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EUH 4185 UHA: VIKING HISTORY AND SOCIETY Time and place of class: TBA

Instructor Erika Harlitz Kern, Department of History Office: ekern@fiu.edu Office hours: TBA

During the semester we will: • Learn about and be able to explain some of the key developments in Scandinavia during

the period 600–1300.• Become experienced in understanding, analyzing, and critically evaluating historical

processes.• Learn and apply the techniques of writing an argumentative, thesis-driven, and evidence-

based paper using the knowledge acquired through the study of the history of Viking AgeScandinavia and the critical evaluation of the historical sources.

MARVEL’s Thor.

Vikings on the History Channel.

Norse mythology adopted by Neo-Pagans and Neo-Nazis alike.

Viking Metal.

The Viking Age ended centuries ago, and still, the Vikings and their world continue to tickle our imagination. This semester we will explore Viking society and culture from the seventh century to the end of the thirteenth century. We will follow the political, economic, and religious development of Viking societies in Scandinavia, Great Britain, France, Canada, Russia, Central Asia, the Levant, and the Persian Gulf. We will consider the ways that these societies expanded, contracted, and interacted with the societies already in existence in the places where the Vikings chose to plunder and to settle.

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We will achieve these goals by considering the following issues in particular:

• How Viking society was structured and organized. • How the environment shaped the daily lives of the Vikings. • How the Vikings interpreted the world they lived in through their beliefs.

This course is a Global Learning Foundations course that counts towards your Global Learning graduation requirement. One of the themes of this course will therefore be how and why different groups of people interacted over the time period covered by the course. Specifically, this course will enable you to:

• Construct an evidence-based argument demonstrating how local, regional, and inter-regional events shaped the interactions of two or more groups in the Viking world, and the development of the Viking world. (Global Awareness)

• Construct an evidence-based argument that integrates multiple perspectives on issues related to the Viking world. (Global Perspective).

• Consider the different perspectives on a problem or a controversy related to the Viking world, and attempt to reach a resolution to this problem. (Global Engagement)

Written Proficiency Throughout the semester we will practice writing frequently, and the writing assignments will make up a significant portion of your grade. Clear and concise communication through writing is the key to success in college and in any profession! Required reading:

• Anders Winroth The Age of the Vikings (Princeton University Press, 2014). ISBN: 9780691149851.

• Angus Somerville & Andrew McDonald, The Vikings and Their Age (University of Toronto Press, 2013). ISBN: 9781442605220.

• Angus Somerville & Andrew McDonald, The Viking Age. A Reader, 2nd edition (University of Toronto Press, 2014). ISBN: 9781442608672.

You may purchase the required books at the campus bookstore, any other bookstore of your choice, or obtain it from a library. All other readings will be available to you online, through the library website or on Canvas. You are responsible for coming to class having read and be prepared to discuss the readings listed for that day. Each student must have access to a copy of the day’s readings in class.

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Grade Distribution You can earn 1,000 points through regular work during the semester. Points In-class Participation 180 points/12 points per attended lecture Out-of-class Participation 180 total points

• Journals 15 points per journal • Library Day Report 15 points

Syllabus Quiz 10 points Mid-term Paper 215 points Final Paper 415 points Total 1,000 points In-class Participation (180 points) In-class participation means arriving on time, being prepared, and having read the readings for the day, as well as listening alertly, and taking notes. Classroom participation also means contributing to the discussion, i.e., answering a question that I ask. It can also mean you asking a question about something that confused you, actively participating in group work, or bringing up something that interested you. Your comments, questions, and responses to others make all of us better scholars. You have the right to agree, disagree, challenge, and question the opinions and comments of others, including the instructor. You do not have the right to be disrespectful to anyone else in the classroom or online, or to act in a way that makes others uncomfortable. Such behavior will not be tolerated. Out-of-class Participation (180 points) Out-of-class participation means reading the required reading before each in-class lecture, submitting a journal entry after each in-class lecture, and submitting a library day report. It also means taking the online syllabus quiz and submitting the journals and other writing assignments on time through turnitin. This class is a hybrid class. Work done out-of-class is equally as important as work done in-class. Keeping up with the work out-of-class requires planning and commitment. Syllabus quiz During the first week of class you are required to take an online quiz on the syllabus. Journals After each in-class lecture you will write and submit a journal entry summarizing and analyzing the content of the in-class activities as well as a reflection of what you have learned from these activities. As part of the Global Engagement aspect of this course, the journals need to include a

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relevant news item currently being reported on that relates to the topic of the journal. Throughout the semester you will be writing and submitting a total of eleven journal entries. Library Day Report The in-class activity of week 7 will be a workshop at the Green Library with one of the reference librarians. The purpose of this workshop is for you to learn how to use the resources of the library in preparation for the papers, which you will be writing as part of this course. After the library workshop, the out-of-class activity will be a written library day report. I will be posting a writing prompt on Canvas in good time before the library day report is due, explaining the assignment. Writing Assignments (630 points) Mid-term Paper (215 points) due: TBA. Final Paper (415 points) due: TBA. This semester you are responsible for writing and submitting two papers—one mid-term paper and one final paper. I will be posting writing prompts on Canvas in good time before the papers are due, explaining the writing assignment. Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and will not be tolerated in this class. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• Plagiarizing (i.e., representing someone else’s work as your own, e.g., by not including citations in your writing assignments).

