THE SPANISH INQUISITION
HIS350L, JS364, RS357. Unique Number 39290.
Prof. Miriam Bodian
Fall, 2010
Tues., Thurs. Mez. 2.102, 2:00-3:30 pm
The Spanish Inquisition operated for three and a half centuries, and became one of the most notorious institutions in history. It is popularly known for its secret trials, its autos-da-fe and burnings at the stake, and its fanatical inquisitors. But why was it established? Why did it survive even when heresy seemed virtually eliminated? What purposes did it serve that allowed it to survive for so long? These are some of the issues we will explore in this course. Each student will carry out a project “tracing” one (fictitious) personality through the various phases of the inquisitorial process, from the time of arrest (or re-arrest) to the day of the sentencing. By discussing one another’s projects we will get a sense of the great diversity - in time and space, and in motives and aims - of this institution and the people who came in contact with it.
This is a writing course, and at every stage we will have objectives in mind that bear on the final writing project.
Books to purchase:
Henry Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision
Lu Ann Homza, The Spanish Inquisition, 1478-1614
Lectures and Readings:
1) Aug. 26 – Introduction. The medieval inquisition and the attack on heresy: a “totalitarian” society?
Homza, pp. ix-xv.
2) Aug. 31, Sept. 2 - The Spanish Inquisition – Why was it established?
Homza, 1-8.
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Chs. 1-2.
3) Sept.7, 14, 16 - How did the Inquisition operate?
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Chs. 7-9.
Homza, 221-231, 257-266.
4) Sept. 21, 23, 28 – Is the Inquisition’s reputation for corruption and abuse justified?
Homza, 50-60.
Film: “O Judeu.”
5) Sept. 30- Oct. 4 – “Purity of Blood” and the Inquisition: A racist institution?
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Ch. 11.
6) Oct. 7, 12 - Resisting the Inquisition
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Chs. 3-4.
Miriam Bodian, Dying in the Law of Moses, Ch. 5 (E-Reserves online).
7) Oct. 14 – MID-TERM EXAM
8) Oct. 19, 21 - New targets: alumbrados, “luteranos,” and witches
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Ch. 5.
Homza, 80-92; 153-163.
9) Oct. 26 – New targets: moriscos
Kamen, Ch. 10.
Kamen and Dyer, eds., Inquisitorial Inquiries, 119-143. (E-Reserves online).
10) Oct. 28, Nov. 2 – Counter-Reformation Social Control
Kamen, Spanish Inquisition, Ch. 6, 12.
Sara Nalle, Crazy for God, Ch. 1 (E-Reserves online).
Homza, 216-220
11) Nov. 4 – Submission of drafts of final papers and their distribution for peer review.
12) Nov. 9 - The Enlightenment Critique of the Inquisition
Source: From Voltaire, Candide, Ch. 4 (link on E-Reserves).
13) Nov. 11, 16 - Decline and Abolition of the Inquisition
Edward Peters, Inquisition, pp. 99-104 (E-Reserves online).
14) Nov. 18, 23, 30 – Student presentations of projects.
15) Dec. 2 – Review and conclusions.
REQUIREMENTS
The grade components are as follows: class participation (10% of grade), midterm exam (20% of grade), two 3-5 page papers (20% of grade), a draft of a paper of about 20 pages (20% of grade), and a final paper (30%)..
The research project will involve the following. Each student will choose early in the semester, from a list of fictitious victims of the Inquisition, one “victim,” whose name, date of birth, place of residence, year of arrest, sentence, and date of sentencing will be provided. It will be the student’s task to create a history of this person’s involvement with the Inquisition, on the basis of material learned in class as well as outside reading. Your “historical” account must first and foremost be plausible, for example, in details of the arrest and interrogations. (This is not simple!) But are also encouraged to use your imagination. A number of books will be placed on reserve in the library for use in this project.
One aspect of the class will be peer review of each other’s work. You will be given detailed guidelines for this. This is intended to enhance your appreciation of critical thinking, good writing, and healthy collaboration.
All students are expected to abide by university standards of honesty and integrity. Assignments turned in after the deadline will be penalized by half a grade per day, except in unusual situations. The use of cell phones in class is not permitted, and any use of computers should be strictly for note-taking.
Professor Miriam Bodian
Garrison 2:104a
bodian@mail.utexas.edu
This course contains a Writing Flag.