COURSES: 

Washington and Lee University (1999-):

                History 100:  "European Civilization, 325-1517."  Fall, 1999, and every year.  Introductory survey, lectures and discussion; textbook, primary texts and documents; three four-page expository essays, three one-hour examinations (identification and essay).

                History 114:  "The World of Dante."  Spring, 2000, 2002, 2005, and alternate years.  Seminar for freshmen and sophomores.  Readings in translation of Dino Compagni's Chronicle of Florence and Dante's Divine Comedy in their political, social, and artistic contexts.  Three hours of discussion per week, two four-page expository essays and one book report..

                History 115:  "The Machiavellian Moment."  Spring, 2001, 2004, and alternate years.  Seminar for freshmen and sophomores.  Readings in translation of Machiavelli's major writings in their historical contexts, and major secondary analyses.  Three hours of discussion per week, two four-page expository essays and one book report.

                History 301:  "Europe in the Early Middle Ages, 325-1198."  Fall, 1999, 2001, 2004, and alternate years.  Upper-class survey, lectures and discussion; textbook, primary texts and documents, secondary readings; three four-page expository essays (or book reports, or a term paper), two ninety-minute examinations (identification and essay).

                History 302:  "Europe in the Late Middle Ages, 1198-1500."  Winter, 2000, 2002, 2005, and alternate years.  Upper-class survey, lectures and discussion; textbook, primary sources and documents, secondary readings; three four-page expository essays (or book reports, or term paper), two ninety-minute examinations (identification and essay).

                History 303:  "The Italian Renaissance in Its Historical Setting."  Fall, 2000, 2003, 2005, and alternate years.  Upper-class survey, lectures and discussion; textbook, primary texts and documents, secondary readings; three four-page expository essays (or book reports, or term paper), two ninety-minute examinations (identification and essay).

                History 304:  "The Age of Reformation."  Winter, 2001, 2004, and alternate years..  Upper-class survey, lectures and discussion; three four-page expository essays (or book reports, or term paper), two ninety-minute examinations (identification and essay).

                History 305:  "Religion and the Church in Medieval Politics and Society."  Winter, 2000, 2002, 2005, and alternate years.  Upper-class seminar; primary texts, documents, and secondary readings from the rise of Christianity to the Reformation.  Three hours discussion per week; two four-page expository essays, two book reports (or a term paper) presented to the class.

                History 306:  "Medieval and Renaissance Political Thought."  Winter 2001, and alternate years.  Upper-class seminar; primary texts, documents, and secondary readings on political thought from Augustine to Machiavelli.  Three hours discussion per week, two four-page expository essays, two book reports (or a term paper) presented to the class.

                History 395a:  "The World of Dante."  Spring, 2000, 2002, 2005, and alternate years.  Seminar for juniors and seniors.  Readings in translation of Dino Compagni's Chronicle of Florence and Dante's Divine Comedy, and secondary literature on their political, social, and artistic contexts.  Three hours of discussion per week, two four-page expository essays and a book report (or one expository and a term paper).

                History 395b:  "The Machiavellian Moment."  Spring, 2001, 2004, and alternate years.  Seminar for juniors and seniors.  Readings in translation of Machiavelli's major writings in their historical contexts, and major secondary analyses.  Three hours of discussion per week, two four-page expository essays and a book report (or one expository and a term paper).

Senior Honors Theses:

Director:

                Courtney Catherine Yevich, “Cultural History and Cultural Encounters:  The Case of  New World Travelogue Illustrations," (MRST 493) 1999-2000.

                Robert Policelli, "Machiavelli and the Theater of Politics," (MRST 493) 2001-2002.

                Kara Coen, "Death to Tyrants.  The Evolution of Political Thought Regarding Tyrannicide from Cicero to Salutati," (Hist. 493) 2003-2004.

                Matthew McDermott, “Republicanism with Results.  The Imperial Sway of Leonardo Bruni's Utilitarian Humanism as Demonstrated by His Laudatio Florentinae Urbis," (Hist 493) 2003-2004.

                Natalie Deibel, “Power for Power's Sake.  Margaret of Anjoy's Motivations for the Use of Political Power During England's Wars of the Roses," (MRST 493) 2003-2004.

                Rory Gray, "The Elizabethan Succession Crisis 1558-1700:  Synastic Conflict and Parliamentary Power," (MRST 493) 2003-2004.

