Unit name | Speaking with Authority: Women and Power in the Middle Ages (Level I Special Field) |
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Unit code | HIST26024 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | I/5 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Holdenried |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Unusually for medieval women, Hildegard of Bingen (d.1179), Bridget of Sweden (d.1373) and Catherine of Siena (d.1380) were among the most influential public voices of their day. Joan of Arc (d.1430) led the French army to victory. Claiming to be divinely inspired, these women freely castigated kings and bishops, emperors and popes, exhorting them to reform and spurring them on to political action. As numerous surviving letters attest, their advice was frequently sought and heeded by Europes most senior secular and religious leaders. Yet, female claims to divinely inspired leadership provoked much anxiety and attempts by the Church hierarchy to curtail the public voices of women. Making full use of the womens own writings, as well as of different materials produced by male clerics we will ask why men distrusted female claims to divine authority (especially after 1200) and explore the public voices of women.
Classes will involve a combination of class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
1 x 3500-word Essay (50%) [ILOs 1-8]; 1 x Timed Assessment (50%) [ILOs 1-8]
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How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
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The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.