History: From Stone Tablets to Bookprint, Media History before 1600

<p>Rapid technological changes make us aware of how important communication is today. In this stand-alone course in Media History, covering the period from prehistoric times up to the 1600s, you will learn how to analyse and interpret media content, form and use from a historical perspective.</p><p>The course offers a chronological overview of world history from prehistoric times to the early modern period. You will learn about the first writing systems and the relationship between oral and written cultures. You will study the introduction of printing and how it influenced religious conflicts and the formation of nation states. To understand how communication shapes society, you will explore what media is - and what it can be. </p><p>You will read about how the subject has been defined by media historians. Communication through text, sound and image is discussed in relation to economic, political, cultural and social change. The course is based on a broad concept of media and the idea that different media forms must be understood in relation to one another.</p><p>The course is taught at the Department of History. The course is given as a full-time course (daytime) on campus. The course is a free-standing course for beginners. This course also forms part of the introductory course in Media History.</p>