HIST 349B Discovering Medieval DC: A Digital Humanities Approach to Public History
It is easy for American students to feel the Middle Ages is far distant and completely unrelated to their lives. Yet the global medieval world continues to shape our lives today, including an often-hidden landscape of the medieval waiting to be discovered in Washington, DC. The purpose of this class is to invite students to join a project elucidating how the Middle Ages still impacts our world today, and how we can best explain and present that medieval history to contemporary audiences. The course professors have built a Guide to Medieval DC, a web-based resource aimed at educators and an interested public to highlight all the resources for studying the Middle Ages, both past objects and contemporary echoes, in DC. This collaborative, project-based course will give students the opportunity to contribute to Medieval DC, teaching them the key skills they need to present historical content to a contemporary audience. The class will train students in understanding the impact of the global Middle Ages on the present, and will teach the skills of presenting that understanding, including public history, digital humanities, and documentary filmmaking. Incorporating multiple fields and tools, the class will help students both learn about the past and learn how to share that knowledge.
Cross Listed Courses
HIST 349B & HIST 622B & LSC 846