Social Justice and Classical Antiquity in the United States Units: 4 Fall 2019—TR—12:30-1:50Pm
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GESM 120g/121g: Social Justice and Classical Antiquity in the United States Units: 4 Fall 2019—TR—12:30-1:50pm Location: LV L 3 V Instructor: Prof. Brandon Bourgeois (Assistant Professor, Department of Classics) Office: PED 132F Office Hours: TR 2-3pm Contact Info: [email protected] I will typically reply to emails within 24 hours. Ewol Erizku, Their Eyes Were Watching God, 2017 (Exhibit: “Make America Great Again,” 20 April-2 July 2017, Ben Brown Fine Arts, London) Painted plaster and silkscreen on photographic light reflector Revised Fri., August 16, 2019 (tentative syllabus) Course Description It is nothing new to say that conceptions of the ‘classical’ have been deeply complicit in the creation and perpetuation of modern structures of violence and oppression (‘-isms’ such as colonialism, nationalism, racism, sexism, etc.). So what does classics (traditionally, the study and promotion of ‘Graeco-Roman’ and—at times—Egyptian antiquity) have to do with intersectionality, the understanding that we simultaneously occupy multiple, overlapping, and complexly-interacting social positions? What relation does Plato, ancient Greek drama, and early-Christian asceticism have with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Huey Newton, Womanism, LGBTQ rights, the Chicanx movement, and Black Lives Matter? This course introduces students to a critical social-justice approach to modern classical reception. By using a variety of media and disciplinary approaches, we will study the little-publicized history of how classical antiquity has been received among structurally oppressed and marginalized peoples in the United States, from the country’s founding to the present day. Along this timeline, we will see how the classics has perennially served as a site of political contestation: how normative conceptions of the ‘classical’ have been used to underwrite exclusion and oppression; and how a variety of progressive and radical U.S. leaders, activists, artists, and advocates of social-justice movements have in turn subverted, resisted, rejected, and reimagined the ‘classical’ in the name of political insurgency and social uplift. Learning Objectives General objective: —To cultivate a critical appreciation for various forms of human expression by teaching students to evaluate works of literature, philosophy, and the arts, to think critically and formulate informed opinions about ideas and values. Specific objectives: —To develop an understanding of classical reception, specifically of non-normative histories and legacies of the classical tradition in the United States. —To understand key theoretical concepts informing critical social justice approaches to education, particularly as it relates to knowledge production and reception of the classics among structurally dominate and subordinate groups. —To analyze ancient and modern media taking into account the historical, social, and cultural contexts that frame their narratives and presentation. —To improve critical reading and critical thinking skills by honing students’ ability to produce and develop their own ideas. —To strengthen students’ writing skills through written assignments that call for close readings of texts and critical analysis of the ideas in the texts. Required Readings and Supplementary Materials Required readings (available at the campus bookstore and amazon.com). 1. Plato, Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, 2nd ed., tr. G.M.A. Grube, rev. John M. Cooper (Hackett: 2002). ISBN-13: 978-0872206335 2. Euripides, Medea, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien, intro. Robin Mitchell-Boyask (Hackett: 2008). ISBN-13: 978-0872209237 3. Cherríe Moraga, the hungry woman—The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea & Heart of the Earth: A Popul Vuh Story (West End Press: 2001). ISBN-13: 978-0970534408 4. Sophocles, Theban Plays, tr. Peter Meineck and Paul Woodruff (Hackett: 2003). ISBN-13: 978-0872205857 5. Aristophanes, Lysistrata, tr. Jeffrey Henderson (Focus Classical Library: 1988). ISBN-13: 978-0941051026 6. Robin Coste Lewis, Voyage of the Sable Venus: and Other Poems (Knopf: 2017). ISBN-13: 978-1101911204 All other readings and additional media will be freely available online or will be distributed as PDFs through Blackboard. Syllabus for GESM 120g/121g: Social Justice & Classical Antiquity in the US, Page 2 of 15 Description and Assessment of Assignments Regular Participation + Co-Lead of 1 session: Regular and engaged participation is expected. Students are expected to arrive to class on-time, having completed all assigned reading and ready to participate in thoughtful and lively discussion. In addition to regular, daily engagement in class, each student must coordinate with the instructor to co-lead the discussion of topics and assignments for ONE session, successful completion of which fulfills 20% of your overall participation grade. Coordination will happen during office hours and count towards the requirements specified in that section (see OFFICE HOURS below). Unexcused absences and any accrued absences beyond four (4) will adversely affect your participation grade and potentialy your final grade. Attendance will be taken daily. After the fourth absence, your participation grade will decline based on the percentage of your absences. Your total attendance grade will be calculated by dividing your attendances/total number of classes. For example, 4 extra absences of 22 (18÷22x 100) classes will result in a regular participation grade of 81%. Exams: Two exams will be given. The content of each exam will be restricted to the section of the syllabus completed immediately before the exams are released. Exams will be comprised of three components: short answer, passage identification/close readings and synthesis essays analyzing multiple texts thematically/theoretically. Discussion Posts: A discussion post is required ONCE WEEKLY. Posts should raise at least 1, but no more than 3 interest points of analysis from the reading, and ask 1 question either of your peers or of the instructor. Posts should be at least 1 paragraph in length (5 sentences) and will be graded based on both quality of content, and inclusion of required content. You may choose whether or not you will post for Tuesday’s session or Thursday’s; but in order for your post to be graded, it must be posted to Blackboard at least an hour before the start of class on that day. Presentations: You will be tasked with giving TWO separate presentations on your in-progress FINAL PAPER. Each presentation will not exceed 8 minutes and will include a question and answer portion. The FIRST PRESENTATION will be geared toward establishing and defending an original thesis on which to build your paper. The SECOND PRESENTATION will be research-based and should display the sources that you have gathered in defense of your thesis, what common themes they share, or what analytical tools they provide. Constructive feedback from the presentations, both from fellow classmates and the instructor should guide you toward creating a well-contructed thesis and a thoroughly researched paper. Office Hours: TWO visits to my office hours are required and count toward your Discussion Post Grade. One office visit should be scheduled before the first exam, and one after the first exam. I urge you to take advantage of my office hours throughout the course, especially throughout the duration of the writing process. Further details on all assignments will be posted on Blackboard and discussed during class. If you ever have questions about either the assignments or reading, please do not hesitate to ask in class. Or, if more appropriate, email me or speak to me during office hours or an alternately scheduled time. I want to be sure that you have all the information and support that you need in order to perform at your very best! Syllabus for GESM 120g/121g: Social Justice & Classical Antiquity in the US, Page 3 of 15 Grading Breakdown Including the above detailed assignments, how will students be graded overall? Participation should be no more than 15%, unless justified for a higher amount. All must total 100%. Assignments Points % of Grade Participation + co-Lead (2) 80 + 10 (x 2) = 100 15% Presentations (2) 10 (x 2) = 20 10% Discussion Posts 5 (x 13) = 65 15% Exam 1 100 20% Exam 2 100 20% Final Essay (10-15 pages) 100 20% TOTAL 485 100% Grading Scale (Example) Course final grades will be determined using the following scale A 95-100 A- 90-94 B+ 87-89 B 83-86 B- 80-82 C+ 77-79 C 73-76 C- 70-72 D+ 67-69 D 63-66 D- 60-62 F 59 and below Syllabus for GESM 120g/121g: Social Justice & Classical Antiquity in the US, Page 4 of 15 Course Schedule: A Weekly Breakdown Topics/Daily Readings (Before Each Deliverable/ Due Activities Mtg.) Dates [[& Optional Further Reading]] Week 1 1) T 8/27: T 8/27: I. Syllabus Review Seth Schein, “‘Our Debt to Greece and Rome’: Canon, Constructions: Interrogating Class and Ideology,” in edd. Race & the ‘Classics’ and the L. Hardwick and C. Stray, A (neo-)‘Classical’ ‘classical’ Companion to Classical Reception (Oxford, 2008) 75-85. (in-class Naoise Mac Sweeney, et al., summary) “Claiming the Classical: The The Netflix and Greco-Roman World in BBC ‘Black Contemporary Political Achilles’ Discourse,” Council of Controversy University Classical Departments Bulletin 48 (2019) 1-19. Andrew Gillett, “The fall of Rome and the retreat of European multiculturalism: A historical trope as a discourse of authority in public debate,” Cogent Arts & Humanities 4 (2017) 1-13. 2) R 8/29: R 8/29: [[Thurs. optional Critical Social Robin DiAngelo, “White further reading: Justice Fragility,” International Kimberle Crenshaw, Journal of Critical “Demarginalizing the Pedagogy, vol.3 (3) (2011) Intersection of Race (in-class videos) 54-70. and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Robin DiAngelo, Shelley P. Haley, “Be Not Antidiscrimination “Why ‘I’m not Afraid of the Dark: Critical Doctrine, Feminist racist’ is only half Race Theory and Classical Theory and Antiracist the story”: Studies” Prejudice and Politics,” U. Chicago https:// Christian Beginnings (2011) Legal Forum (1989) www.youtube.com 27-49.