This module aims to introduce students to the flourishing interdisciplinary field of the history of emotions. It does so though a focus on the late antique world, a time of transition which yields rich primary materials, both textual and material, for students to engage with.
The module has a strong methodological element and will therefore appeal to students interested in the history of subjectivity, psychology, and philosophy, as well as to those (including students in ACE) interested in late antiquity as a period of study. It will enable students to develop methodological insights which can they draw in their other courses. It will also provide a rich and accessible introduction to the cultural and religious history of late antiquity, drawing on ‘pagan’, Jewish, and Christian sources.
Students will be encouraged to engage directly with primary material as much as possible, and to engage with material culture and archaeology as well as texts.