The Enlightenment was a diverse cultural movement in the eighteenth century that brought about a reform of society and all forms of culture. Advocating critical and autonomous thinking, it triggered off a new way of looking at the world and at the acquisition and application of knowledge and learning. It is the foundation for theContinue reading "GER20160 German-speaking Enlightenment"
SPAN10130 Hispanic Cultures & Societies
This module introduces students to the study of Spanish society and culture through enquiry-based learning, a student-centred approach that focuses on the acquisition and development of independence of thought, the use and application of research skills, and a focus on excellent presentation skills (oral and written) both on an individual level and in the contextContinue reading "SPAN10130 Hispanic Cultures & Societies"
ITAL30260 Politics and Morals in Renaissance Italy
When does the Renaissance begin and end? Which is the difference between the ‘Renaissance’ and the ‘Early Modern period’? What do we mean by the notions of ‘Humanism’ and ‘Classicism’? This module primarily aims to enable students to develop an informed understanding of these concepts, their meanings and (different) periodizations. It then introduces the fundamentalContinue reading "ITAL30260 Politics and Morals in Renaissance Italy"
ITAL20200 Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio: the Three Crowns
Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio are known as the ‘Tre corone’ (the ‘Three Crowns’) of Italian literature. What is the meaning of this expression? And what are the reasons for its use? This module aims to enable students to answer these questions and develop an informed understanding of the life, works and receptionContinue reading "ITAL20200 Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio: the Three Crowns"
FR30280 Diderot: Creative Iconoclast
Denis Diderot (1713-84), a key inventive figure behind the vast French Enlightenment project 'L'Encyclopedie', was one of the most radical and original writers of 18th-century France. However, this philosophe's ground-breaking works -mainly published posthumously- were composed in a unique pre-revolutionary literary climate when censorship prevailed, silencing innovative, offensive and subversive writings. Typically, his texts playContinue reading "FR30280 Diderot: Creative Iconoclast"
SPAN30190 Martyrs and Mystics: Poetry and Prose of the Spanish Golden Age
The Spanish Golden Age saw a remarkable period of cultural growth and innovation in all areas of the arts. Paradoxically, it was also an era in which Spain was gripped by rigged authoritarianism and an obsessive drive towards religious orthodoxy directed by the infamous Spanish Inquisition. This course explores the lives and work of poetsContinue reading "SPAN30190 Martyrs and Mystics: Poetry and Prose of the Spanish Golden Age"
FR20220 World War 2 in French Culture
This module will examine how the Second World War has been remembered in France from 1945 to the present. It is aimed at students interested in memory studies, history, and French culture. This module will first explore the cultural legacies of the 'Franco-Prussian' War of 1870-71 and the First World War. After a historical overviewContinue reading "FR20220 World War 2 in French Culture"
SPAN30010 Spanish Language 3a
This is a core module, primarily for students of Spanish who are completing a degree programme but it may be of interest to students of other disciplines and Erasmus students who want to work to an advanced level in Spanish. The module explicitly builds on the Level 2 module SPAN20060, consolidating skills equivalent to levelContinue reading "SPAN30010 Spanish Language 3a"
GER20190 Grimms’ Tales and Adaptations
The two volumes of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm’s Kinder- und Hausmärchen were first published in 1812 and 1815. In the volumes, the brothers Grimm had collated more than 150 fairy tales, many of which were to become familiar stories in households all over the world over the next 100 years. Extended and revised by theContinue reading "GER20190 Grimms’ Tales and Adaptations"
Re-Thinking Ressentiment
Our era seems beset by the peddling of ‘post truth’ politics, by the derision of critical voices as purveyors of ‘fake news’ and by the convulsive hold of chauvinistic nationalisms and populist agendas. Against that backdrop, ‘Ressentiment’ is a notion that deserves renewed attention and analysis. This book’s reappraisal focuses on the past/present predicament ofContinue reading "Re-Thinking Ressentiment"