THE VIKINGS

This course is meant as an introduction to the Viking world. In the first part of the course will achieve an overview of Viking material and intellectual culture by exploring their artifacts, their written documents, and documents written by non-Viking authors that deal with the Vikings. In the second part, we will investigate the image of the Vikings in present-day Western cultures, especially in Scandinavia. As case studies, we will focus on the TV series Vikings and Vikingane (Norsemen).

The theoretical and methodological framework of the course is as follows: in the first and introductory part, we will use a philological and culture-historical approach; for the case studies, we will draw on adaptation theory.

One of the main competencies to be achieved during the learning process is understanding what a 'source' is, how to deal with sources, and how to research through sources, both in philology and in other fields of knowledge. Further competence will be achieved in learning to detect and recognize 'hidden' ideological and emotional investments affecting present-day representations of the past.

1. Essentials of nordic philology and cultural history of the North-Germanic language family in the Middle Ages 

2. Meaning of the word Viking

3. The so-called 'Viking age' in the context of European medieval history

4. The Viking society and culture

4.1. Material life conditions

4.2 The role of the sea

4.3 Structures of power in Viking society

4.4. Symbols of the collective imaginary; worldviews and representations of transcendence

4.5. The transmission of culture: orality and lLatin and runic) literacy. Essentials of medieval codicology and palaeography; introduction to runic script

4.6. Literature and other arts in the Viking world

5. Representations of the Vikings in present-day Scandinavian society and culture

5.1. The 'Viking' as an identity-building archetypal image

5.2. Adaptation theory

5.3. The TV series Vikings and Vikingane (Norsemen)

6. Presentations of individual and group projects

7. To conclude: oneiric drawing workshop on the questions and insights that have emerged during the course

Here is an overview of the Dublin Descriptors for the Bachelor level as they are practiced in this philology course (adapted to philology from the Appendix III, pp. 1-2, to the EHEA Paris 2018 Communiqué):

DD1: acquire (demonstrate) knowledge and understanding in philology. Students learn the principles and practice of philological work.

DD2: apply knowledge and understanding within philology and related fields; basing on knowledge from DD1, demonstrate the competence  to sustain arguments and  solve problems in  other fields. Students learn to apply the principles of philological work on texts from non-Germanic and non-ancient cultures and learn to make connections with academic fields outside philology.

DD3: gather and interpret relevant data within philology to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific and ethical issues. Students become aware of the ethical implications of some fundamentals of philology in present-day society: for instance, respect for the authenticity of sources as pursued in philology as a means to detect fake-news and source manipulation in power-led human interactions, or the relevance of the hermeneutical ability to 'understand through contextualizing' as applied in real-life situations besides their philological work.

DD4: can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences within and outside philology. Philology students acquire high confidence in their own linguistic skills through thorough linguistic analysis of sources; they train their rhetorical skills by analyzing the rhetorical component of texts as well as preparing written and oral presentations. They train these competences both in the regular course and in the labs.

DD5: have developed those learning skills that are necessary for them to continue to undertake further study and undertake investigations also outside philology with a high degree of autonomy. Students learn and train these skills in this philology seminar by designing their own interest-driven examination project.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

The course consists of 40 hours.

20 hours will be held as frontal lectures with discussions and exercises;

20 hours will be built according to student-centred learning principles (flipped classroom, enquiry-based and interest-driven projects, workshops, contests, s. above).

Innovative teaching methods

Exercises

Flipped classroom

Contest

Workshop

Setting up individual and group projects based on inquiry-guided learning and project design 

Attendance

Frontal lectures make up only 50% of this course. The other 50% of the learning units is built on the principles of student-centered learning and teaching. In other words, 'attending the lessons' implies that students take actively part in the learning activities, so that they learn how to apply and create themselves competencies and knowledge. While doing this, they are supported by the teacher, who takes on the role of the learning process coordinator.

You should attend the course only if you are willing to participate proactively in the learning activities. If you are not, you may choose the non-attending program or just enroll in another course.

Your presence in the class implies that you adhere to and commit to this learning and teaching style.

As an attending student, you commit to:

- taking part in all the learning activities in class

- doing your homework;

- acting as a grown-up, self-responsible learner.

Course books

Course book:

Brøndsted, Johannes. 2001 [1976]. I Vichinghi. Torino: Einaudi.

Or: 

Brink, Stefan (ed.), Price, Neil (coll.). 2008. The Viking World. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge,

For individual or group focus topics:

- Simek, Rudolf. 2003. Religion und Mythologie der Germanen. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft

Or:

- see Reference list (Syllabus) on the blended course platform 

Assessment

Oral presentation of the following 3 elements:

- 2 topics selected by the student among the course contents;

- 1 written report of an individual or group project carried out during the course. The written report shall be sent to the teacher per email three days before the exam (at the latest), so that possible mistakes can be corrected before the report is discussed in the oral examination.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Teaching

Self-study. You may clear up any questions on the course contents and the program during my office hours.

Attendance

Please email the teacher 6 weeks before the exam (at the latest) to choose the contents of your exam out of the overall course contents. You shall prepare 4 selected topics to be presented orally and write one paper on a further selected topic to be sent to the teacher before the oral exam. Discussing your paper will also be part of the oral examination. 

Course books

See the Attendant students' program.

Assessment

See "Attendance".

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.