Universität Wien

070124 PS Proseminar (2018S)

Free and Bounded Labour in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period (Wage labour, slavery, servitude and serfdom)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 7 - Geschichte
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Tuesday 06.03. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 13.03. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 20.03. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 10.04. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 17.04. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 24.04. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 08.05. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 15.05. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 29.05. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 05.06. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 12.06. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 19.06. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Tuesday 26.06. 16:00 - 17:30 Seminarraum WISO 1 (ZG1O2.28) Hauptgebäude, Stiege 6 Zwischengeschoß
Saturday 30.06. 09:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum Geschichte 1 Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 10

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The evolutionary view of a world-historical development from unfree to free forms of labour relationships (from “feudalism” to “capitalism”, from “status” to “contract”) has been fundamentally challenged by recent historical scholarship. New interpretations now stress that wage labour was until the second half of the 19th century not solely based on a freely negotiated contract between sellers and buyers of labour power, but involved many elements of servitude. In a global historical perspective the simultaneity and interconnectedness of forms of free and unfree labour relations are debated. From this viewpoint, the early development of capitalism is no longer seen as identical with the establishment of free wage labour, but based on the interaction of different modes of production based on more or less unfree forms of labour. The subject therefore provides opportunities to investigate, compare and relate different forms of labour relationships within wide historical and spatial dimensions.

The course will be held in weekly sessions during the first two months of the semester during which we will acquire a common base of knowledge of the subject by reading and discussing key texts. This is followed by a period of individual research. It is concluded by a symposium at the end of the semester where the participants present and discuss their research results. At this point a preliminary version of the seminar paper is due. On the basis of the discussions and feed-backs given during the symposium participants have to elaborate improved final versions of their papers until September.

Assessment and permitted materials

Continuous presence, engagement and the writing of a seminar paper on a self-chosen subject within the general thematic framework of the course.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Presence (20%); continuous engagement (30%); seminar paper (50%)

Examination topics

Reading list

Karin Hofmeester/Marcel van der Linden (eds.), Handbook The Global History of Work, Berlin/Boston 2018, Chapter 4, pp. 317-410 (u:search – online)
Marcel van der Linden, Workers of the World. Essays towards a Global Labour History, Leiden u. Boston 2008. (u:search – online)
Micheal L. Bush (ed.), Serfdom and Slavery. Studies in Legal Bondage, Manchester 1996.
Micheal L. Bush (ed.), Servitude in Modern Times, Cambridge 2000.

Association in the course directory

Mittelalter, Neuzeit, Globalgeschichte, Österreichische Geschichte und Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:30