Course title & Credit Credit distribution of the Eligibility Pre-requisite
Code s course criteria of the course
(if any)
Lectur Tutoria Practical/
e l Practice
Cultural 4 3 1 0 12 th Pass NIL
Transformations
in Early Modern
Europe – I
Learning Objectives
The objective of the course is designed to make the students familiar with the essential
transitions and transformations in early modern European economy, polity and socio-
cultural life. The first unit aims to critically examine the dynamics of Europe that
emerged from the Middle Age. The second unit dealing with the Renaissance focuses
on the developments in art, literature, science and philosophy and also deals with
Renaissance beyond Italy. The content in third unit will enable them to understand the
spread of Reformation and Counter Reformation and it’s economic and cultural
impact. The last unit will explore the conquest of the New World with focus on:
material, social and cultural aspects. The idea is to give them European perspective of
cultural transformations in early modern Europe.
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, students will be able to:
● Understand the different perspectives of cultural developments in Europe.
● Explain the Renaissance in the realm of art, literature, science and philosophy
and the processes by which major transformation unfolded in European society
and culture.
● Trace the upheaval in Religion in the form of Protestant Reformation and
Counter Reformation.
● Identify the material, social and cultural aspects after the conquest of the New
World.
SYLLABUS OF DSC-1
Unit I. Key concepts and historical background
1. The idea of the early Modern; perspectives on culture in history
2. An overview of the classical and medieval legacy
Unit II. The Renaissance
1. Society and politics in Italian city-states
2. Humanism in Art and literature
3. Development in science and philosophy
4. Renaissance beyond Italy
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Unit III. Upheaval in Religion
1. The papacy and its critics
2. The spread of Protestant sects in Northern Europe
3. Counter Reformation and Religious Strife
4. The economic and cultural impact of the Reformations
Unit IV. The Conquest of the New World: material, social and cultural aspects
1. A Case Study of Portugal or Spain
Practical component (if any) - NIL
Essential/recommended readings
Unit I: The Unit will give critical concepts for the understating of early modern and the
perspective on culture in history. The idea of Early modern Europe will be introduced.
(Teaching Time: 9 hrs. approx.)
● Anderson, M.S. Europe in the Eighteenth Century, 1713-1783. New York:
Longman.
● Burke, Peter. Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe. UK: Ashgate, 2009.
● Davies, Norman, Europe: A History. New York: Harper Collins, 1998.
Unit II. This Unit imparts the understanding of the socio-cultural movements and
progress in science and philosophy in medieval and early modern Europe. Renaissance
artists and scholars celebrated the beauty of nature and the dignity of humanity,
helping shape the intellectual and cultural history of the early modern world.
(Teaching Time: 12 hrs. approx.)
● Burckhardt, Jacob. The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy. University of
Virginia: Phaidon Press, 1965.
● Burke, Peter. (1999). The Italian Renaissance, Culture and Society in Italy.
Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Chpts: Introduction, chpts:1, 2, 3, 4 & 6)
● Kaborycha, Lisa. (2011). A Short History of Renaissance Italy. New York: Pearson
● Nauert, C.G. (2006) Humanism and the culture of Renaissance Europe.
Cambridge University Press.
● Kraye, J. and Jill, K. eds. (1996) The Cambridge companion to Renaissance
humanism. Cambridge University Press.
Unit III. The Unit emphasizes different dimensions of Reformation and Counter-
Reformation and helps in learning the challenges and changes in the religious sphere
and their influences on the economic and socio-cultural lives of the people in various
regions of Europe. (Teaching Time: 12 hrs. approx.)
● King, Margaret L. Western Civilisation: A Social and Cultural History. New York:
Prentice- Hall, 1999
● Parish, Helen L. (2018). A Short History of the Reformation. London, New York:
I. B. Tauris.
● Mac Culloch, Diarmaid. (2004). Reformation: Europe's House Divided, 1490-
1700. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
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● Cameron, E. (2012) The European Reformation. Oxford University Press.
● MacCulloch, D. (2005) The reformation. Penguin.
