CO4041 Global Medieval Literatures

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Students should be undertaking a degree with Comparative Literature as a named subject. Visiting students must seek approval from the CO Honours Adviser prior to enrolment.

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof B M E Bildhauer

Prof B M E Bildhauer
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Prof Bettina Bildhauer, Dr Victoria Turner

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Globalisation is one of the greatest challenges of our time. How do we negotiate the global movement of people, information and goods in a sustainable and just way when our political, legal, cultural and educational structures are still dominated by nation states and Eurocentrism? The premodern period, before national borders existed, offers an unexpected source of inspiration for thinking differently about migration, translingual and pre-national identities and shared cultural heritage. This module will analyse fictional tales that travelled across multiple languages, because they offer particularly in-depth insights into pre-national and global ways of thinking. The books and stories were part of a cultural heritage shared between Asia, Africa and Europe, and their plots created a sense of belonging by narrativizing global and local identities.

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

A 2-hour seminar per week for 8 weeks [distributed over the course of the whole semester]. Students will also have access to weekly office hours.

Scheduled learning hours

16

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

135

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • demonstrate understanding of key global, transnational and translingual approaches to medieval literature
  • analyse medieval narrative fiction with narratological tools
  • recognise the significance of different literary forms and genres in narrating stories of cultural, gender and racial identity
  • demonstrate their skills in research, textual analysis and interpretation, and communication, both oral and written