HIST 3300 - Crime and Punishment in the Medieval West

In this course students will learn how medieval European society, a society with no police, few jails, and weak central authorities, tried to manage violence, crime, and social deviancy. Topics will include the feud, the judicial ordeal, systems of compensation and reconciliation, the origins of the jury system, the rediscovery of Roman law, the inquisition, witchcraft trials, torture, and punishment. By the end of the course, students will be able to recognize the medieval and Roman roots of our own approach to justice. Amongst an array of methods for historical analysis, students will receive training in various methods of computer-based data analysis, visualizations, and professional presentation - transferrable to any profession. 3 credits.