Unit IV. This Unit engages the students with the beginning of the explorations and
conquests of the world beyond Europe and their socio-cultural and economic effects.
(Teaching Time: 12 hrs. approx.)
● Anderson, M.S. Europe in the Eighteenth Century, 1713-1783. 2nd and. New
York: Longman
● Burke, Peter. Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe. UK: Ashgate, 2009.
● Davies, Norman, Europe: A History. New York: Harper Collins, 1998
● Burns, E. M., Ralph, P. L., Lerner, R. E., & Meacham, S. (1986). World Civilisation,
vol. AWW Norton & Co., New York, NY.
● McAlister, L.N. (1984) Spain and Portugal in the New World, 1492-1700 (Vol. 3).
U of Minnesota Pre
Suggested Readings:
● Rosener, Werner. The Peasantry of Europe. England: Basil Blackwell, 1994
(translated from German).
● Anderson, Perry. Lineages of the Absolutist State. London: New Left books,
1974.
● Braudel, Ferdinand. Civilisation and Capitalism- 15th to 18th century Vol. I.
California: University of California Press, 1992 (paperback).
● Burckhardt, Jacob. The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy. University of
Virginia: Phaidon Press, 1965.
● Chartier, Roger. Arthur Goldhammer, Phillippe Aries and George Duby, eds. A
History of Private Life, Vol III: Passions of the Renaissance. U.S.A.: Harvard
University Press, 1988.
● Davis, Natalie Zemon. The Return of Martin Guerre, Massachusetts, London:
Harvard University Press, 1983. • Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: An
Interpretation. New York: Alfred K. Knopf, 1966
● Ginsberg, Carlo. The Cheese and the Worms. U.S.A.: John Hopkins University
Press (JHUP) 1983
● Huizinga, J. The Waning of the Middle Ages. New York: Dover Publications,
1999.
● Jacob, Margaret C. The Cultural Meaning of the Scientific Revolution, U.S.A.:
Tem-ple University Press, 1988.
● Kearney, Hugh. Science and Social Change 1500 – 1700. University of
Wisconsin-Madison: McGraw- Hill, 1971.
● Thomas, Keith. Religion and the Decline of Magic. England: Penguin Books,
1991.
● Ladurie, Emmanuel Le Roy. The Peasants of Languedoc. Urbana and Chicago:
Universi-ty of Illinois Press, 1974.
● Merriman,J. (2009) A History of Modern Europe: from the Renaissance to the
Present (Vol. 1). WW Norton & Company.
● Merriman, J. (2019) A History of Modern Europe: Volume 2 (Vol. 2). WW Norton
& Company.
● संक्रां ततकलीन र् ◌ू रोप : अरतवंि◌ तस�ा , ग्रंथ तश�ी प्राइवेट तलतमटे ड, 2015.
173
● आधुतनक र् ◌ू रोप का इततहास :आर् ◌ाम एवं ितशाएँ : ि◌◌े वे श तिवर् , मीना भार�ाि◌ एवं
वंि◌ना चौधरी
● आधुतनक र् ◌ू रोप का इततहास: आर् ◌ाम एवम ितशाएं ] (सह-सं पाि◌न), तह�ी
मा�म कार् ◌ा◌ा�न� तिनेशालर् ित�ी-7, 2010 (revised second edition, 2013)
● र् ◌ू रोपीर् सं �ृ तत (1400-1800): ि◌◌े वे श तिवर् ,संपाितत, तह�ी मा�म कार् ◌ा◌ा�न�
तिनेशालर् , ित�ी- 7, 2006,2010.
● आधुतनक पत�म के िउर् का इततहास , मीना�ी फू कन, ल�ी प��के शन,2012.
● आधुतनक पत�म के िउर् , पाथासारतथ गु �ा, तह�ी मा�म कार् ◌ा◌ा�न�
तिनेशालर् ,ित�ी- 7,2015(New Edition)
Note: Examination scheme and mode shall be as prescribed by the Examination
Branch, University of Delhi, from time to time.
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