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| Campus | Haverford |
| Semester | Fall 2025 |
| Registration ID | HISTH229A001 |
| Course Title | Statecraft and Spectacle |
| Credit | 1.00 |
| Department | History |
| Instructor | Graham,Lisa Jane |
| Times and Days | TTh 02:30pm-03:55pm
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| Room Location | |
| Additional Course Info | Class Number: 2802 In 1586, Queen Elizabeth I of England famously proclaimed in response to a petition from Parliament, "Princes, you know, stand upon stages so that their actions are viewed and beheld of all men." Her remark alerts us to the theatrical nature of power and the importance of spectacle to rulers of early modern states. In an era of violent religious wars and political revolts, sovereigns used ceremonies to shore up inadequate fiscal and military resources. The royal court emerged as a locus of this strategy for image-building and government. This class focuses on the courts and empires of England, France, and Spain to explore the relations between media and power in the emergence of Baroque statecraft. How did early modern rulers use print, art, ceremonies, and spaces to consolidate power and instill obedience? How and where did subjects resist these efforts? How does the concept of spectacle illuminate the role of the role of media in contemporary politics? By the end of the semester, students will have a deeper understanding of the period and the relationship between politics and culture in early modern government. Social Science, B: Analysis of the Social World (Hav: SO, B) |
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