HIST 329A - The Family in European History

Institution:

Catholic University of America

Subject:

History

Description:

This course will begin with a brief examination of family law in antiquity and the structure of the European medieval family before considering the transformation of the family in the early modern period, particularly in response to the Reformation and the rise of the nation state. Although the Renaissance is often described as the birthplace of modern individualism, the early modern period can just as easily be seen as dominated by families who employed cultural strategies to increase their collective reputation and power. The course will finish by examining the challenges to the modern European family in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A wide range of experiences will be covered, from the family life of royalty and aristocracy to the demographic and legal evidence of everyday life in the homes of artisans and peasants. The social and economic pressures that shaped the family will be discussed, as well as debates over the emotional life of the early modern family. Readings will include letters, journals, legal documents, instructional pamphlets, sermons, novels, and moralizing treatises.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.cua.edu

Phone Number:

(202) 319-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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