HIS 124 Medieval Animals

This course examines the role of animals and the natural world in medieval European culture, answering questions all the way from "did people in the Middle Ages have pets?" to "how did constructions of the animal/human divide relate to the persecution of marginalized groups?". In addition to discussing the day-to-day relationships between humans and animals, from hunting dogs to livestock, this course investigates the many spaces in between ‘animal’ and ‘human’, from feral children and werewolves to animal allegories and the monsters on the edges of maps. Our investigations will draw from medieval philosophy and theology, law and literature, as well as everyday life on a medieval farm, ultimately asking the question "what makes us human?" Western History Perspective Noncredit for students who completed HIS 186 Medieval Animals.