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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "HS 233"
COURSE NAME: "The Italian Renaissance"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Fabrizio Conti
EMAIL: faconti@johncabot.edu
 HOURS: MW 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores the history and culture of the Italian Renaissance (c.1300-c.1600 CE) through the critical examination of primary sources – ranging from formal treatises to iconography and art – as well as current scholarly debates. Among other things, the course will examine the development and significance of Renaissance humanism, including the roles that its revival and transformation of Greek and Roman ideals played in distinguishing Renaissance culture from what came before. Other dimensions may include “civic humanism” and the Florentine Republic, the rise of
princely courts and associated cultural movements, the ideal of the “universal man” and its embodiment in figures like Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance’s social and economic contexts (including the experiences, activities, and perceptions of marginalized groups, like women, minorities, and people of lower social standing), as well as other key religious, artistic, literary, and intellectual developments of the period.

Satisfies "Medieval" or "Early Modern History" core course requirements for History majors.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Topics include the development of new ideas and ideals of the individual in the Renaissance, Humanism as ‘a program for ruling classes’, Platonism and Aristotelianism, theological and cosmological models, Copernicus’s heliocentric theory, Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, Giordano Bruno, Niccolò Machiavelli and Baldassarre Castiglione.  Students will also discover and analyze the several apparent contradictions emerging in the Renaissance, such as, first of all, the outbreak of witch hunts. The intellectual debate concerning witches and their persecutions with the related developments in magic, demonology, inquisition, will be studied as constitutive aspects of renaissance culture.

 

This course will be part of the "Themed Courses program" of The Great Lakes Colleges Association's Global Crossroads Initiative. This work will be done in collaboration with Prof. Michael Seaman from DePauw University. He will give two lectures for us via Zoom (please see the syllabus), and I will give two lectures for his students taking a course similar to our own. Support for this project was provided by the Great Lakes Colleges Association through its Global Crossroads Initiative, made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The aim of this course is to guide students through the discovery of the Italian Renaissance and its many, distinctive acquisitions in different fields, such as civic life, education, social organization, artistic and literary cultures, geography, ethics and politics. Students will acquire basic skills in methodologies involved in historical research, writing, and communication, and will learn how to grasp and decipher the multifaceted and contradictory messages embedded in historical realities by constantly applying critical thinking.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
A Short History of the Italian RenaissanceKenneth R. BartlettUniversity of Toronto Press, 2013 9781442600140     
Voices from the Italian Renaissance A SourcebookLisa KaborychaRoutledge, 20249781032256306     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 Papers These are 2 essays of 1200/1500 words each and based on primary sources and/or scholarly articles. The list of topics, along with the relevant sources and the questions which serve as guidelines will be posted on Moodle. All written assignments should be uploaded to Moodle by the deadline.30% (15% each)
Mid-Term ExamThe exam will be a take-home written exam composed of short answers and essay questions. Your grade on this exam will depend upon the analytical strength and persuasiveness of your arguments as well as the factual accuracy of your answers. More information about this exam will be provided as its date near. 30%
Final Exam The exam will be in-class written exam composed of short answers and essay questions. Your grade on these exams will depend upon the analytical strength and persuasiveness of your arguments as well as the factual accuracy of your answers. More information about these exams will be provided as their dates near. 30%
Attendance and Participation This means that you: a) are in class; b) have done the readings and thought about them; c) express your views and questions orally in class and are able to make connections with the topics that have been already covered. A student discussion forum on the weekly readings and topics, moderated by the professor, is activated on Moodle. Students' thoughtful participation is essential.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

This syllabus is preliminary and may be subject to change

ü  Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance is not available on Moodle 

 

JANUARY

Week 1

M 20 Historical Thinking and the Renaissance

-        Marc Bloch,The Historian's Craft, pp. 17-24 

-        Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 1-13 (Defining the Renaissance)

 

W 22  Medieval Voices

-        Kristeller, Renaissance Thought, Ch. 5: "Humanism and Scholasticism in the Italian Renaissance", pp. 92-119

-        Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 3-5 (Francis of Assisi only); 7-10

 

Week 2

M 27 From Boccaccio to Francis Petrarch

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 22-26

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 25-30 (Petrarch: Introduction, Letter to Posterity)

 

W 29 Francis Petrarch: The First Humanist

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 55-66 (Petrarch)

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 11-15 (Petrarch: Sonnet 162, and The Ascent of Mount Ventoux)

 

FEBRUARY

Week 3

M 3 Civic Pride, Cultural Glory and the Rediscovery of Antiquity 

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 66-82 (Coluccio Salutati, Letter to Peregrino Zambeccari;

           Vespasiano da Bisticci: Life of Poggio Bracciolini; Life of Niccolò Niccoli; Lorenzo Valla, The Glory of the Latin Language)

 

