Objectives- Appreciate the advanced literature in one or more of the following: social, cultural and religious analyses of early modern England and/or continental Europe. - Discuss in an informed way the factors involved in the maintenance of social and religious order in one or more early modern societies. - Contribute to historical knowledge by means of the dissertation. - Outline a topic for research and make a survey of existing work in the field.
Academic titleMA in Religious and Social History 1500-1700
Course descriptionEssential Information
Religion formed an integral part of early modern European culture, inseparable from the society in which it was embedded. This MA programme explores religious and social developments in the context of the Protestant Reformation and the social stresses triggered by soaring populations, prices, and mobility. Warwick has an unusually high number of Renaissance and Early Modern specialists, and this well-established MA has been described by one external examiner as ‘the best of its kind in the UK’. Students can choose to focus on English history, or combine this with continental developments. Library holdings of archival material on microfilm, and access to EEB0 (Early English Books Online) enable students to engage with a wide range of primary sources during the course of the MA.
Course Outline
Students choose two options from the following list (Not all will be available in any given year):
- The social order, riot and rebellion in England 1500-1700 (Professor Capp, Professor Hindle): The family; social, legal and ecclesiastical discipline; and the radical movements of the English Revolution.
- Society and religion in 16th-century France (Dr Roberts): the Huguenots, the Religious Wars, and their impact on monarchy and society.
- English Religious Life in the 16th century (Professor Marshall): addressing current debates on the English Reformation and beyond.
- Heresy, Toleration and Dissent in England 1500-1700 (Professor Capp): looking at the problems faced by governments and religious minorities in a period of changing orthodoxies.
All students take the ‘Theory, Skill and Method’ module.