Medieval Frontiers: Cross-Cultural Encounters in Premodern Europe and Beyond

Admission to the course requires a Bachelor of Arts degree (or equivalent) in history, archeology, classical studies, cultural heritage, history of ideas, economic history, or equivalent field.

This course offers a deep exploration of medieval frontiers -- political, cultural, and physical -- as dynamic zones of cross-cultural contact, identity formation, and ideological confrontation. Through case studies from Viking and medieval Scandinavia, Christian-Muslim-pagan encounters, crusading movements, and mythological traditions, students examine how frontiers shaped societal, cultural, and religious dimensions across Europe and beyond.

Special attention is given to the spatial, ethnic, institutional, and emotional aspects of frontier societies, analyzing how these influenced power relations, community building, conflict, and coexistence. Students engage with a wide array of sources and conceptual frameworks to critically interpret frontier experiences and their broader implications. The course also encourages reflection on how frontier concepts—often framed through conflict—have been constructed in both medieval contexts and modern scholarship.

Knowledge and understanding

• discuss in-depth examples of frontiers and frontier societies in medieval Europe and outline their specific historical conditions and challenges.
• independently and critically engage with different concepts, theories and research perspectives in studies on medieval frontier societies. 

Skills and abilities

• apply appropriate analytical concepts and theories to explain how different frontiers and frontier societies emerged and evolved in different regions of medieval Europe as well as how their internal tensions were articulated and resolved.
• critically identify and compare different types of frontiers as well as their societal and cultural dimensions and articulations in terms of spatiality, ethnicity, religion, institutions, identity, and emotions.
• independently apply relevant research concepts and perspectives on different types of source material.

Judgment and approach

• critically reflect on how contemporary concerns have shaped conceptualizations of frontiers and frontier societies in modern scholarship.

The course is taught through seminars, lectures, and group exercises that require active student participation.

Examinations consist of written assignments and active participation in seminars and group exercises.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.