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Catalogue 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Geography: II. Intermediate |
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GEOG 228 - Web Mapping: Advanced Approaches to Publishing Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Web maps, map apps, story maps, and other emerging applications offer new opportunities to publicize and share spatial data. Other applications such as the Collector app and Open Street Map promote group sourcing of data. This half-unit course introduces several of these techniques and asks that students make and present several of their own online maps, using data sources of their choice. The main aim of this course is to gain further experience with GIS and to learn effective ways of communicating spatial data to an online audience. As a short course, it is less thorough than the standard GIS and Cartography courses, but it offers an opportunity to explore special topics that build on those classes. We use class time to learn and compare applications and to evaluate strategies and designs for web-based mapping. We also explore some of the broader implications of data publishing. Mary Ann Cunningham.
Prerequisite(s): GEOG 220 or GEOG 224 , or permission of the instructor.
First six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 230 - Geographic Research Methods
1 unit(s)
How do we develop clear research questions, and how do we know when we have the answer? Focusing on qualitative approaches, this course examines different methods for asking and answering questions about the world, which are essential skills in geography and other disciplines. Topics include formulation of a research question or hypothesis, research design, and data collection and analysis. We examine major research and methodological papers in the discipline, design an empirical research project, and carry out basic data analysis. Students who are considering writing a thesis or conducting other independent research and writing are encouraged to take this course. The department.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 231 - Geomorphology: Surface Processes and Evolution of Landforms Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 231 ) Quantitative study of the physical, chemical, and biological processes that create Earth’s many landforms. Topics include weathering and erosion, landsliding and debris flows, sediment transport by rivers and glaciers, the role of climate in landscape modification, and the use of landforms to document earthquake hazards. Lab exercises emphasize fundamental skills in geomorphologic analysis such as mapping, surveying, interpretation of aerial photography, and use of Geographic Information Systems software. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151 or permission of the instructor.
Satisfies college requirement for quantitative reasoning.
Two 75-minute periods; one 4-hour laboratory/field period. An overnight weekend field trip may be required.
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GEOG 235 - Water
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 235 ) Sixty to seventy percent of Dutchess County residents depend on groundwater supplies to meet their daily needs. Industrial pollution and road salt have contaminated many of these supplies, spawning legal actions and requiring costly remediation. Ensuring adequate and safe groundwater supplies for humans and ecosystems requires extensive knowledge of the hydrologic cycle and of how contaminants may be introduced into water resources. We explore how rainfall and snowmelt infiltrate into soils and bedrock to become part of the groundwater system, learn what factors govern subsurface flow, and discuss the concept of well-head protection, which seeks to protect groundwater recharge areas from contamination. Using Vassar’s teaching well at the field station we perform a number of experiments to assess aquifer properties, water chemistry, and presence of microbial contaminants. Comfort with basic algebra and trigonometry is expected. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151 , ENST 124 , or permission of the instructor.
Satisfies the college requirement for quantitative reasoning.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods; one 4-hour laboratory/field period.
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GEOG 236 - The Making of Modern East Asia: Empires and Transnational Interactions
1 unit(s)
(Same as ASIA 236 ) East Asia–the homeland of the oldest continuous civilization of the world–is now the most dynamic center in the world economy and an emerging power in global politics. Central to the global expansion of trade, production, and cultural exchange through the span of several millennia, the East Asian region provides a critical lens for us to understand the origin, transformation and future development of the global system. This course provides a multidisciplinary understanding of the common and contrasting experiences of East Asian countries as each struggled to come to terms with the western dominated expansion of global capitalism and the modernization process. The course incorporates a significant amount of visual imagery such as traditional painting and contemporary film, in addition to literature. Professors from Art History, Film, Chinese and Japanese literature and history will give guest lecture in the course, on special topics such as ancient Chinese and Japanese arts, East Asia intellectual history, Japanese war literature, post war American hegemony, and vampire films in Southeast Asia. Together, they illustrate the diverse and complex struggles of different parts of East Asia to construct their own modernities. Yu Zhou.
