Students

MHIS2007 – From Charlemagne to Game of Thrones: The Middle Ages Then and Now

2021 – Session 2, Special circumstances

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Clare Monagle
Katherine Jacka
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above OR (10cp in HIST or MHIS or POL or POIR or MHIX or POIX units)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The 'medieval' is everywhere in our 'modern' age, both in culture and in our institutions. The University and the Parliament are medieval institutional inventions, for example. Our popular culture is imbued with myths bequeathed by the Middle Ages, from Robin Hood to Jedi Knights. And yet, the term 'medieval' is hurled as an insult to anyone thought to be backwards or ignorant. Following Tarantino, brutal punishment can be defined as getting medieval. This course will look at both the real Middle Ages, as a historical period, as well as its representations in our own culture. In particular, we will look at the political history of Latin Christendom, in order to understand the rise of kingdoms and the papacy during the Middle Ages. At the same time, students will encounter medievalism in our own time. We will match our discussion of the 'real' Middle Ages with awareness of the 'fantasy' Middle Ages in which our imaginations so often reside.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify and define medieval archetypes, such as the Knight, the Lady, and, the Cleric.
  • ULO2: Locate and explain varying instances of medievalism over time, from the early-modern period to the current day.
  • ULO3: Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the ideological implications of periodization, particularly as pertaining to the terms medieval and modern.
  • ULO4: Engage with and interpret difference genres of medievalism, particularly quest narratives, chivalric romance, and, farce. Students will have developed an understanding of the implications of racial medievalist imaginaries.

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Take-home Test 40% No 23:59 07/11/2021
Weekly Quizzes 30% No 09:00 Wednesday, Weeks 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
Review Article 30% No 23:59 10/09/2021

Take-home Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 23:59 07/11/2021
Weighting: 40%

 

Students will be asked to answer a synthetic question, related to the overall themes of the unit. They will be expected to answer the question in essay format, and draw upon the readings and texts studied in the unit.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and define medieval archetypes, such as the Knight, the Lady, and, the Cleric.
  • Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the ideological implications of periodization, particularly as pertaining to the terms medieval and modern.
  • Engage with and interpret difference genres of medievalism, particularly quest narratives, chivalric romance, and, farce. Students will have developed an understanding of the implications of racial medievalist imaginaries.

Weekly Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 09:00 Wednesday, Weeks 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will be required to undertake 10 online quizzes during the unit. These will test comprehension of readings and films.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and define medieval archetypes, such as the Knight, the Lady, and, the Cleric.
  • Engage with and interpret difference genres of medievalism, particularly quest narratives, chivalric romance, and, farce. Students will have developed an understanding of the implications of racial medievalist imaginaries.

Review Article

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 23:59 10/09/2021
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will review a piece of self-chosen medievalist text, and identify the type of genre and location for which they are writing, such as a film review for a newspaper, or a video game review for a website. To complete this task successfully, students will define medievalism, locate their text in its type of medievalism, and reflect upon the text's use of the past in relation to its contemporary context of production.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and define medieval archetypes, such as the Knight, the Lady, and, the Cleric.
  • Locate and explain varying instances of medievalism over time, from the early-modern period to the current day.
  • Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the ideological implications of periodization, particularly as pertaining to the terms medieval and modern.
  • Engage with and interpret difference genres of medievalism, particularly quest narratives, chivalric romance, and, farce. Students will have developed an understanding of the implications of racial medievalist imaginaries.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Delivery:

this unit is taught through a combination of a lecture, film screenings and online tutorial discussions - the lecture and film screening will be available online, and you must listen to the lecture  and watch the film before you before you participate in the online discussions.

Resources:

All the required readings for MHIS2007 are available via the MHIS2007 iLearn site or directly through the University Library. You do not require any textbooks.

The library holds most of the required films for this unit, as well as a large number of other films you will find useful or relevant. You can also access many films through your online rental or streaming services. You may have to purchase access to one or two of the film texts we study in the unit.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.


Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook