Subject

Mediterranean: Shared Heritage

  • code 09141
  • course 3
  • term Semester 1
  • type OB
  • credits 6

Module: Cultural analysis -identity and innovation-

Matter: Art, cultural heritage, and experience

Main language of instruction: English

Teaching staff

Head instructor

MsU Mohammed Hassan ELRAZZAZ - melrazzaz@uic.es

Office hours

Beyond the class hours, the professor for this course is available for any questions and comments online at: melrazzaz@uic.es

Introduction

The Mediterranean is a realm of distant dreams and harsh realities. Throughout this course, we will examine the concept of the Mediterranean and its evolution from different perspectives, then proceed to study the Mediterranean cultural and natural heritage in all its diversity and richness, before finally tackling contemporary opportunities and challenges that can bring us together or push us apart. Throughout the course, there will be case studies and activities to enhance the students’ exposure and challenge their perception of the Mediterranean.

Pre-course requirements

 

No particular background is required for this course other than a good command of English and a desire to engage in discussions and collaborative work on a wide range of Mediterranean themes.


Objectives

  • To acquire a basic understanding of the complexity and the richness of the Mediterranean and the development of the concept.
  • To appreciate the Mediterranean heritage for its diversity, uniqueness and fragility.
  • To understand the current issues that have been shaping life in the Mediterranean and its surrounding region(s).

Competences / Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • E20 - Ability to reflect on human-environment interaction and the organisation of the resulting territory.
  • E27 - Ability to work in multicultural contexts.
  • E04 - Ability to recognise and interpret cultural manifestations.
  • E33 - Ability to relate concepts of heritage, homeland and cultural identity.
  • E37 - To have current knowledge of the areas of study related to international issues, taking into account contributions from relevant resources, such as a critical reflection on the impact of tourism (including cultural tourism) on development.
  • E29 - Skills for mediating in conflicts involving intercultural factors.
  • E09 - To understand the limits and forms of intercultural communication.

Learning outcomes of the subject

By the end of the course, the students should be able to:

Identify and engage in the current Mediterranean discussions through a multidisciplinary approach; explore the richness, diversity, sophistication and uniqueness of the Mediterranean heritage; examine the delicate balance(s) between human beings and Nature, as well as the human impact on the environment in the Mediterranean region; analyse the cultural identity/identities of the Mediterranean through comparative analyses and a study of multiple stakeholders; study the major factors (historical, cultural, political,...) that bring people(s) together and/or push them apart in the Mediterranean region; develop a thorough understanding of relevant terms; apply critical thinking to different modes of cultural expression (artistic, literary, intangible, etc.).

Syllabus

I. Conceptual Framework: Between Lyricism & Pragmatism

  1. Mediterranean or Mediterraneans? (Geographical Perspective)
  2. From Mare Nostrum to the Euro-Med (Historical Perspective)
  3. A ‘Mediterranean’ Culture? (Cultural Perspective)
  4. A World without the Mediterranean (Geostrategic Perspective)

II. Shared Mediterranean Heritage: Common Icons of Identity

  1. Introduction to Mediterranean Heritage

Civilising Sea, Corrupting Sea

  1. Mediterranean Cultural Heritage

                        2.1. Learning, Thought & Spirituality

                                 Writing and the first alphabet

                                 The first monotheistic religions

                                 The first philosophers

                                 The first great libraries & universities

                                 The ‘Uomo Universale’ model

                        2.2. Artistic & Literary Expression

                                  The birth pangs of human creativity

                                  Art for eternity

                                  The first Mediterranean epic poems

                                  An explosion of ‘-isms’

                        2.3. Archaeological sites & the Built Environment

                                  Architecture defying time

                                  Classical urban models

                                  Medinas, port-cities, fishermen villages

                                  Cityscape and soundscape

                                  Archaeological revelations & underwater worlds

                        2.4. Intangible Heritage

                                   Oral Traditions & Performing Arts

                                   Social Practices, Rituals, Knowledge concerning Nature

                                   Traditional Crafts

                        2.5. Other Types of Heritage

                                   Industrial, Scientific & Technical Heritage

                                   Ethnographic Elements

                                   Documentary & Digital Heritage

                       

  1. Mediterranean Natural Heritage

                        3.1. Biodiversity

                                   Flora & fauna

                                   Habitats & ecosystems

                                   Endangered species

                        3.2. Geodiversity

                                   Materials, forms & transformational processes

                                   Deltas, archipelagos, peninsulas, wetlands, etc.

