HIS4176 – Nature's Mirror: Histories of Early Modern Environmental Knowledge

Course content

How did early modern Europeans see themselves in relation to history, nature, and the cosmos? In what ways did they read and interpret their natural and historical surroundings, and how did they locate themselves within them? Did cosmological images - or cosmograms - influence decisions, practices and how people lived their lifes?

In this source-based course, you will have the opportunity to investigate some of these questions yourself, directly from a variety of pre-selected early modern sources. During the course we will read relevant works on early modern cosmological, environmental, and historical ideas. At the same time you will work on your own small, independent research project, investigating how these broader ideas came to matter, or failed to matter, in more particular cases.

The course rests on the assumption that environmental awareness is not a product of modernity. Throughout history, people have always been aware of their capacity to alter their surroundings, as well as the danger that natural forces posed to their societies. By investigating how broader ideas about the "macroverse", including cosmology, astrology, theology, universal history, climate and environmental theories, were applied locally to the "microverse", we will aim to look beyond the traditional gap between the histories nature and society, as well as that between abstract ideas and material practices.

The main goal of the course is to teach you skills and tools to look beyond the traditional boundaries of human and natural histories, and to work with texts that transcend these categories. Throughout the course you will also assemble atoolbox of digital and non-digital skillsnecessary for the execution of your research projects, involving source review, annotation and comparative analysis, translation, citation, sampling, as well as visualisation and representation of historical data.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, you should:

• understand key principles of early modern theories of the natural world, its history, and its interactions with humans
• understand the historical entanglement of people and nature, and ideas and practices in the early modern period.
• be able to identify and analyse early modern taxonomies of the natural world and their visual representations

You should also have been familiarised with skills central to the historical craft, knowing how to

• design and conduct independently small historical case-based research projects.
• locate, identify, and evaluate relevant primary sources
• utilise bibliography managers to organise sources and create bibliographies
• use digital tools for collaborative research, text transcription, and translation
• use digital tools for searches, use and re-use of digitised primary sources

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Recommended previous knowledge

A good ability to read, write and understand English is required for this course.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with HIS2176 – Nature's Mirror: Histories of Early Modern Environmental Knowledge.

Teaching

The course will be taught in twelve two-hour session. The classes will consist of both lectures, seminars and workshops.

Compulsory assignments:

• A short presentation of the topic of your research project and why you chose it. (max 300 words)
• An obligatory exposé of the research project (1 to 2 pages including relevant literature). Instructions on how to write the exposé will be given in class.
• Reading and commenting on two other exposés.

Examination

The course is assessed by a term paper. Your paper must not exceed 4500 words, notes included. Attachments and/or bibliography are not included in the word count.   

Language of examination

You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. If you would prefer to have the exam text in English, you may apply to the course administrators.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.