• Cheating on your assignments (e.g., handing in writing assignments written by someone other than yourself).

• Engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work. Academic dishonesty will result in a penalty ranging from a zero on the assignment in question to failure in the course and reporting to FIU. For more information on academic dishonesty, please see the Student Handbook. If you have any questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please contact me and I will be happy to answer them. Support Your Instructor Me! I want to help you succeed in this class, and I am happy to answer questions. The best way to reach me is by email (ekern@fiu.edu). I will do my best to reply within 24 hrs. However, if you email me late on Friday afternoon, you might not receive a reply until Monday. If you have any general questions regarding the course, please consult this syllabus first. If your question still has not been answered, you are welcome to email me and I will try and help you. The History Tutors The History Tutors are an excellent resource provided by the Department of History to help students taking history courses with their writing assignments. There are several history graduate

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students working in the department’s main office (DM-390) whose job it is to tutor history students. I highly recommend that you make an appointment with the History Tutors when you are working on your writing assignments. To set up an appointment, please visit https://history.fiu.edu/tutoring. Students with Disabilities If you have, or believe you might have, a disability-related need for modification or reasonable accommodation in this course, please contact the Disability Resource Center (http://drc.fiu.edu). I am happy to work with you and the DRC to accommodate you in the best way possible. Even if you do not need to accommodation, I highly advise you to let me know if you have a registered disability that might affect your performance in this class. Accommodations If you foresee any possible problems meeting any of the requirements of this class—including attendance and submission of assignments—please contact me as soon as possible. It is easier for everyone to address an issue before it becomes a problem.

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Schedule Week 1 Introduction I.

• In-Class: Introduction to the semester. • Out-of-class: Syllabus quiz.

Journal 1. Study guide week 2.

Week 2 Introduction II.

• In-Class: What is history? Critical thinking. The interdisciplinary approach. Required reading: Somerville & McDonald (2013), Chapter 4 “How Do We Know About the Vikings?” (p. 85–128).

• Out of class: Journal 2. Study guide week 3.

Week 3 Scandinavia in the Viking Age.

• In-Class Required reading: Somerville & McDonald (2013), Chapter 1 “The Viking Age. An Overview” (p. 1–38); Winroth, Chapter 2 “Violence in a Violent Time” (p. 15–44); Winroth, “Scandinavia in European History” (.pdf on Canvas). Primary source: Somerville & McDonald (2014), “A Description of the Islands of the North” (p. 5–14).

• Out of class: Journal 3. Study guide week 4.

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Week 4 Migrants or Barbarians?

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 3 “Röriks at Home and Away” (p. 45–70); Science, “Why did Greenland’s Vikings Disappear?” (link on Canvas); National Geographic, “Discovery Could Rewrite History of Vikings in New World (link on Canvas). Primary Source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “The Settlement of Greenland” (p. 308–310), “The King’s Mirror on Greenland” (p. 310–311), “Adam of Bremen on Vinland” (p. 311), “The Norse Discovery of Vinland” (p. 311–316), “Thorfinn Karlsefni in Vinland” (p. 311–316).

• Out-of-class: Journal 4 Study guide week 5.

Week 5 Wednesday, February 7 Merchants or Settlers?

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 5 “Coins, Silk, and Herring” (p. 99–130); James E. Montgomery, “Vikings and Rus in Arabic Sources” (.pdf on Canvas); D.M. Hadley, “In Search of the Vikings. The Problems and the Possibilities of Interdisciplinary Approaches” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “River Routes to Constantinople” (p. 280–282), “A Norwegian Soldier of Fortune in the East” (p. 282–286).

• Out of class: Journal 5 Study guide week 6.

Week 6 Wednesday, February 14 Blue Foot, Green Foot. The Maritime Culture of the Vikings.

