Introductory description

Taught in Venice, this exciting interdisciplinary module analyses the cultural, economic, political, social, and religious history of Venice and its empire from the late fourteenth to the late sixteenth century, within the broader context of the Italian Renaissance. Taught in Venice, it familiarises students with the city via a series of site visits and guided tours of major galleries and cultural sites.

The module will balance intensive onsite teaching at the Warwick Venice Centre with place-based pedagogical site visits.

Students will be responsible for covering the costs of their travel, accommodation, and subsistence while in Venice. Students may also be required to pay a programme fee to cover the costs of the site visits. The course is open to all PGT students with relevant qualifications and understanding of the early modern period (subject to application).

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The module will be structured around 5 x 3-hour thematic seminars, each preceded by a 3-hour site visit/on site lecture on the same theme.
Theme 1: Government. Site visit: The Doge’s Palace and Piazza San Marco
Theme 2: Art and Culture. Site visit: The Accademia Gallery
Theme 3: Religion. Site visit: The Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Frari Church
Theme 4: The Material World. Site visit: Rialto
Theme 5: Society. Site visit: The Jewish Ghetto

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Critique, evaluate and advance the cultural, economic, political, social, and religious history of Venice and its empire from the late fourteenth to the late sixteenth century
• Demonstrate detailed knowledge and advanced understanding of how the history of Venice can be accessed through a diverse range of textual, visual, and material sources, including the city of Venice itself and its former territories
• Critique, analyse and compare different types of sources and demonstrate an advanced ability to use them to develop a historical argument
• Demonstrate advanced, detailed subject knowledge informed by recent research/scholarship and/or theory at the forefront of Renaissance Studies
• Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of and ability to critique and evaluate the history and legacy of different historical concepts and historiographical debates
• Demonstrate advanced abilities in independent research, historiographical engagement, and the development of critical analysis

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Research element

The assessments will require students to do significant independent research at an advanced level. The module makes extensive use of primary sources and students will engage also with museum collections and archives.

Interdisciplinary

The module draws particularly on the study of art and architectural history and material culture studies as well as ranging across political, religious, literary, cultural and social history.
The module is designed to provide the students with an understanding of relationships between the different disciplinary areas within the Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly History, Politics and Sociology. It also invites to the students to make connections with other disciplinary areas covered in their main study programme. It provides the students with a critical understanding of dominant traditions and methodologies associated with the main phenomena covered in the module and enables the students to transcend disciplinary boundaries. The interdisciplinary course cohort provides contact opportunities and learning to see from different perspectives is a core aspect of the learning experience.

International

The module will be taught in Venice and likely involve students from different educational backgrounds. Students will engage with comparative and transnational methodologies and will do so in an intercultural context.
The module draws on cases from different contexts and different geopolitical areas. The international and diverse course cohort provides contact opportunities and learning to see from different perspectives is a core aspect of the learning experience.T he module features international case studies and international place-based learning in Venice as it is taught at the Warwick Venice Centre

Subject specific skills

• read closely and critically • analyse texts and discourses, and respond to the affective power of language and art, using appropriate approaches and terminology • develop independent and imaginative interpretations of literary, critical, linguistic, historical or creative material • articulate a critical understanding of complex texts and ideas and of their historical relations where appropriate • write clearly, accurately and effectively • apply scholarly bibliographic skills appropriate to the subject

Transferable skills

• discover and synthesize complex information and diverse evidence • respond creatively and imaginatively to
  research tasks • initiate projects of their own • present information within wider contexts • test, interpret and analyse information and evidence independently and critically, producing from that analysis cogent arguments and decisive judgements • plan, organise and report to deadline. • articulate their own and other people's ideas concisely, accurately and persuasively both orally and in writing • develop working relationships with others in teams, especiallythrough constructive dialogue (for example, by listening, asking and responding to questions) • understand the role of narrative and emotion in decision-making • be sensitive to international cultural contexts when working with others. *develop intercultural competencies