The Dal Riata: literature, politics and society in Dark Age Scotland (U03657)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-3-U03657

Early Scottish history, like early Insular history generally, is undergoing something of a revolution, thanks in part to innovative approaches by historians to the primary written evidence. Such approaches stress the political and social dimensions of early medieval writing, occasionally radically altering our understanding of events. This course explores these dimensions of writing in northern Britain before AD 800, with special emphasis on Gaelic writers. Such literate forms as historical narratives, chronicles, hagiography, king-lists, genealogies, and poetry are examined for reflections of social and political realities that are otherwise shadowy for this period of history.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : A survey course in medieval history, Scottish history, or Celtic civilization.

? Prohibited combinations : U03503 A Cultural History of the Gael 400-800 U03560 Literature, Politics and Society in Dark Age Scotland

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Celtic, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Friday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course it is intended that students will be able to:
-produce a sound and competent essay, in accordance with the common marking scale;
-demonstrate, by way of essay and examination, recognition of the potential and limitations of different genres of written evidence in pursuing the study of early medieval societies;
-demonstrate, by way of essay and examination, insight into the literate culture of Early Historic Scotland, and in particular into the ways in which Gaelic writers mobilized the past for use in their own present;
-demonstrate the following transferable skills: independent gathering of relevant evidence pertaining to a posed problem; critical consideration of evidence in order to arrvie at sound conclusions; evaluating the work of others, including peers; presenting evaluations and conclusions clearly in both written and oral form; independent management of personal timetable, workload and other priorities in order to meet established deadlines.

Assessment Information

Students will submit an individual essay of 3000 words and sit a two-hour Degree Examination that may require comment on extracts from primary texts. The final mark will be composed of the essay mark, weighted at 50% of the final mark, and the exam mark, weighted at 50% of the final mark.