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Learner Reviews & Feedback for The Mediterranean, a Space of Exchange (from the Renaissance to Enlightenment) by Universitat de Barcelona

4.3
stars
217 ratings

About the Course

The course The Mediterranean, a Space of Exchange (from Renaissance to Enlightenment) aims to explain the Mediterranean, using history and the analysis of the past, as a space generated by routes and circulation. We consider it crucial to disclose mobility as a historical factor: a mobility comprised of four major elements, namely people, objects, ideas and practices. In our analysis of Mediterranean reality between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, we will pay particular attention to its western shores, an area seething with transfers and exchanges, in the social and economic spheres as well as the political and cultural, with the Iberian Peninsula, the various islands and the Italian Peninsula, all spaces of great dynamism. El curso El Mediterráneo, espacio de intercambios (del Renacimiento a la Ilustración) quiere explicar, desde la historia y el análisis del pasado, el Mediterráneo como un espacio generado por las rutas y las circulaciones. Consideramos necesario divulgar la movilidad como factor histórico. Una movilidad centrada en cuatro grandes ámbitos: las personas, los objetos, las ideas y las prácticas. Al analizar la realidad mediterránea entre los siglos XV y XIX, del Renacimiento a la Ilustración, ponemos un foco especial en su orilla occidental, un área abocada a la transferencia y el intercambio, tanto en el ámbito social y económico como en el político y cultural, con la Península Ibérica, las islas y la Península Itálica como espacios de gran dinamismo....

Top reviews

VT

Sep 21, 2020

Un curso maravilloso, lleno de una entereza histórica increíble, que complementa de cabo a rabo, mi formación en filosofía. Agradecida por tan distinguidos ponentes y por tan excelentes entrevistas.

LB

Mar 18, 2020

Fue esta mi primera experiencia on line. Y con un tema en el cual me sentí atrapada desde el comienzo. Me gustaría hubiera más de este tipo, y en español . Los felicito.

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1 - 25 of 63 Reviews for The Mediterranean, a Space of Exchange (from the Renaissance to Enlightenment)

By Vincent G

Mar 2, 2019

Los subtítulos en inglés deberián ser opcionales.

By JEAN C L D M

Mar 22, 2018

Wonderful course! I loved every part, it gave me a huge comprehension about this history chapter that is enormously important for us. This course was a gift for me, and I am very glad with the professors, Coursera and the University for the opportunity.

By Ruaraidh C

Jun 4, 2020

This course is a really good introduction to Mediterranean Studies for people with an interest in history. It touches on the academic features without being too complicated for people unused to academic learning. For an experienced history student, the course is slightly less valuable as it is quite easy and simple in points, I still found a lot of interest in the course. The only other thing that let the course down was the English translation which could be quite inconsistent and patchy. Nonetheless, it was informative and enjoyable.

By Krisztina S

Apr 20, 2020

The course was very interesting and it gave some good ideas, however I felt that it tried to teach too much in too shot time. It would have been better if thee would have been less themes but each of them deepened more - or the same amount of themes but in this case more time dedicated to each of them (not just a 30 min class, but maybe 1-2hours). Now I feel like for each theme we scatched the surface but didn't eally went into them

By Sofia K

Mar 21, 2016

Problems with translation from Spanish to English creating confusion to non - Spanish students. Not all the lectures are translated. I have noticed that some English translation is missing or is incorrect.

Also, since I am a non - Spanish student I can not review correctly and accordingly Spanish posted assignments due to language barriers.

By JOHN Q

Dec 19, 2015

The course material was good but the lectures being in Spanish with English translations was difficult to follow. I was disappointed in the short videos with subtitles.

By Srebrina

Jan 31, 2017

Most of the lectures were very rushed and brief. They quote facts and names and rarely bother to elaborate on them. The "interviews" that often serve as a second lecture for the week mostly repeat the first lecture /average duration for both - 5 minutes/

Almost no reading materials in english.

The translations in English isn't very good.

