Module HIST31M1: Slavery in the Late-Medieval Mediterranean, c.1250-1500

Department: History

HIST31M1: Slavery in the Late-Medieval Mediterranean, c.1250-1500

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To explore the history of slavery in the late medieval Mediterranean from a cross-cultural perspective
• To develop a familiarity with the conceptual basis of slavery in the medieval world
• To develop a familiarity with the way historians have written about the phenomenon of slavery

Content

• Today in the popular imagination, slavery is often understood exclusively through the lens of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Yet it has a much longer history, and this module examines this phenomenon in a vastly different historical context: that of the late-medieval Mediterranean (c. 1250-1500). To do this, it takes a cross-cultural approach, exploring the theory and practice of slavery in societies shaped by both Christian and Islamic cultural traditions. It considers several such societies with slaves: Italian city states such as Genoa and Venice, representatives of whom became the main actors in the late-medieval slave trade in the Mediterranean region; and the so-called ‘Mamluk’ sultanate of Cairo, which ruled over Egypt and Syria during this period, and whose political and military elites were former slaves. Examining how these societies functioned and interacted, and the various places of enslaved people within them, we will explore themes such as: the legal basis of slavery in the medieval world; slavery and religious difference; medieval concepts of race and ethnicity; gendered aspects of slavery; military and domestic slavery; the economy of slavery and slave trading; sources for the history of medieval Mediterranean slavery. Framing its exploration of these themes, this module also explores the way historians and commentators have approached the moral conundrum of slavery as a historical phenomenon.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding of the cross-cultural history of slavery in the late-medieval Mediterranean and of the way historians have sought to understand this history
• Knowledge and skills to address a range of primary sources and secondary literature relating to slavery in the Christian and Islamicate spheres

• Challenging students’ assumptions about the past and reflecting on the nature of the discipline (and, where appropriate, interdisciplinarity) at an advanced level
• Appreciating how historical knowledge is produced, what forms it takes, and the purposes it serves
• Reflecting on students’ own historical consciousness and practice.

• The ability to employ sophisticated reading skills to gather, sift, process, synthesise and critically evaluate information from a variety of sources (print, digital, material, aural, visual, audio-visual etc.)
• The ability to communicate ideas and information orally and in writing, devise and sustain coherent and cogent arguments
• The ability to write and think under pressure, manage time and work to deadlines
• The ability to make effective use of information and communications technology.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students' ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals; tutorials either individually or in groups to discuss topics arising from prepared work, allowing students the opportunity to reflect upon their personal learning with the tutor.
• Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge. In addition, seen Examinations (with pre-released paper) are intended to enable Level 3 students to produce more considered and reflective work;
• Summative essays remain a central component of assessment in history, due to the integrative high-order skills they develop. Essays allow students the opportunity to recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas, concepts and problems; students can demonstrate awareness of, and the ability to use and evaluate, a diverse range of resources and identify, represent and debate a range of subject-specific issues and opinions. Through the essay, students can synthesise information, adopt critical appraisals and develop reasoned argument based on individual research; they should be able to communicate ideas in writing, with clarity and coherence; and to show the ability to integrate and critically assess material from a wide range of sources.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

A written assignment of 1000-2000 words to be submitted in Michaelmas Term

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University