BTS GLAM 210 Subject Guide by Ari Carter and Sterling Cullinane(2025)

The Renaissance will give a greater scope into the time in which sword duels mainly occurred in an encouraged setting- how the culture and politics of the renaissance allowed for duels to be seen as the norm for settling conflicts among the upper and upper-middle class. Getting insight into the time period at which a certain style of honor-bound sword duelling was at its arguable height is important to understanding the context of why it was so normalized in high society. The author, Jerry Brotton, is a professor of Renaissance studies at Queen Mary University of London.

Theatrical Violence Design gives insight into how this knowledge can be used theatrically and in the modern day- it is mainly a guide for theater but its basic ideas can also be applied to film. The guards and forms used in renaissance and medieval duels in europe can now be used in modern times worldwide- either for HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) enjoyers, and for theatrical purposes. This book is also a good guide to learn the ways that swords were practically used in historical Europe. Richard Gilbert is a professor of economics at UC Berkley, and David Bareford is a theatrical violence designer.

Politics of Sword Dueling gives insight into Italy's history with duels, a microcosm of the greater issue. It describes individuals (such as Jacopo Nicoletti’s) opinions on dueling’s effects on the nation, as well as how the issue relates to fascism- along with the centuries’ long debate on the morality of duels: was duelling a solution to intense disputes through honorable means or merely a vehicle for aggression that led to unnecessary deaths? This book attempts to toe the line, going through opinions of people heading the debate at the time. Stephen Hughes is a professor of history at Loyola College.