Prerequisite(s): at least one 100-level course in Geography or Asian Studies.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 238 - Environmental China: Nature, Culture, and Development
1 unit(s)
(Same as ASIA 238 and INTL 238 ) China is commonly seen in the West as a sad example, even the culprit, of global environmental ills. Besides surpassing the United States to be the world’s largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, China also experiences widespread pollution of its air, soil and water–arguably among the worst in the world. Yet, few will dispute the fact that China holds the key for the future global environment as it emerges as the largest economy on earth. This course examines China’s environments as created by and mediated through historical, cultural, political, economic and social forces both internal and external to the country. Moving away from prevailing caricatures of a “toxic” China, the course studies Chinese humanistic traditions, which offer rich and deep lessons on how the environment has shaped human activities and vice versa. We examine China’s long-lasting intellectual traditions on human/environmental interactions; diversity of environmental practices rooted in its ecological diversity; environmental tensions resulting from rapid regional development and globalization in the contemporary era; and most recently, the social activism and innovation of green technology in China. Yu Zhou.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 242 - Brazil in Crisis: Continuity and Change in Portuguese America Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as AFRS 242 , INTL 242 , and LALS 242 ) Brazil, a giant of Latin America and the Global South, has long been known as the “land of the future.” Yet frustrating political-economic crises have repeatedly followed periods of rapid growth and social progress. Taking current crises as a point of departure, this course examines Brazil’s contemporary evolution in light of the country’s historical geography, the distinctive cultural and environmental features of Portuguese America, and the political-economic linkages with the world system. Specific topics for study include: the legacies of colonial Brazil; race relations, Afro-Brazilian culture, and ethnic identities; issues of gender, youth, violence, and poverty; processes of urban-industrial growth; regionalism and national integration; environmental devastation and sustainability; controversies surrounding the occupation of Amazonia; and long-run prospects for democracy and equitable development in Brazil. Brian Godfrey.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 250 - Urban Geography: Space, Place, Environment Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 250 ) Now that most of the world’s population lives in urban areas, expanding city-regions pose a series of social, spatial and environmental problems. This course focuses on the making of urban spaces, places, and environments at a variety of geographical scales. We examine entrepreneurial urban branding, sense of place and place making, geographies of race and class, urbanization of nature, environmental and spatial justice, and urban risk and resilience in facing climate change. Concentrating on American urbanism, case studies include New York City, Poughkeepsie, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Students also research specific issues in cities of their own choice, such as land-use planning and public space, historic preservation, transit-oriented development, urban ecology and restoration, urban sustainability programs, and citizen movements for livable cities. Brian Godfrey.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 252 - Cities of the Global South: Urbanization and Social Change in the Developing World
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 252 and INTL 252 ) The largest and fastest wave of urbanization in human history is now underway in the Global South—the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Most of the world’s urban population already resides here, where mega-cities now reach massive proportions. Despite widespread economic dynamism, high rates of urbanization and deprivation often coincide, so many of the 21st century’s greatest challenges will arise in the Global South. This course examines postcolonial urbanism, global-city and ordinary-city theories, informal settlements and slums, social and environmental justice, and urban design, planning, and governance. We study scholarly, journalistic, and film depictions of Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro in Latin America; Algiers and Lagos in Africa; Cairo and Istanbul in the Middle East; and Beijing and Mumbai in Asia. Brian Godfrey.
Prerequisite(s): a previous Geography or Urban Studies course.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 256 - Geographies of Food and Farming Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Farming and food production connect us to the landscapes in which we live, and they shape the geographies of our communities. Increasingly, farming and food also connect us to processes of globalization. The world produces more food than ever before, yet factors such as centralization of production and competition from biofuels lead to food shortages in developing regions and continuing losses of rainforests from Brazil to Indonesia. One key strategy for understanding these connections is to examine the biogeographic patterns that shape food production. In this course, we focus first on the physical environmental factors (including water resources, climate patterns, and biodiversity) that characterize agricultural regions of North America. As part of this discussion, we consider ethical, political, and cultural aspects of food production. We then use these frameworks to examine global production and exchanges of food. We use case studies, such as land conversion in Brazil and Indonesia, to understand prominent debates about food and farming today. Mary Ann Cunningham.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 258 - Sustainable Landscapes: Bridging Place and Environment in Poughkeepsie
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 258 ) Geographers have long understood the relationship of aesthetic landscapes and place to include concepts of identity, control, and territory. Increasingly we consider landscape aesthetics in the context of sustainability and environmental quality. How do these contrasting sets of priorities meet in the process of landscape design and land use analysis? In this course we begin by examining regional and local histories of landscape design and land use planning and their relationship to concepts of place, territory, and identity. We consider landscape ecological approaches to marrying aesthetic, land use planning, and environmental priorities in landscapes. We investigate local issues such as watershed quality, native plantings, and storm water management in the context of local land use planning in order to consider creative ways to bridge these once-contrary approaches to understanding the landscapes we occupy and construct. We focus on projects and topics related to the greater Poughkeepsie area. Susan Blickstein.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Geography.
