Race, Ethnicity, and Religion in Medieval Literature
ENGL 353
Spring 2023
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
MDST 353 |
Why do white supremacists celebrate the European Middle Ages as a lost era of racial and religious purity? This course approaches that question by considering the emergence of medieval ideas of race, ethnicity, and religious difference. We will also think through the meaning of these categories in medieval studies. Our focus will be on a selection of texts dealing with encounters--real and imaginary--of Western European Christians with cultures from the Mongol Empire to the Jewish communities in their own territories. The readings will begin historically with the Crusades and the gruesome chronicles written by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish authors. We will move on to religious polemics, travel accounts, and romances: fictions that re-imagine the past in terms of exoticized sexuality, racial transformation, cannibalism, and nationalist fantasy. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CJST-MN)(CSCT)(ENGL)(MDST)(MDST-Art/Arch)(MDST-History)(MDST-Lang/Lit)(MDST-Phil/Reli) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Crusade Chronicles; Usama Ibn Munquidh, The Book of Contemplation; The Song of Roland; Aucassin and Nicolette; The Quest for the Holy Grail; The Conversion of Herman the Jew; William of Rubruck, Journey to the Mongol Empire; Mandeville¿s Travels; The King of Tars; Richard the Lionheart.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly reading responses, one class presentation, final research paper |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Contributes to fulfillment of English major requirements: LH1, WL, Research option, elective |
| Instructor(s): Nisse,Ruth Times: ..T.R.. 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: FISK101; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 16 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 0 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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