Nipissing University

HISTORY 3116  (Fall 2008) – Crusade and Jihad

 

Course Outline

Version of November 10, 2008

Instructor: Dr. Steve Muhlberger

What this course is about:

The concepts of “Crusade” and “Jihad” are important aspects of Christianity and Islam and their relations with each other.  This semester-long course will examine the key period between 1050 and 1300 when wars in the Middle East helped shape these concepts.   It will include discussion of military, political and ideological developments and how these have affected the medieval and modern world.

Professor:

Steve Muhlberger

Office:                 H 312

Office Hour:       Mon. 3-4 

Office Phone:      474-3461 ext. 4458

Home Phone:      776-1247 (not after 9 p.m.)

E-mail:                 stevem@ nipissingu.ca

Personal Home Page:  http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/muhlberger/muhlberg.htm

Course Home Page:  

Required Books:

Thomas F. Madden, The New Concise History of the Crusades 

Thomas F. Madden, ed., The Crusades: The essential readings

 S. J. Allen and E. Amt, eds.,  Crusades: A reader  

 

You are permitted to read Madden’s New Concise History at your own pace.   Sections of Madden’s The Crusades: the Essential Readings (M: CER) and Allen and Amt’s Crusades:  A reader (A&A) are assigned to specific dates in the course outline below, by which date  you will be expected to react to them, either in class discussion or in writing, or both. A few other readings will be located on the open Web, with links provided on this course outline or on assignment sheets.

Grading scheme:

1.  Class participation/short papers -- 20%

Class participation will be evaluated in two different ways.  First, you will be required to submit at least five one-to-two page written piece based in part on our primary and secondary source readings.   These short papers will be submitted via the course weblog  and be open to the rest of the class to read.   Feel free to write additional postings and comment upon other people's postings.   Graphic contributions are welcome, as are links to other web resources, but they will not substitute for the required short papers.

At my discretion I will also award extra credit to those students who, by their thoughtful comments and questions in class, add to the content of the course.

2.  First paper -- 20% -- due October 9