W 5 Women and Humanism

-         Christine de Pizan, Defending Women, in B. Rosenwein (ed.), Reading the Middle Ages, pp. 497-499

-         Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 80-85

 

F 7 Make-Up Day for Monday, April 21

Florence: The Cradle of the Renaissance

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 93-110 (The Republic of Florence)

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 172-174

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 61-62 (Benedetto Dei: Letter to a Venetian) 

 

Week 4

M 10  The Renaissance Critical Thinking

-         Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 117-134 (Rome and the Papacy: The Renaissance Comes to Rome

          Grandeur, Reaction, Catastrophe, and Renewal)

-         Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, 63-67

-         Donation of Constantine: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/donatconst.asp

 

W 12The Humanist School Curriculum

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 69-90 (Humanism)

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 183-186 (Learning and Education: Introduction, Pietro Paolo Vergerio);

           p. 196-198 (Laura Cereta)

-         Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 51-57

 

Week 5

M 17  Life in the Italian Courts

-           Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 137-165 (Venice); pp. 169-206 (The Principalities) 

-           Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 285-290

 

W 19   Women' Voices from the Renaissance

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 115-117; 311-321; 329-331

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 35-51 (Social Continuities) 

 

Week 6

M 24   The Age of Explorations

-         Barry Ife, Introduction to Cristopher Columbus: http://www.ems.kcl.ac.uk/content/pub/b001.html

-         Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 370-373; 375-379;381-386

          

W 26  Neo-Platonism 

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 209-222 (Renaissance Neo-Platonism)

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 228-234; 236-238

 

  •  First Paper due on February 28, 11:59PM

 

MARCH

Week 7

M 3  The "Universal Man" of the Renaissance

-        Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 28-30; 76-78

 

W 5 Erotic Literature and a Pope as a Writer: Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini's (Pope Pius II) Two Lovers

-         Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 218-222

 

  • Take-Home Mid-Term Exam due on 7 March, 11:59PM

 

March 10-14 (Mon-Fri): Spring Break

 

Week 8

M 17   Learning and Power

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 186-194 (Leonardo Bruni; Battista Guarino)

-          Lauro Martines, Power and Imagination (Ch."Humanism: A  Program for Ruling Classes")

 

W 19  The Italian Dynasties of the Renaissance

-          Film Screening and discussion

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 247-262 (Medici Popes and Princes)

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 108-109 (Angelo Poliziano: Stanzas on Giuliano de' Medici)

 

Week 9

M 24  An Age of Competition and Wars

-          Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 225-244 (The Age of Crisis)

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 221-222 (Savonarola: A Preacher of Reform), pp. 258-260 (Guicciardini: The French Artillery)

 

W 26  Political Thought: Francesco Guicciardini

-            Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 265-282 (The Counsel of Experience...)

-            Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 128-130

-            Guicciardini, Ricordi, selections from Bondanella and Musa (eds.), The Italian Renaissance Reader, pp. 298-303

 

Week 10

M 31  Political Thought: Niccolò Machiavelli

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 92-94

-          Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince, in Bondanella and Musa (eds.), The Italian Renaissance Reader, pp. 258-264; 273-274; 291-293

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 236-237 (Machiavelli, Letter to Francesco Vettori)  

 

APRIL

W 2  Religious Reforms

-           Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners, pp. 177-196 (The Renaissance Popes)

-           Libellus to Pope Leo X (excerpts)

 

Week 11

M 7  Renaissance Art and Architecture

-        Bartlett, A Short History of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 285-317 (Art and Architecture)

-        Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 157-160 (Art and Architecture: Intro; Filippo Brunelleschi;

         Mariano Taccola; Lorenzo Ghiberti); 164-176 (Isabella d'Este; Pietro Vanucci Perugino; Leon Battista Alberti)

 

W 9  The Late Italian Renaissance and Mannerism  

-          Bartelett, The Civilization of the Italian Renaissance, pp. 265-266 (The Late Italian Renaissance: Intro); 273-279 (Giovanni della Casa)

-          The Index of Forbidden Books:  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/indexlibrorum.asp

 

Week 12

M 14   The “Ugly” Renaissance

-           Alexander Lee, The Ugly Renaissance: Sex, Disease and Excess in an Age of Beauty (2013), selected pp.

-           Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 267-270

 

W  16  The Humanist and the Witches: A Renaissance Contradiction?

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 394-398

-          Walter Stephens, "Learned Credulity in Gianfrancesco Pico's Strix"

 

Week 13

M  21  NO CLASS Make-up day: Friday, February 7

 

W  23  Philosophy and Science Confronting Authority

-          Kaborycha, Voices from the Italian Renaissance, pp. 40-48

-          Galileo Galilei's Indictment and Abjuration (1633): https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1630galileo.asp     

 

  • Second Paper: due on 24 April 11:59PM

 

Week 14

M 28  Humanism: Past, Present, and Future

-          Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, selected pp.

 

W 30   Final Exam Review

 

          Final Exam