The Franciscan, Vol. 2 The Franciscan, Vol. 2 Copyright © Concordia University Irvine, History and Political Thought Department The Franciscan editors made every reasonable effort to trace rights holders to any copyrighted material used in this journal. In cases where these efforts failed, the department welcomes communications from copyright holders, so that the appropriate acknowledgments can be made in a future edition and to settle other permission matters when outside fair use. All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, translated, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form in any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. The only exception includes reviewers who may quote brief passages. Any member of educational institutions wishing to photocopy part or all of the work for educational use, or those desiring to include the work in an anthology, may direct inquiries by email to [email protected]. Second Edition. The Franciscan, Vol. 2 The Franciscan Journal of History Vol. 2 Concordia University Irvine History and Political Department The Franciscan, Vol. 2 Dedication This edition of The Franciscan is dedicated to Professor Rebecca Lott and Dr. Jeffrey Mallinson. Their encouragement, motivation, and dedication were instrumental in the publishing of this journal during this year full of trials. Professor Lott’s continued support for this journal has been the cornerstone to its publishing. She was not only crucial to its inception, but also infallible in her commitment to the quality of the journal and the needs of her students. Dr. Mallinson’s love for history, liberal arts education, and his students has been inspirational during this year. A second edition of this journal may not have been possible without his support. The Franciscan, Vol. 2 In Appreciation Historical Editing Instructor Professor Rebecca Lott Senior Editor Jacob Lange Editing Staff Autumn Borg Ryan Dunn Makenzie McMullen Aerie Director Professor Kristen Schmidt Department Chair Jeffrey Mallinson, PhD Dean of Arts and Sciences Bret Taylor, PhD Acting Dean of Arts and Sciences Kerri Tom, PhD University President Michael Thomas, PhD The Franciscan, Vol. 2 Table of Contents Letter from the Senior Editor ----------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Editors’ Awards ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Articles Reflecting Absence: Review of The Stages of Memory: Reflection on Memorial Art, Loss, and the Spaces Between ----------------------------------------------------------------------------3 Nigeria’s Constitutional Crisis: The Need for Philosophy -------------------------------------6 An Exploration of “Good Government”: The Republic of Siena in its Golden Age, 1260- 1355 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22 The Original Party Animals: A Study of Costumes in Aristophanes’ The Birds ----------35 Seeing God: The Lost Art of Christian Mysticism --------------------------------------------41 “My Fellow Citizens…”: The Cultural Effects of American Foreign Policy during the 1950s on the Literary Works of Heller and Updike ------------------------------45 The Lost King of the Gilgamesh Epic ----------------------------------------------------------55 The Reader is Dead: The Legitimacy and Impacts of Social Media Poetry ---------------62 The Tyrant’s Triumph: How Pindar Extols Hieron of Syracuse Through Poetic Innovation ------------------------71 Author Biographies ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------77 Editorial Staff ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------79 The Franciscan, Vol. 2 1 Letter from the Senior Editor Looking back, this year has certainly been quite different from what was expected, and this edition of The Franciscan certainly different from what I envisioned when I took the role of Senior Editor last spring. As a team, we have had to overcome unforeseen challenges, adapt to unknown circumstances, and still strive to produce a journal that reflects the academic excellence and intellectual curiosity central to the mission of Concordia’s History Department. Yet, with a reduced staff, with meetings consigned to computer screens, and with all of the uncertainties imposed by a global pandemic, I am proud to say that The Franciscan holds fast to its commitment to encourage historical discussion and sharpen the minds of readers and contributors alike. This edition of The Franciscan contains nine articles from both students and alumni, ranging from discussions of ancient near eastern cultural history to postmodern poetry, from Athenian theatre to Sienese political tradition. They are all exemplary scholarly works produced by the wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens that Concordia University seeks to train, and they all question the human experience in unique and subtle ways. The excellence of the papers submitted during this tumultuous year stands as a testament to the calibre of Concordia’s students and their commitment to the academic principles of the university. We are indebted to Professor Rebecca Lott and Dr. Jeffrey Mallinson for the quality of this year’s edition of The Franciscan. Professor Lott’s professionalism and unflagging patience are the reasons that this journal will be published, and she has been a model of constancy during the entirety of this year. Dr. Mallinson’s dedication to his students and to the search for goodness, truth, and beauty are pillars of the History Department as a whole, and to the publication of this journal in particular. While The Franciscan is edited and published by students, we would be lost without the guidance and counsel of such exceptional faculty. However, I would be remiss if I did not call attention to the wonderful editing staff that has made this publication possible. I was continually shocked by the willingness of the editors to tackle novel challenges, and by the quality of the work they produced without fail. The dedication of these students to the creation and publication of this edition of The Franciscan went far beyond what I could have ever hoped to expect, and the refinement of the journal is a reflection of their consummate ability and hard work. In conclusion, this publication stands as a continuation of the inspirational work done in the inaugural edition of The Franciscan, and, I hope, as a foundation for its continued success in the coming years as a platform for nuanced historical discussion and incisive questioning. And so, I would once again like to thank all those who made this work possible, and, finally, exhort readers, writers, and historians alike to continue to seek for goodness, truth, and beauty in the stories that we tell. Jacob Lange Senior Editor 2021 The Franciscan, Vol. 2 2 2021 Editors’ Awards The Editors’ Awards are given to the papers that best contribute to meaningful academic discussion, demonstrate scholarly excellence, and reflect a deep curiosity for investigation in the field of history. In short, these papers exemplify what The Franciscan seeks to accomplish. Nigeria’s Constitutional Crisis: The Need for Philosophy Godesulloh Bawa This article is driven by a complex and nuanced argument regarding the constitutional history of African nations in the wake of European colonialism. The author both sheds light on the unique historical challenges of these nations and posits a novel position on how they might be remedied. In doing so, he demonstrates a tactful approach to modern political discourse and a keen understanding of the interaction between history, culture, and philosophy. The Republic of Siena Ryan Dunn The author does an exemplary job of exploring a lesser known historical topic and drawing connections to universal conceptions of good governance. This paper embodies the spirit of seeking out goodness, truth, and beauty in history by analyzing music and art alongside political history. The discussion of political and civic virtue is particularly poignant considering the modern rise of populist and nationalist political movements. “My Fellow Citizens...” Cultural Effects of 1950’s American Foreign Policy” Jacob Lange This paper represents the best of interdisciplinary studies. The author interestingly synthesizes American foreign policy and literature, evaluating the extent to which timeless novels like Heller's Catch-22 reflected US grand strategy. He also aptly points out the downfalls of this cultural paradigm, including a "fanaticism" around anti-communism and actual conflict like the Vietnam War. The Franciscan, Vol. 2 3 Reflecting Absence Review of: James E. Young, The Stages of Memory: Reflection on Memorial Art, Loss, and the Spaces Between. (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2016. ISBN 978-1-62534- 257-7.) Luca Azuma James Young’s The Stages of Memory explores a relatively new field of historical theory in public history while showing the role of the historian in a public history capacity. The autobiographical way in which Young uses his experiences to present his own struggles and confrontations with problems encountered by public historians in the field proves this work to be a valuable combination of field experience and theoretical, big-picture reflections on his life’s work to show how public historians can apply theory to their own projects. For aspiring