 

  1. Mediterranean Mixed Heritage

                        4.1. Sacred Sites & Sanctuaries

                        4.2. Reservations & Cultural Landscapes

                        4.3. Cultural & Pilgrimage Routes

 

  1. Heritage Management & Protection

 

  1. Cultural Tourism and Mediterranean ‘Heritage Industries’

 

III. The Way Forward: The Tides Return Forever

Opportunities & Challenges beyond the Human Condition

  1. Regional Efforts (Union for the Mediterranean)
  2. Initiatives (Euromed Heritage Programme, H2020, Blue Economy…)


Chapter  Class 01 - Introduction: a civilizing sea, a corrupting sea

Teaching and learning activities

In person

Apart from regular discussions in class, the teaching methodology is based on real-life case studies at the beginning of each class, complemented with reading material and relevant outdoor activities.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

- Participation: 30%

- Assignments: 30%

- Essay: 40%

Bibliography and resources

The Mediterranean: a shared heritage

Mohammed Elrazzaz

Euro-Mediterranean University (Piran, 2018)

 

The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean

David Abulafia

Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (September 1, 2013)

 

Memory and the Mediterranean

Fernand Braudel

Vintage; Reprint edition (December 3, 2002)

 

The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Vol. 1-2

Fernand Braudel

University of California Press; Reprint edition (July 16, 1996)

 

The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History

Peregrine Horden and Nicholas Purcell

Wiley-Blackwell (April 7, 2000)

 

Mediterranean Passages: Readings from Dido to Derrida

Miriam Cooke and Erdag Göknar

The University of North Carolina Press; First Edition edition (October 20, 2008)

 

Back to the Garden: Nature and the Mediterranean World from Prehistory to the Present

James H.S. McGregor

Yale University Press (February 10, 2015)

 

Southern Thought and Other Essays on the Mediterranean

Franco Cassano

Fordham University Press; 1 edition (May 1, 2012)