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 4 “Ships, Boats, and Ferries to the Afterworld” (p. 71–97); Elise Naumann et al, “Changes in Dietary Practices and Social Organization during the Pivotal Late Iron Age Period in Norway (AD 550–1030): Isotope Analyses of Merovingian and Viking Age Human Remains” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “King Olav Tryggvasson Builds the Long Serpent” (p. 152–153), “Harald Sigurdarson’s Splendid Ship” (p. 153–155), “King Sverrir’s Mariasud” (p. 155–156), “The Great Ships of King Hakon IV” (p. 156–159).

• Out of class: Journal 6.

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Week 7 Library Day

• In-Class: Workshop at the Green Library.

• Out of class: Library Day Report. Study guide for week 8.

Week 8 Women Indoors. Men Outdoors.

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth Chapter 7, “At Home on the Farm” (p. 157–180); Somerville and McDonald (2013), Chapter 2 “Society and Religion in the Viking Age,” (p. 39–49); Pernille Pantmann, “The Symbolism of Keys” (.pdf on Canvas); Marie Louise Stig Sørensen, “Gender, Material Culture, and Identity in the Viking Diaspora” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “Betrothals in the Sagas” (p. 105–108), “Divorces from the Sagas” (p. 108–116). Additional reading materials (not required): Martin Rundkvist, “A Female Viking Warrior Interred at Birka (link on Canvas); Judith Jesch, “Let’s Debate Female Viking Warriors Yet Again” (link on Canvas); Howard Williams, “Viking Warrior Women. An Archaeodeath Response Part 1” (link on Canvas); Howard Williams, “Viking Warrior Women. An Archaeodeath Response Part 2” (link on Canvas); Neil Price, “Women with Weapons. In Search of the Female Viking” (link on Canvas).

• Out-of-class: Journal 7 Work on your mid-term paper.

Week 9 Mid-term Paper

• In-Class: Mid-term Paper workshop.

• Out-of-class: Finish your Mid-term Paper. Week 10 From Chieftains to Kings.

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 6 “From Chieftans to Kings” (p. 131–156); Somerville and McDonald (2013), Chapter 2, “Society and Religion in the Viking Age,” (p. 48–56); Sverre Bagge, “Early State Formation in Scandinavia” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “Harald Finehair and the Unification

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of Norway” (p. 424–429), “State-Making in Denmark: Unification and Expansion” (p. 431–433).

• Out of class: Journal 8. Study guide for week 11

Week 11 Norse Mythology.

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 8, “The Religions of the North” (p. 181–198), Somerville and McDonald (2013), Chapter 2 “Society and Religion in the Viking Age,” (p. 56–62); Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda, “Introduction (by Jesse L. Byock)” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda, “Prologue” (.pdf on Canvas).

• Out of class: Journal 9. Study guide for week 12

Week 12 Pagan to Christian.

• In-Class: Required reading: Somerville and McDonald (2013), Chapter 2 “Society and Religion in the Viking Age” (p. 62–66); Winroth, Chapter 8, “Religions of the North” (p. 198–211); Sara E. Ellis Nilsson, “The Conversion and Early Christianization in Scandinavia” (.pdf on Canvas); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “The Conversion of the Danes” (p. 383–386), “Olav Tryggvasson and the Conversion of Norway” (p. 386–393), “The Conversion of the Icelanders” (p. 402–404), “Christianity in Sweden” (p. 406–407).

• Out of class: Journal 10. Study guide for week 13. Start working on your Final Paper.

Week 13 The End of the Viking Age.

• In-Class: Required reading: Winroth, Chapter 10 “Epilogue: The End of the Viking Age” (p. 241–247); Somerville and McDonald (2013), “Afterword: Viking Impacts and Legacies” (p. 135–139); Primary source: Somerville and McDonald (2014), “The Battle of Largs,

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1263” (p. 475–481); Snorri Sturluson, King Harald’s Saga, “The Battle of Stamford Bridge” (.pdf on Canvas).

• Out of class: Journal 11. Continue working on your final paper.

Week 14 Final Paper

• In-Class: Final Paper workshop. • Out of class: Finish your Final Paper.

Week 15 Wrap-Up

• In-Class: Feedback. Evaluation. Scandinavian food tasting.

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Class Policies Excused Absences Because we will only be meeting in-class once a week there will be no excused absences. If you are absent for any reason, it is your responsibility to get notes from a classmate. Classroom Behavior Arrive on time and stay until the end of class. Failure to do so will affect your attendance. If you must arrive late or leave early, do so with as little disturbance to others as possible. Please turn off your cell phone. Late Policy Assignments are due at the deadlines stated in this syllabus. Unless an extension is granted by me, the grade on any late written work is automatically reduced by one third of a letter grade (e.g., B+ becomes a B) for each day the paper is late, including Saturday and Sunday. No regular semester work will be accepted beyond the deadline of the last assignment. Changes to the Syllabus I reserve the right to change this syllabus to facilitate better learning. /Dr. Kern

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