HIST42630: Courts and Power in Early-Modern Europe

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• To gain an advanced understanding of aspects of the relationship between power and politics in early modern Britain and Europe (c. 1500-1700)

• This module is taught comparatively and with an emphasis on Britain and Continental Europe. The range of topics studied will include: Monarchical government; Nobilities; Empire; Political culture and the Public Sphere; Elite culture and patronage; International diplomacy. Students will be able to focus on one of these topics in their written work, but will be expected to engage with the full range through oral presentations and discussion.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• advanced knowledge and understanding of aspects of the political history of early modern Britain and Europe.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/PGModuleProformaMap/

Key Skills:

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/PGModuleProformaMap/

• Student learning is facilitated by a range of teaching methods.
• Seminars and Group Discussion require students to reflect on and discuss: their prior knowledge and experience; set reading of secondary and, where appropriate, primary readings; information provided during the session. They provide a forum in which to assess and comment critically on the findings of others, defend their conclusions in a reasoned setting, and advance their knowledge and understanding of the political history of this period.
• Structured reading requires students to focus on set materials integral to the knowledge and understanding of the module. It specifically enables the acquisition of detailed knowledge and skills which will be discussed in other areas of the teaching and learning experience.
• Assessment is by means of a 5000 word essay which requires the acquisition and application of advanced knowledge and understanding of an aspect of the political history of the early modern world (Britain and Europe). Essays require a sustained and coherent argument in defence of a hypothesis, and must be presented in a clearly written and structured form, and with appropriate apparatus.

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