History 326
Popular Culture in Premodern Europe, 1300-1800
Spring Semester 2013
3-4:15, T TH
UNIV 219
James R. Farr
Office: UNIV 311
Office Hours: T 2-3 p.m. and by appointment
e-mail: jrfarr@purdue.edu
Blackboard Learn is accessible when enrolled in this course. This site contains course materials:
syllabus, assignments, powerpoint lectures, primary sources, study guides, and supplementary
readings. Please check it before each class meeting.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will be about the varieties of experience of ordinary men and women who
lived in Europe before the age of industrialization. We will focus on the harsh realities of material
life as well as the fears, desires, hatreds, loves, passions, and beliefs that gave life its meaning for
everyday people dwelling in the peasant villages as well as the bustling, raw and crowded cities.
This course will blend lectures and class discussion. Consequently, much of the enjoyment
and quality of class periods will depend on you, your preparation and willingness to do the
reading before class and to discuss it in class.
REQUIRED READINGS
Burke, Peter. Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe. 2008
Burke, Peter. Eyewitnessing:The Uses of Images as Historical Evidence. 2001.
Ginzburg, Carlo. The Cheese and the Worms. 1976
Wunderli, Richard. Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen. 1992.
Various materials posted on blackboard.
GRADING
Class Participation (including occasional short writing assignments based on primary sources and
supplementary readings posted to blackboard)--20%
Primary Source Critique---20% (5% for bibliography and outline, 15% for final paper)
Test #1--10%
Test # 2—20%
Test #3—15%
Test #4—15%
PRIMARY SOURCE CRITIQUE
This assignment requires you to create a source-analytical essay in which you give 1) a brief
overview of the source's contents, 2) a brief description of the context with which the source
deals, 3) a discussion of the source's biases, and 4) a discussion of at least three major themes in
the current work of historians to which this source might be related. This paper must be at least
1
1800 words in length. It must also be properly footnoted and documented. The source may be
drawn from printed material or from a legitimate web site. They may be of words, an image (or
series of images), an artifact, architectural structure, or a combination.
Specific Guidelines Your Analytical Source Essay must contain the following sections:
1. an introduction, which should give a brief overview of your paper and should chiefly be a
summary of the content of your source. (approx 100 words)
2. a description of the context to which the source relates, i.e. describe what events,
phenomena, persons, etc. on which the source chosen provides information. (approx. 250
words)
3. a 1-page discussion of the biases of your source, the audience(s) of the source, focusing
on tone, assumptions made, style of presentation, arguments made, and the limitations of
the medium. (approx. 250 words)
4. a discussion of the historical and historiographical significance of the source. What three
major themes in the current work of historians might this source help historians to
address? How does this source address and connect to a larger discussion or discussions
among historians about premodern popular culture? (approx. 1100 words)
5. a conclusion (approx. 100 words)
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS (Consult blackboard for specific daily assignments)
January
8: Introduction
10: What is Popular Culture, and how do we Study It?
15: Wunderli, Peasant Fires, Author’s note, chapter 1
17: Wunderli, Peasant Fires, Chapters 2 and 3
22: Wunderli, Peasant Fires, Chapters 4 and 5
24: Wunderli, Peasant Fires, Chapters 6, 7 and 8.
29: TEST #1
31: Decoding images. Read Burke, Eyewitnessing, Preface, Acknowledgments, Introduction and
Chapter 1
February
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5: Burke, Eyewitnessing, Chapters 2, 3 and 4
7: Burke, Eyewitnessing, Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8
12: Burke, Eyewitnessing, Chapters 9, 10 and 11.
14: Burke, Popular Culture, Prologue, introduction, and Chapter 1
19: Burke, Popular Culture, Chapters 2 and 3.
21: Burke, Popular Culture, Chapters 4 and 5.
26: Burke, Popular Culture, Chapters 6 and 7.
28: Burke, Popular Culture, Chapters 8 and 9.
March
5: “The War of the Fists”
March 7: TEST #2
11:-16 spring break
19: Read Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms, Translator’s note, both prefaces, pp. 1-56
[PRIMARY SOURCE CRITQUE DOCUMENT(S) DUE]
21: Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms, pp. 56-128
26: film, “The Return of Martin Guerre”
28: film
April 2: Discuss film
4: TEST #3
9: The Great Witch Hunt (bibliography, min. 6 sources, and outline of Primary Source
Critique due)
11: Witches
16: Witches
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18: Witches, PRIMARY SOURCE CRITIQUE DUE
23: Magic
25: Magic
TAKE HOME TEST #4 DUE Friday, May 3 by 5 P.M.
Cheating / Plagiarism:
Plagiarism refers to the reproduction of another's words or ideas without proper attribution.
University Regulations contains further information on dishonesty. Plagiarism and other forms of
academic dishonesty are serious offenses, and will be treated as such in this class. You are
expected to produce your own work and to accurately cite all necessary materials. Cheating,
plagiarism, and other dishonest practices will be punished as harshly as Purdue University policies
allow. Any instances of academic dishonesty will likely result in a grade of F for the course and
notification of the Dean of Students Office.
Disclaimer:
In the event of a major campus emergency, the above requirements, deadlines and grading policies
are subject to changes that may be required by a revised semester calendar. Any such changes in
this course will be posted once the course resumes on Blackboard or can be obtained by
contacting the professor via email or phone.
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