Teaching and learning material

      Material
            Case Study 10 - Literature mirroring Conflicts  casestudy10-literaturemirroringconflicts.pdf 
            Case Study 11 - What is an art style? casestudy11-whatisanartstyle.pdf 
            Case Study 12 - The Story of Art  casestudy12-thestoryofart.pdf 
            Case Study 13 - Mediterranean Archaeology  casestudy13-mediterraneanarchaeology.pdf 
            Case Study 14 - The Temples of Malta  casestudy14-themegalithictemplesofmalta.pdf 
            Case Study 15 - Palestinian Hikayeh and Sicilian Puppets  casestudy15-palestinianhikayehasicilianpuppets.pdf 
            Case Study 16 - Moroccan Argan and Cordoban Patios  casestudy16-argantreesacordobanpatios.pdf 
            Case Study 17 - Croatian Gingerbread & Bosnian Zmijanje casestudy17-croatiangingerbreadabosnianzmijanje.pdf 
            Case Study 18 - Intro to Industrial Heritage  casestudy18-introducingindustrialheritage.pdf 
            Case Study 1 - North and South  casestudy1-northandsouth.pdf 
            Case Study 20 - Cultural Heritage Revisited  casestudy20-culturalheritagerevisited.pdf 
            Case Study 21 - Loggerhead Turtle  casestudy21-loggerheadturtle.pdf 
            Case Study 22 - Cabo de Gata Geopark  casestudy22-cabodegatageopark.pdf 
            Case Study 23 - Ibiza, Biodiversity & Culture casestudy23-ibiza,biodiversityaculture.pdf 
            Case Study 24 - Partenrship for Pompeii casestudy24-partenrshipforpompeii.pdf 
            Case Study 25 - The Dark Side of Cultural Tourism casestudy25-thedarksideofculturaltourism.pdf 
            Case Study 26 - Destruction of Palmyra casestudy26-destructionofpalmyra.pdf 
            Case Study 27 - Mare Nostrum  casestudy27-marenostrum.pdf 
            Case Study 2 - The Neolithic Revolution  casestudy2-neolithicrevolution.pdf 
            Case Study 3 - Where history repeats itself  casestudy3-wherehistoryrepeatsitself.pdf 
            Case Study 4 - Frontier Sea  casestudy4.1-afrontiersea.pdf 
            Case Study 5 - The Sixth Continent  casestudy5-thesixthcontinent.pdf 
            Case Study 6 - Mediterranean Security  casestudy6-securityofthemediterraneansea.pdf 
            Case Study 7 - World Heritage Convention  casestudy7-worldheritageconvention.pdf 
            Case Study 8 - Qué es el Patrimonio Cultural? casestudy8-queeselpatrimoniocultural.pdf 
            Case Study 9 - Greek Drama  casestudy9-greekdrama.pdf 
            Class 01 - Introduction: a civilizing sea, a corrupting sea class1-introduction.pptx 
            Class 02 - Mediterranean Geography  class2-geographicalperspective.pptx 
            Class 03 - Mediterranean History Part 1 class3-historicalperspective-i.pptx 
            Class 04 - Mediterranean History Part 2 class4-historicalperspective-ii.pptx 
            Class 05 - Mediterranean Culture  class5-culturalperspective.pptx 
            Class 06 - Geostrategic Perspective  class6-strategicperspective.pptx 
            Class 07 - Intro to Heritage  class7-introtoheritage.pptx 
            Class 08 - Learning, Thought and Spirituality  class8-learning,thoughtaspirituality.pptx 
            Class 09 / 10: Literary Expression and Oral Tradition class9-10-literaryexpression.pptx 
            Class 11: Artistic Expression Part 1 class11-artisticexpressioni.pptx 
            Class 12: Artistic Expression Part 2 class12-artisticexpressionii.ppt 
            Class 13: Archaeology and Urban Development  class13-archaeologicalsitesaurbanhistory.pptx 
            Class 14: Masterpieces of Architecture class14-architecture.pptx 
            Class 15: Oral Tradition and Performing Arts class15-oraltraditionaperformingarts.pptx 
            Class 16: Rituals, Festivals and Ancestral Knowledge  class16-rituals,festivals,ancestralknowledge.pptx 
            Class 17: Traditional Crafts  class17-traditionalcrafts.pptx 
            Class 18: Industrial and Scientific Heritage  class18-industrialascientificheritage.pptx 
            Class 19: Documentary Heritage  class19-documentaryheritage.pptx 
            Class 20: Cultural Heritage Review class20-culturalheritagereview.pptx 
            Class 21: Mediterranean Biodiversity  class21-biodiversity.pptx 
            Class 22: Mediterranean Geodiversity  class22-geodiversity.pptx 
            Class 23: Mediterranean Mixed Heritage  class23-mixedheritage.pptx 
            Class 24: Heritage Management  class24-heritagemanagement.pptx 
            Class 25: Heritage Industries  class25-heritageindustries.pptx 
            Class 26: Disappearing Heritage Assignment  class26-disappearingheritageassignmentpresentation.pptx 
            Class 27: Global Trends  class27-globaltrendsaheritagedebates.pptx 
            Readings 10 - The Mediterranean of Albert Camus 10.themediterraneanofalbertcamus.pdf 
            Readings 11 - The First Fresco Masters  11.thefirstfrescomasters.pdf 
            Readings 12 - The Mediterranean of Picasso  12.themediterraneanofpicasso.pdf 
            Readings 13 - The World's First Cities  13.theworldsoldestcities.pdf 
            Readings 14 - The Basilica - From Rome to Byzantium 14.thebasilica-fromrometobyzantium.pdf 
            Readings 15 - Performing Arts & Oral Tradition 15.performingartsaoraltradition.pdf 
            Readings 16 - Social Practices, Rituals & Festivals 16.socialpractices,ritualsafestivals.pdf 
            Readings 17 - Traditional Knowledge & Practices 17.traditionalknowledgeapractices.pdf 
            Readings 18 - Industrial Landmarks  18.industriallandmarks.pdf 
            Readings 1 - Mediterraneans - David Abulafia 1.mediterraneans-davidabulafia.pdf 
            Readings 20 - World Heritage Brochure 20.worldheritagebrochure.pdf 
            Readings 21 - The Mediterranean as Biodiversity Hotspot 21.themediterraneanasbiodiversityhotspot.pdf 
            Readings 22 - Geodiversity down the Spotlight  22.geodiversitydownthespot.pdf 
            Readings 23 - Cultural Landscapes - Culture meets Nature 23.culturallandscapes-culturemeetsnature.pdf 
            Readings 24 - The Need for Heritage Management 24.theneedforheritagemanagement.pdf 
            Readings 25 - UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Programme 25.unescosustainabletourismprogramme.pdf 
            Readings 26 - Terrorism and Heritage  26.terrorismandheritage.pdf 
            Readings 27 - Ten Key Findings on Cultural Heritage 27.tenkeyfindingsonculturalheritage.pdf 
            Readings 2 - A Sea that defines the Land 2.aseathatdefinestheland.pdf 
            Readings 3 - Towards the Garden of the Hesperides 3.towardsthegardenofthehesperides.pdf 
            Readings 4 - The Mediterranean of the Romantics  4.themediterraneanoftheromantics.pdf 
            Readings 5 - Ithaka - The Mediterranean of Cavafy 5.ithaka-themediterraneanofcavafy.pdf 
            Readings 6 - A Living Civilization  6.alivingcivilization.pdf 
            Readings 7 - The Heritage Rash  7.theheritagerash.pdf 
            Readings 8 - The Odyssey of Mediterranean Knowledge 8.theodysseyofmediterraneanknowledge.pdf 
            Readings 9 - Godfathers of Renaissance Literature 9.godfathersofrenaissanceliterature.pdf 
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