Masters/Ph.D. programs in weapon history and use?

[Daryl Weade]

Hello, I'm looking down the road towards my next career move. I am wondering if anyone knows of any advanced degree programs specializing in the history and use of medieval weapons from Europe or Japan. I'm pretty good at finding things on the web, but really can't figure where to start.

Thanks,
Daryl

[Gene Tausk]

I don't really know if there is such a beast, but that does not mean you can't create one yourself - a Ph.D. in History which examines the use of weapons or a Ph.D. in Anthropology or something like that.

Certainly the History department at Ohio State, one of the best in the nation, has enough courses and enough good professors to allow you to move in this direction.

Just make certain you have a solid foundation in the basics. I don't know in what field is your undergrad degree, but you may want to start some graduate work to point you in the direction in which you want to go.


----------->>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk
SFS
Study Group Leader - Houston ARMA Southside

[Daryl Weade]

Gene,

Thanks for the feedback. I hadn't considered anthropology. That is a good point for me to research.

After a friend sent me the link to this site, I've been considering starting up an ARMA group. I'm located in Richmond, Virginia and there are two ARMA groups within driving distance. I might find some partners and begin my studies.

My undergrad was in kinesiology with a minor in education. My masters is in instructional technology. I would like to move into a position where I teach more than in my current profession. I seem to keep buying and reading all these books on medieval weapons and tactics and I'm starting to think I might have an undeveloped interest. Also, the subject is so rich with options for developing a wide variety of media, so I could bring my technology interests and experience into the field as well.

I also have ten years training in kendo and eight years of training in Japanese budo (Bujinkan) and really enjoy working with the various weapons. I would love to start looking at European methods and contrasting the two in their usage and development.

I'll keep looking and report what I find. And, as always, other thoughts are always appreciated.

Thanks,
Daryl

[Jaron Bernstein]

Have ye read Dr. Anglo's book (listed on this site under Research and Reading) yet? He is an academic who managed to make study of the manuals fly. There are certainly enough primary sources out there. How is your Old German?

[Jaron Bernstein]

Just another thought. Dr. Daniel Weng got his Ph.d. at The Ohio State University in physical education in the art of Shuai-Chiao (Chinese wrestling), an art in which he is a high level instructor. I have his dissertation, written on the history of and how to use a martial art, on my shelf at home. I don't see why the same couldn't be done for this art. Hell, if you do it, I would love to read what you come up with.

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

I'd say Historican ---> Medieval times
or Anthropology ---> Hoplology


Szab

[Daryl Weade]

Thanks Jaron. I'll look up this book to get an idea of what is possible. If life is good, I"ll have some luck on this endeavor.

Daryl

[James Sterrett]

If it helps, consider that what you need is not a broad topic or a discipline so much as a well-honed question.

Answering that question then becomes the subject of your thesis - and the question also defines the primary discipline you'll be working in. "How & why did medieval fencing techniques evolve?" is history; "How well do medieval fencing techniques work, testing book techniques vs reality?" seems more like a sports research topic, and so on. Multi-disciplinary topics are entirely possible.

Knowing 1) a fairly refined/defined question; 2) what parts of it have been answered; and 3) the outlines of what you'll need to do to find your answers; will help greatly in convincing a grad studies department that you know enough and are serious enough to make your topic worth studying.


And, lastly, something I've tried very hard to keep in mind writing my dissertation: Any good dissertation should raise more questions than it answers. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Daryl Weade]

Szab, the hoplology suggestion is great. Ran into this website looking up the term on wikipedia. http://www.hoplology.com/

Very interesting line of research. Just the tip of the iceberg I'll bet, so the work goes on.

Daryl

[Daryl Weade]

James, great thoughts. I'm hoping I can find ideas if I read enough. I'm starting to think in terms of why certain weapons exist in some cultures but not in others. I do know I would like to find a method to balance physical and mental in my career. Not just sit around and read/write, but find a method by which I could spend a certain amount of time doing both. I've known I want to teach more for some time and this, to me, makes a logical course to get my cake and eat it too.

I have two more projects to get rolling and then will start looking at this more intensely. I'll add info to this and am thinking about starting a blog on what I'll be doing as well.

Thanks again,
Daryl

[s_taillebois]

Might also consider peripheral research in art history. Fairly little is written about the influences of period art on the appearence of weapons. And what is usually written applies to decorative aspects (ie engravings) rather than how the functional form is altered by cultural aesthetics. And much less about the concept that western weapons, especially those borne by aristocrats, did have an aesthetic context within some periods. Weapons after all, are a very powerful form of cultural mnemonic.
Vexing insofar as academia is willing to consider katanas within that framework, but rarely so western weapons.

[Rod-Thornton]

Last night I was reading through the Codex Wallerstein and noticed on the back cover that Gregorz Zabinski claimes (claimed?) that he is (was) currently (then) working on a Ph.D. dissertation on the early 16th century comments on the Liechtenauer swordsmanship treatise.

-That kinda-sorta in a way sounds like a Ph.D. in weapons use, eh? Perhaps an effort to track 'im down and make some inquiries might be the way to jump into those waters?

[Daryl Weade]

Steven, that is a great point. One would think "art" would cover all forms of design, yet the art historians truly tend to focus on "high art" or what they consider to be such. I believe most individuals look at weaponry as a sharp "tool" of some form. Kind of like a violent hoe, rake or shovel. Maybe the fact that so many weapons come from those everyday items or variants of such clouds the issue for some. Personally, I think too many people are turned off by the issue of violence and thus turn their back on artwork built into weaponry. I see lots of arms and armor that is valued within the community, but much of it seems to be ceremonial rather than combat ready.

Truly though, I don't think art is my primary interest, but would be worth keeping track of as one continues a study. I'm certain there could be great sidebar links tying designs together. Maybe even discovering obvious links between weapon designers and craftsman. Who were they communicating with? Who did they look upon as masters to be emulated? All of that might be great.

[Daryl Weade]

Rod, that is great. I don't own a copy yet. I'm using the fact that I work in a library to grab some of these to peruse through interlibrary loan. I don't do it often, but two or three a year seems okay.

I should look up Zabinski's research. I'll find what school he was attending and see if I can get it somehow.

I might be contacting you soon. I'm in Richmond, Virginia and have noticed the group down there. If I try to start something up this summer, you guys would be a great resourse.

Daryl

[s_taillebois]

Thanks.
Well there were some substantial crossovers. Due to the guilds, it wasn't uncommon for the masters to be involved in both weaponry and aesthetics. (To the point that some of the aesthetic objects (ie clocks/automated saltcellars) were made by the armourers.) Had to be, for their clientele did have a certain need to be stylish when slaughtering each other. Strange, because in modern society (in part due to mass levee armies and etc) a weapon tends to be purely functional. But in the late Gothic, Early modern era, the possesion of weapons of quality tended to be a marker of social status. And in that period, social status and the overt personal markers of it, were, very, very important. The concept of an upper order, wearing Levi's, would have been appalling to them. As would having to carry the medieval/early modern equivalent of a 'saturday night special'. For example, after Agincourt, the French had various reasons to be vexed. But one of the real insults was Henry's employment of Welsh daggermen... Bad enough, from their view, to be shot with a longbow...but even worse to be killed by some Welshman's back alley weapon.
Writing about the links of aesthetics and weapons, especially western weapons would be fascinating. But pretty specialized stuff, might try to have some fun with it all when I get clear of the hinterlands.