Assessment

Continuous Assessment 100%

Module Aims

This is an elective module. It’s aim is to induct students into an engagement with European humanism as a common ongoing endeavour, of which they are participants. It is inspired by an appeal of Pope Francis, (Address on Receiving The Charlemagne Prize, May 2016) for the recovery of a lost – or maybe never fully recognized – ‘soul’ of Europe. In collaboration with the European Federation of Catholic Universities, and funded by the Erasmus+ mobility scheme, it is an interdisciplinary module that addresses historical, cultural, religious, political, and activist themes. It draws learners from across Europe to reflect on their experience and encounters to identify overlapping values.

Indicative Syllabus:

The module is offered over five days in a hosting university. Two online sessions take place before and after the summer school. The week consists of following five themes, structured in two parts:

PART I – Historical and Cultural Roots: Implications for Europe Today

• Contribution of History to European Consciousness
• Literature, the Arts, Translation and European Identity
• Exploring the Complexities of Modernity: The Intersection of European Enlightenment and Islamic Humanist Legacies

PART II – Social and Political Construction: Implications for the Future of Europe

• European Social Humanism, and Catholic Social Teaching
• Governance, Democracy & Civic Engagement

PART I

Courses I, II and III form an essential basis for understanding how facts and fiction shape a mental geography with real impact in the world and how this legacy needs to be reclaimed and critically reinterpreted in light of the future.

PART II

Courses IV and V are inseparable from one another in their focus on the social and political dimensions of Europe, inviting a constructive reflection about the European model we want to build. It helps learners to acquire a ‘mentality of social responsibility’ within European humanism, a new kind of citizenship that can help to overcome these challenges and contribute in an active way to an advanced European humanism.

Learning Outcomes

• — communicate in a cross-cultural setting by expressing ideas, listening actively, and collaborating with peers from diverse European background.
• — identify key historical events, political developments, and cultural intellectual and religious movements that have shaped European humanism.
• — analyse critically and discuss contemporary social, political, economic, and environmental issues affecting Europe, demonstrating an awareness of the region's current challenges and opportunities.
• — demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity, showing respect for different cultural perspectives, values, and traditions within Europe, and understanding the role of diversity in shaping European societies.
• — collaborate effectively in cross-European groups to complete projects, allowing them to draw on their diverse backgrounds and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• — formulate a personal vision for Europe’s future, integrating their new-found knowledge, cross-cultural experiences, and responsive to the challenges of Europe.

Bibliography

• — Jose Miguel Sarica, ‘Waning Europeanness?’
• — Sara Durelle-Marc, ‘European Identity in the Making’
• — Sara Durelle-Marc, ‘The Institutionalisation of the European Idea’
• — Peter Hanenberg, ‘Literary Heritage and European Identity’
• — Ferando Ariza, ‘Literary Journeys that Created Europe’
• — Ali Mostfa, ‘The Islamic Conception of Humanism’
• — Paolo Monit, ‘Contemporary Tensions Between Ethics, Religion and Science’
• — Michael Shortall, ‘Traditions of Political Thought’
• — Michael Shortall, ‘The Contribution of Catholic Social Teaching’
• — Rosario Gutierrez Carraras, ‘Civil Engagement and Social Responsibility in the Big-Tech Era’
• — Patricia Santos Rodrigues, ‘Engagement and Social Responsibility for Global Citizens’