociological, and psychological perspectives. We will explore physical violence as a component of social life which, in medieval contexts, was not necessarily dysfunctional. Drawing on historical and archaeological sources left by late-medieval martial practitioners from Central and Western Europe, students will gain insights into the microhistory of lives devoted to the exploration of violence and combat.

Estimated student workload: approximately 75–90 hours.

Rodzaj przedmiotu

ogólnouniwersyteckie

Założenia (opisowo)

Elementary orientation in the cultural history of European Middle Ages. Sufficient English language proficiency to read academic papers.

Koordynatorzy przedmiotu

Maciej Talaga

Efekty kształcenia

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

- K_W01: Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology in the history of culture and violence studies.
- K_W04: Understand the interrelations between social history, culture, and politics.
- K_W07: Identify key interdisciplinary approaches to the study of violence and social identity.

- K_U02: Analyse and interpret historical sources (e.g., chronicles, legal codes, fight books).
- K_U03: Contextualise cultural artefacts with respect to their historical period and context.
- K_U04: Formulate a research problem relating to violence and martial culture.
- K_U08: Prepare a written assignment using scholarly literature and primary sources.

- K_K03: Embrace interdisciplinary research methods.
- K_K07: Respect cultural diversity and understand the historical variability of values concerning violence.
- K_K10: Uphold the ethical dimension of scholarly work.

Kryteria oceniania

- Attendance, participation, and preparation (50%)
- Short written assignment (5–7 pages): case study analysing a selected aspect of martial culture based on sources and literature (50%)

Literatura

Kaeuper, R. (1999). Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe. Oxford University Press.
Tlusty, B. A. (2011). The Martial Ethic in Early Modern Germany: Civic Duty and the Right of Arms. Springer.
Nakashian, C. M. (2016). Warrior Churchmen of Medieval England, 1000–1250. Boydell and Brewer.
Jaquet, D., Tzouriadis, I.-E., Schmid, R. (2023). Martial Culture in Medieval Towns: An Anthology. Schwabe Verlag.
Chao, H., Jaquet, D., Kim, L. (2023). Martial Culture and Historical Martial Arts in Europe and Asia. Springer.

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