Western Palaeography: General Introduction [LHISB310]

Learning outcomes

- To acquire a broad general and interdisciplinary culture by opening up to other disciplines and understanding the links they have with History. - To develop critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills. - To develop specialist knowledge in areas of the historical discipline and to understand the issues of the discipline. - To acquire the techniques of analysis and interpretation of historical sources, as well as a reflective and critical awareness in the practice of the historical approach. - To learn how to carry out a research question in history and to master the tools and working methods specific to the discipline. - To master scientific communication by respecting the rules of reference and publication. - Acquire a strong capacity for information analysis, synthesis and writing.

Objectives

At the end of this course, the student should be able to: - Identify, date and characterise the main types of Western writing. - Decipher a text from the Middle Ages or Modern Times in Latin or French.

Content

The course retraces, with examples, the main stages in the evolution of Latin writing, from Antiquity to the 18th century; at the same time, it introduces students to their expertise and dating. It also introduces students to the operations involved in deciphering a text through a transcription exercise imposed on each student.