The peer review processes for the final assignment is flawed, since you will be given to review works in spanish and english, with no option to"skip" to an essay in a language you understand. The grading criteria is also flawed. For example the required length of the essay does not seem to be obligatory.

The staff rarely bothers with answers in the discussion forum

All in all it is an interesting topic, and a good starting point for your own research. Sadly, It is one of the worst courses i have taken part in.

By Lorenzo A

Feb 26, 2017

If you are in love with history, western civilizations, the Middle East and everything related to the Roman Mare Nostrum, you will not regret taking this MOOC. Those professors, lecturers and scholars in charge of the course will not let you down.

By Nigel K

Dec 2, 2018

Very informative and helpful for my genealogical research, as well as for sparking much curiosity. I feel I'm picking up a little Spanish too!

By José E S C

Jun 7, 2020

Muy buen curso, en contenido, en metodología. Buenas las opiniones del grupo. Muchas felicitaciones y agradecimientos.

By Carmen S

Apr 18, 2016

A very interesting and accessible course with plenty of reading suggestions for those of us who want to continue learn

By Patricia T

Mar 4, 2019

El curso me permitió tener una visión más amplia, concreta y profunda del Mediterráneo.

By Victor J C d S

Mar 16, 2017

This is the second course I have from Universitat de Barcelona. Both outstanding.

By Manuel E G F

Feb 1, 2017

Very interesting and interdisciplinary course. Congratulations for you great job.

By Deleted A

Feb 17, 2017

Broad overview of subject with interesting essays from fellow students

By Patricia C

Oct 16, 2017

An incredible experience. Congratulations

By Marco V

Feb 14, 2016

Excellent course and widely recommended

By Diana L

Aug 31, 2016

Wide-ranging and inclusive coverage of a vastly complex topic by an impressive list of erudite instructors. Very interesting, with very many jump-off points for further study. However... many of the translations into English were difficult to decipher, some to the point of near-obscurity. Sorry to say, translating of words does not reliably lead to transfer of meaning. Still, highly recommended for its reach in surveying the high points of the subject matter. Thank you!

By Angel B

Jan 2, 2018

I enjoyed this course. I wish you had gone more in-depth in regards to the Moors. If you ever decide to do a course fundamentally focused on Moorish Spain, please contact me. I'd love to take that class.

Sincerely, AB

By eric r

Mar 11, 2018

needs more written material accessible in English for the non-Spanish speaker to delve further into in order to understand the lectures in greater depth.

By Stavroula L

Feb 21, 2016

This course is very interesting and educational. I really enjoyed it. My only complaint is that sometimes there wasnt any translation from spanish.

By Senna R

Dec 28, 2015

1. Sometimes the audio of the recordings is poor, making it difficult to listen.

2. For non-speakers of Spanish, the translations are not so great and sometimes lack proper grammar or are almost literal translations of the spoken Spanish version. This makes the subject matter, although very interesting, very difficult to fully grasp. This also occurs in the quizzes, causing me to either misunderstand or not understand the questions.

Overall, it is a very interesting course but the 'execution' is not up to standard. It could be improved by updating the audio recordings, and correcting the translations for the subtitles

By Catalina M

Jan 24, 2016

El presentador de los dos primeros videos lee continuamente el material, un material que debe dominar y que est

By P.D.F. V E

Feb 6, 2016

Too fast speech/ language use in combination with poor english translation, otherwise pretty well done.

By Judy H

Feb 23, 2022

Poorly translated English subtitles, including misspellings and unintelligible sentences. Poor sound, dull visuals, and blurry background graphics. Some professors make an effort to be expressive in front of the camera; others are unsuited to the task and read quickly without any variation in tone or emphasis. I got through only two-thirds of the course. As to content, it's hard to say what specific information was being presented, as mostly it was variations on the theme that cultural and mercantile trade occurred among various Mediterranean cities in the 16th and 17th centuries. And spices (not species). The information is very general, and assumes you know the major players and an overall timeline of the period. North Africa is largely ignored. This seems to be a labor of love by a group of acolytes of a 20th-century French historian who are advancing his theses. All very well, but not communicated effectively.