Second Reader:

                Melanie Baker, "St. Augustine's Theory of the Will," (MRST 493) 2000-2001.  (Dir. Prof. Alexandra Brown, Department of Religion.)

                Tatum Jones, "Morgan Le Fey," (MRST 493) 2001-2002.  (Dir. Prof. Edwin Craun, Department of English.)

                Matthew Petrusek, "Poverty in the Middle Ages," (MRST 493) 2001-2002.  (Dir. Prof. Harlan Beckley, Shepherd Poverty Program.)

                Eric Witt, "The Election of 1860 in Virginia," (Hist. 493) 2003-2004.  (Dir. Prof. J. Holt Marchant, Department of History.)

                Richard Busby, Jr., "Franciscan Art as Propaganda:  The Conventuals and the Chapel of Saint Martin in San Francesco at ASsisi," (MRST 493) 2004-2005.  (Dir. Prof. Kathleen Schowalter, Department of Art.)

Independent Study (History 403):

                Hillary Everist, "Renaissance Religion," Winter, 2000.

                Matthew McDermott, "Renaissance Politics," Fall, 2001.

                Suzanne LaFleur, "Medieval Ireland," Winter, 2005.   

Robert E. Lee Summer Scholars:

                Tatum Jones, "Religion and Gender in Renaissance Italy," 2001.

                Robert Ludwig, "Religion and Politics in Renaissance Italy," 2001.

                Katharine Muscalino, "Church-State Relations in Renaissance Italy," 2002.

                Matthew Miller, "Heresy and Religious Deviance in the Late Middle Ages," 2005.

Cornell University (1997-1998):

                History 151:  "Introduction to Western Civilization," Fall, 1997.  Introductory survey, lecture course for 50 students.  Near Eastern origins to the Reformation.  Combined lectures, discussion sections, textbook, primary texts and documents, two four-page expository essays, three one-hour examinations (identification and essay).

                History 450:  "Power and the Sacred in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe."  Senior (and graduate) seminar for 15 students.  Combined primary texts and secondary literature addressing topics in rough chronological order.  Emphasized urban contexts, gender, and recent approaches to the history of religion.  Four-page expository essay, four-page book report, and a ten-page term paper (or take home final examination).

University of Texas at Austin (1985-1994):

                History 309K:  "European Civilization from Late Antiquity to the Reformation."  Fall, 1985-86, 1988-93.  Introductory survey, lecture course with discussions for 100 students.  Three one-hour examinations (identification and essay).

                History 362L:  "The Italian Renaissance in its Historical Setting."  Spring, 1986, 1989-94.  Upper-class survey, lecture course with discussions for 50 students.  Three seventy-five minute examinations (identification and essay).

                History 343:  "Politics and Religion in the Age of Reform."  Spring, 1987.  Upper-class survey, lecture course with discussions for 50 students.  Three one-hour examinations (identification and essay).

                History 350L:  "Religion, Politics, and the Church in the Middle Ages and Renaissance."  Fall, 1985-86, 1988-93.  Upper-class seminar, open to graduate students.  Texts and contexts, topics arranged in rough chronological order; strong writing component.

                History 383:  "The History of Political Thought from Thomas Aquinas to Machiavelli."  Spring, 1986, 1988-91, 1993.  Graduate seminar.  Analysis of scholastic, humanist, and canonistic texts.

                History 397L:  "Medieval and Renaissance Historiography."  Spring, 1992, 1994.  Graduate seminar.  A bibliographic introduction to the origins of recent trends and methods.

                Doctoral dissertation directed:  Alan Cottrell, "Calliope and Clio:  The Influence of Historical Context on Angelo Poliziano's Classical Scholarship," 1995.  Candidate is now published and employed.

                Doctoral dissertation committees:  5.

                Master's field examinations:  16.

Stanford University (1982-1984):

                History 1, 2, 3:  "European History from the Middle Ages to the Present."  Great texts in historical context from Plato to Freud.  Seminar leader and grader, four sections of 15 students each quarter.

Cornell University (1975-1982):

                History 150, "The Individual and Society:  Perfectibility and History in the Western Tradition."  Instructor, Spring, 1982.  Undergraduate seminar surveying major political theorists from Plato to Marx. 

                History 369, "Renaissance Culture."  Teaching assistant, Fall, 1981.  Upper-class interdisciplinary survey.

                History 151, "Western Civilization to 1715."  Teaching Assistant, Fall 1976.

                History 152, "Western Civilization since 1715."  Teaching Assistant, Spring, 1977, 1979, 1980.