MED01 Introduction to Mediterranean Studies

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Katarina Petrovićová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Katarina Petrovićová, Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Timetable
Mon 11:40–13:15 B11
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main aim of this course is to present basic information about the field of Mediterranean Studies. At the end of the course, students should be able to: define the Mediterranean region from both geographical and historical points of view; enumerate and characterize different branches of science focused on the Mediterranean region and Mediterranean cultures; know the basic handbooks (especially vocabularies and encyclopedias), monographs and scholarly serials presenting the outcomes of reasearch in the field; use the methodogical propedeutics for proper reading and writing scholarly texts (rules of citation, differences between the genres of scholarly writting).
Syllabus
  • 1. Definition of the Mediterranean region.
  • 2.-5. a) Geographical Definition (21 modern states and several other territories which border the Mediterranean Sea, states considered Mediterranean due to their cultural affinity with other Mediterranean countries);
  • 6.-8. b) Historical and Cultural Definition (description of the following historic stages: the age of the Fertile Crescent: civilisations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon; Ancient Greece and its colonisation; Rome and Roman empire; Islamic Golden Age: Arab empire in Africa and Europe; centres of learning in the Middle Ages; crusades seeking "liberation" of Holy Land; Ottoman empire - its fights and dominion; Renaissance maritime "pearls"; the role of Venice; Spanish naval hegemony; loss of influence of the Mediterranean region caused by the discoveries of new naval routes to Asia; the transmission of European hegemony to the north: colonisation of Northern Africa by France and Britain; the "interspace" between the two world wars; post-war history of the region).
  • 9. Mediterranean as a study field for Humanities (Archeology, History, Religious studies) and Philology.
  • 10. Encyclopedias, vocabularies.
  • 11. Scholarly serials, Monographs.
  • 12. Proper use of scholarly literature, catalogues and databases.
  • 13. Analysis of the scholarly text (genre, style, language).
Literature
  • DAVIES, Norman. Evropa : dějiny jednoho kontinentu. Translated by Kateřina Keilová. V českém jazyce 2., rev. v. Praha: Prostor, 2005, 1365 s. ISBN 8020013342. info
  • MATVEJEVIĆ, Predrag. Breviář Středomoří : Mediteranski brevijar (Orig.). Translated by Dušan Karpatský, Edited by Claudio Magris. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2002, 227 s. ISBN 80-7106-525-5. info
  • DAVIES, Norman. Evropa : dějiny jednoho kontinentu. Translated by Kateřina Keilová. V českém jazyce vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 2000, 1365 s. ISBN 8024201704. info
  • ČMEJRKOVÁ, Světla, František DANEŠ and Jindra SVĚTLÁ. Jak napsat odborný text. Vydání první. Praha: Leda, 1999, 255 stran. ISBN 8085927691. info
  • DOROVSKÝ, Ivan. Balkán a Mediterán : literárně historické a teoretické studie. 1. vydání. V Brně: Masarykova univerzita, 1997, 228 stran. ISBN 8021015322. URL info
  • ECO, Umberto and Ivan SEIDL. Jak napsat diplomovou práci. Olomouc: Votobia, 1997, 271 s. ISBN 80-7198-173-7. info
  • BURIAN, Jan and Pavel OLIVA. Civilizace starověkého Středomoří. 1. vyd. Praha: Svoboda, 1984, 549 s. info
Teaching methods
The course is realized as lectures. Students should not only get some basic geographic and cultural-historic knowledge about the Mediterranean region, necessary for their further studies, but also to get skills in composition of the elementary scientific written forms. Attendance and participation in the course (min. 75%) is required, as well as a written review about any scholarly book or paper handed over during the semester.
Assessment methods
At the end of the course two-part examination: written test (covering all information provided during the course) and oral examination (discussion about the student's review).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Studenti oboru Mediteránní studia ukončují předmět povinně zkouškou.
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2009/MED01