The UB offers a MOOC about magic in the Middle Ages
Who was really King Arthur? How did witch hunt begin? How did the Inquisition work? How were necromantic rituals? What do we know about the Holy Grail? These are some of the questions that will be answered by a new massive open online course (MOOC) offered by the University of Barcelona which begins on 4 May. Magic in the Middle Ages is a journey to the Medieval period focused on its most magical aspects. The course is based on a cross-curricular perspective in which experts on history, literature, science and art bring students closer to the Middle Ages. Registration is already open and, so far, more than 2.700 people registered.
Who was really King Arthur? How did witch hunt begin? How did the Inquisition work? How were necromantic rituals? What do we know about the Holy Grail? These are some of the questions that will be answered by a new massive open online course (MOOC) offered by the University of Barcelona which begins on 4 May. Magic in the Middle Ages is a journey to the Medieval period focused on its most magical aspects. The course is based on a cross-curricular perspective in which experts on history, literature, science and art bring students closer to the Middle Ages. Registration is already open and, so far, more than 2.700 people registered.
It is a six-week course organised by the third-cycle student association ARDIT Cultures Medievals, the Institute for Research on Medieval Cultures (IRCVM) and the masterʼs degree in Medieval Cultures of the UB. Course organizers and teachers are young researchers (PhD students and postdoctoral researchers), except in the case of the fourth module in which lessons are given by experts from the Catholic University of Louvain.
The main difference between MOOCs and other types of learning models is that MOOCs are open and free courses with a teaching methodology based on the use of videos, collaborative work and student participation by means of online forums. The course is offered in English on the platform Coursera, one of the most prestigious companies in the field of MOOCs. Lessons include English, Catalan and Spanish subtitles to facilitate comprehension.
From witch hunt to the quest for the Holy Grail
Structured into six thematic modules, the course aims at recreating the essential aspects of Medieval Europe, a period that began in the 5th century with the fall of Rome in 476 CE and ended in the 15th century with the fall of Constantinople (1453) or the discovery of America (1492). “One of the objectives of the course is to reflect on certain stereotypes associated to the Middle Ages, a period usually linked to intellectual darkness as opposed to Renaissance. In fact, the first module describes that have been traditionally made between the Middle Ages and magic. In general, magic is considered a practice characteristic of primitive civilizations and not of contemporary society”, says Gemma Pellissa, course coordinator.
The course begins with the module “Introduction to Medieval Magic”; it describes how the course works and the differences between medieval and present conceptions of magic. “Magic & Heresy” analyses the role of the Inquisition and how magic practice was persecuted and associated to heresy. The module includes a block devoted to magic in the Jewish culture. The third module “From Magic to Witchcraft” gives details about witchcraft in the Medieval period. The fourth module is focused on “Magic in Islam”; it includes a block about geomancy, the art of guessing by interpreting markings on the ground. The fifth module “The Magical World of Celtic Culture” offers an overview of Welsh literature and the influence of the Arthurian legend on continental Europe. The last module is entitled “The Magic of Objects”; it reviews the magical characteristics of relics, the connotations of materials and, particularly, the true about the Saint Grail exhibited in León (Spain).
A European perspective that includes Catalan examples
The course has a European perspective and it is not centred on any particular region. However, it profits teaching staff knowledge about Catalan particularities to include some local examples. Each module includes a forum to discuss examples of the Catalan culture. For instance, the third module deals with witchcraft in general, but it includes a forum in which an expert will ask and answer questions about witch hunt in Vall Fosca (Lleida). “This is an added incentive for Catalan students who want to know better their own culture as well as for foreign students who will discover unknown facts”, affirms the coordinator.
There is not any particular requirement to join the course Magic in the Middle Ages because every module introduces students to contents and vocabulary first. The course is also addressed to people who already have some knowledge about the aspects included in the syllabus. “The course offers different proficiency levels. Students will be able to go more deeply into those contents that most interest them because the course provides them with videos, book references, links and discussion forums”, concludes Gemma Pellissa.
Further information:
- Facebook page of the course
- Web that includes all the MOOCs offered by the UB