Women’s Voices: Women Writers of Ancient Greece and Rome Lekythos: Paris, Louvre CA 2220 (about 440-430 BC) AHPG 826 2011 Dr Ian Plant Ancient History Faculty of Arts Macquarie University GENERAL INFORMATION Convenor Name: Ian Plant Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 9850-8880 Office: W6A 538 Contact with Ian is best made: through the email facility in the unit's webpage in person in class in my office at my specified office hours He is happy to see students at other times too. General inquiries Ancient History Department Office Name: Raina Kim Email: [email protected] Phone: +61 2 9850 8833 Office: W6A 541 Unit website http://learn.mq.edu.au Duration of the unit The unit runs for 15 weeks There are 13 weeks of online seminars [‘teaching weeks’] There is a two week seminar break between teaching weeks 7 and 8. The examination period follows week 13. There is no examination for this unit; the final essay is due the week after week 13. Dates for Teaching Weeks Week 1: Starts August 1st Semester Break: Starts September 19th Week 8: Starts October 4th (public holiday October 3rd) Week 13 finishes: November 11th. Page 2 Women’s Voices: Women Writers of Ancient Greece and Rome Introduction There is a general perception that almost all writing in antiquity was done by men. However, some important literature written by women during this period has survived, and many other women writers published work that has not survived. In this course you are asked to read the extant texts by women, from Sappho, who lived in the seventh century BC, through to Eudocia and Egeria in the fifth-sixth centuries AD. The texts come from a wide range of sources: few works have survived intact, and many are known to us only through fragments: literary quotations, scraps of papyrus or even graffiti. Women's literature in the ancient world spanned the fields of poetry and prose. There is lyric, epic and Christian poetry, along with prose works in history, medicine, alchemy, oratory and philosophy. In addition to genuine works by women, antiquity witnessed the creation of pseudonymous texts which where attributed to famous people (including some women). We shall examine these texts to see what they contribute to Graeco-Roman literature, and what they tell us about the lives of women in the Graeco-Roman world. In this unit you will examine the writings of women from ancient Greece and Rome, studying these texts both as literary texts and as evidence for the lives of women in the ancient world. The aim of the unit is for you to: Become acquainted with the evidence for women writers Put writing by women in the ancient world into its historical contexts Engage with scholarship on women writers Develop your research and writing skills The expected learning outcomes for this unit are The expected learning outcomes for this unit are: 1. Demonstration of in depth knowledge of the works of women writers from Ancient Greece and Rome This will include specific topics addressed in the seminars and wider knowledge of their texts and the historical and literary contexts in which they were writing. 2. Demonstration of an ability to analyse the work of these writers. This includes demonstration of an ability to offer critical judgement on the theoretical and methodological principles that underpin their work and the different genres in which they worked. 3. Demonstration of an ability to offer advanced critical evaluation of the modern scholarship relevant to the work of these writers. This includes the theoretical and methodological principles that underpin this scholarship. 4. Demonstration of intellectual independence and autonomy especially in research and writing. Students are expected to attempt to go beyond current scholarship in their written work. 5. Demonstration of advanced communication skills, especially in writing. Students are to show this by preparing a research paper at the editorial standard of a journal article. 6. Demonstration of the specific understanding of what is required for publication of a research paper. Students will demonstrate this by preparing a paper to fit the criteria for publication in a relevant academic journal. Page 3 MACQUARIE POSTGRADUATE CAPABILITIES This unit has been designed to develop the graduate capabilities designed and recommended by Macquarie University. Recommended Capabilities The Macquarie core values of Scholarship, Ethical Practice, Sustainability and Engagement are to be seen as the Guiding Principles within which the Curriculum is developed. They serve as a reference point to guide interpretation of both undergraduate and postgraduate capabilities. Acting with integrity underpins all the following capabilities. Cognitive Capabilities 1. Discipline Knowledge and Skills Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields. 2. Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory. 3. Research and Problem Solving Capability Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving. Interpersonal and Personal Dispositions 4. Effective Communication Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats. 5. Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues 6. Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives. Page 4 How will these objectives be achieved? Most important is for you to read the relevant ancient sources set for the seminars each week. These are found in your textbook and in a booklet of supplementary texts which I have placed on the unit's website. You are expected to listen to ilecture recordings for each topic. You should engage with the relevant modern scholarship. The assessment tasks include shorter and longer written assignments: seminar papers and the essays. You are also expected to participate in online discussion. There is about which seminar papers you choose to submit: you are strongly advised to submit at least one before the major essay is due so that you get the benefit of feedback from your tutor before you have to complete your essay. Topics for the major essay are on the unit’s website; here again you have choice in the topic you wish to research and write on. Successful Completion of the Unit To complete the unit successfully students need a minimum mark of 50% overall. Grades: F: 0-49% P: 50-64% CR: 65-74% D: 75-84% HD: 85-100% Grade descriptors may be found in a separate document on the unit’s website. Assessment Summary Online discussion 10% Seminar paper 1 12.5% Seminar paper 2 12.5 % Essay 1 25% Essay 2 40% POLICIES Policies and procedures Macquarie Univiersity has a range of policies, including many on learning and teaching. For details, please go to Policy Central (http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/). Feedback and unit evaluation In this unit you will receive a range of verbal and written feedback on your assessment tasks and work in class or online. A copy of the feedback outline is available on the unit’s website. It details the requirements for each grade. To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning, the Arts Faculty also seeks feedback from students. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through unit and teacher evaluation surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied with and areas for improvement. Page 5 ASSESSMENT DETAILS 1. Online discussion Throughout the course you are expected to participate in discussions. Without some kind of weekly contact, it can be all too tempting to disappear off and never return! It is a requirement in this course that you do participate in discussions every week. By ' participate' in these discussions, I mean read the current discussion and make a contribution if you have something to say. You are not obliged to contribute to every discussion, but please do keep yourself up-to-date, and don’t feel shy about expressing an opinion. Please remember all netiquette rules in regard to posting on the 'Discussions'. You have a responsibility to ensure you respect the views of others. You may not always agree with the comments but never feel you have the right to be abusive or derogatory in any replies you make.