Social Formations and Cultural Patterns of Medieval World

By Dr. Shilleima Chanu Naoroibam | Assistant Professor, Department of History, G.P Women’s College, Dhanamanjuri University

Learners enrolled: 58

I start the introduction of this course with the saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. The statement candidly speaks of the importance of the course. Let me provide you with a brief introduction about this course. It is a general and concise course which would provide the basic information on the early social formations and cultural patterns in the Medieval world. The course has been designed specially to meet the requirements of the undergraduate students. However it incorporates a wide range of fascinating information, which will appeal to the general learners as well.

The course is meant to acquaint learners with the historical social formations from the Roman civilization to feudalism in Europe and intended to focus on West Asia especially Arabian peninsula.

The themes that would be discussed include the Roman Empire, the making of medieval Europe and the advent of Islam.

It mainly focuses on the establishment and political structure of the Roman Republic, Augustus Caesar’s age, decline of the Roman Empire.

It discusses on socio-economy of the Roman civilization especially the slave mode of production and crisis associated with it.

Further it intended to understand the socio-religious aspect of the Roman world, especially the rise of Christianity.

This course further examines the rise of feudalism in Europe in Medieval time and advent of Islam in the Arabian peninsula.

After successful completion of this course the learners are expected to understand the history of the Roman Empire—its polity, society, economy and religion. Again the learners are expected to learn the basic ideas of feudalism in Europe especially its polity, economy, technology, socio-cultural aspects and finally the factors responsible for the decline of feudalism. And above all these the learners are expected to learn the rise of Islam and its impacts in the Arab world.

The course is a 6 credits course and is divided into 4 units comprising 40 modules—each module includes descriptive videos, text materials, glossary, FAQs, reading references, quizzes and assignments.

So dear learners I invite you all to get enrolled in this course and let us all learn together and have a fair and comprehensive knowledge of Europe and West Asia. Thank you.

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	15 weeks
Category :	Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points :	5
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	31 Jul 2023
End Date :
Enrollment Ends :	31 Aug 2023
Exam Date :

Page Visits

Course layout

WEEK 1

Early History of Rome

Establishment of Roman Republic & Military Expansion

Political Structure of the Roman

WEEK 2

The Last Century of the Republic and the Rise of Military Commanders

The Augustan Age

Late Empire & its Decline

WEEK 3

Economy under the Republic

Structure of Economy under the Principate

Slave Mode of Production and the Crisis & Decline of Slave economy

WEEK 4

Traditional Division of Society

Growth of the Roman Empire and Transformation of Society and Social Stratification

Slavery and Society

WEEK 5

Religion and the Roman World

The Christ Cult & the Rise of Christianity

Christianity and the Late Roman State

WEEK 6

The Late Roman Empire

Political Anarchy & Military Decline

Economic Crisis & Social

WEEK 7

Crisis of the Slave Mode of Production

Incursions of the Germanic Tribes

Context and Underlying Factors

WEEK 8

Nature of Craft production and Organisation production: Guilds

Composition and Condition of Artisans

Trade in Mediaeval Europe &

WEEK 9

Urban Centres, Commercial Activities, Commercial Practices & Trading Routes

Technology and Productivity

Feudalism and its Decline

WEEK 10

Christianity and the Christianisation of Europe

Christians with non-Christians

The Clergy, Formal Education and Moral Instruction & Social Teachings of the Mediaeval Church

WEEK 11

Criticism of the Clergy & Social Teachings of the Mediaeval Church

Tribal Background, Pre-Islamic Arab World and its Culture

WEEK 12

Arabian Peninsula on the Eve of Islam

Islam in Arabia (Early Islamic Society)

WEEK 13

The Caliphate State: The Ummayad Caliphate

The Caliphate State: The Abbasid Caliphate

WEEK 14

Islamic Caliphate and Dissension in the Islamic World

Islamic Sufi Orders

WEEK 15

Arab Trade, Rise of Urban Centres and Commercial Expansion after the Rise of Islam

Arab Trade with India

Instructor bio

Dr. Shilleima Chanu Naoroibam

Assistant Professor, Department of History, G.P Women’s College, Dhanamanjuri University

Dr. Shilleima Chanu Naoroibam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History, G.P Women’s College, Dhanamanjuri University. She has received her M.Phil and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her areas of interest are World History, Modern Indian History and Gender History. She teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

She has published many articles in many national and international journals. She has also contributed chapters for books. She has presented papers in national and international conferences and seminars. She is engaged in many academic committees at the college and Dhanamanjuri University.