Not offered in 2016/17.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 260 - Conservation of Natural Resources
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 260 ) Natural resources are perennially at the center of debates on sustainability, planning, land development, and environmental policy. The ways we conceptualize resources can be as important to understanding these issues as their actual distributions are. This course provides a geographic perspective on natural resource conservation, using local examples to provide deeper experience with resource debates. We focus particularly on forest resources: biodiversity, forest health, timber resources, forest policy, and the ways people have struggled to make a living in forested ecosystems. We discuss these issues on a global scale (such as tropical timber piracy and forest conversion), and we explore them locally in the Adirondacks of New York. This course requires that students spend October Break on a group study trip in the Adirondacks. Students must be willing to spend long, cold days outside, including some strenuous physical activity (unless special permission is arranged with the instructor). Mary Ann Cunningham.
Students wishing to register under Earth Science must have had at least one previous earth science course.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 266 - Population, Environment, and Sustainable Development Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 266 ) Concerns about human population are integral to debates about matters of political stability, socio-economic equity, ecological sustainability, and human wellbeing. This course engages these debates via an examination of environmental change, power and inequality, and technology and development. Case studies include: water supplies, fishing and agriculture and the production of foodstuffs. Being a geography course, it highlights human-nature relations, spatial distribution and difference, and the dynamic connections between places and regions. Joseph Nevins.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 270 - Gender and Social Space
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 270 and WMST 270 ) This course explores the ways in which gender informs the spatial organization of daily life; the interrelation of gender and key spatial forms and practices such as the home, the city, the hotel, migration, shopping, community activism, and walking at night. It draws on feminist theoretical work from diverse fields such as geography, architecture, anthropology and urban studies not only to begin to map the gendered divisions of the social world but also to understand gender itself as a spatial practice. Lisa Brawley.
Prerequisite(s): one of the following: URBS 100 , GEOG 102 , or WMST 130 , or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 272 - Geographies of Mass Violence
1 unit(s)
Violence has been an integral part of the making of landscapes, places, and the world political map. This course examines theories of violence, explanations of why it happens where it does, and how mass violence has come to shape local, national, and international geographies. In doing so, it analyzes how violence becomes embedded in geographical space and informs social relations. The course draws upon various case studies, including incidents of mass violence in Rwanda, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the United States. Joseph Nevins.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 274 - The Political Geography of Human Rights
1 unit(s)
Human rights have a deep history and varied geographical origins. This course examines the highly contested making and representation of human rights in regards to their content and emphases, and the various practices and institutions deployed in their name–with a focus on the post -1945 era. In doing so, the course interrogates human rights in relation to a variety of settings–from anti-colonial and anti-imperial struggles to social movements championing racial and gender equality to humanitarian interventions. Throughout, the course seeks to analyze how these various human-rights-related endeavors flow from, produce, and challenge spatial inequality, places and geographical scales, and articulate with a diverse set of political geographical agendas. Joseph Nevins.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level Geography or Earth Science course, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 276 - Economic Geography: Spaces of Global Capitalism Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 276 ) This course analyzes the shifting economic landscape of globalization. It covers classic location theories in economic geography, but also the recent trends of industrial reorganization in agriculture, manufacturing and services. Two areas of focus in this course are the globalization of the world economy and regional development under the first and third world contexts. We analyze the emergence of the global capitalist system, the commodification of nature, the transformation of agriculture, the global spread of manufacturing and the rise of flexible production systems, and restructuring of transnational corporations and its regional impacts. The department.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 282 - Democracy and Community Development: from New Orleans to New York Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 282 ) How will we live together in this century? Will we pursue the “just city” for all, or will we merely seek cities that are pleasant for some? Centered on post-Katrina New Orleans but also drawing broadly from 20th century urban U.S. history, this course examines planning and politics in the decade-plus since the levees broke in August 2005. Utilizing political and spatial theory as well as real-life scenarios of urban policymaking and governance, we see how the past informs not only the present, but also our many possible futures. Coursework compares and contrasts the everyday practice of urban planning and policymaking with theoretical concepts such as locality and scale, autonomy, property, community, economy, democracy, resilience, and development. Over the semester there are several film screenings, individual written work on theoretical concepts, and final group projects on applied policy proposals. Mr. Futterman.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level Geography course, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 286 - Energy and Nature Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 286 ) This course explores how modes of energy production and ideas about nature have influenced one another. We begin with the emergence of Europe and the United States as industrial powers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and we explore how different ideologies of nature emerged and facilitated industrialization. We then consider ways the U.S. rise to global power involved the manufacturing of new landscapes through water projects such as Hoover Dam and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Finally, we analyze the contemporary period of conservationism and globalization, including the expansion of renewable energies, dam removals, and the construction of massive energy projects in emerging economies. To understand the ways concepts of nature have changed, we also examine how engineers, politicians, tourists, community members, and indigenous groups have approached these projects differently and helped to forge new ideologies of nature as a space for energy production.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level Geography course, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 288 - Political Geography Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course explores fundamental concepts of space and politics, helping us to deepen our understanding of how a geographic or spatial lens enriches the study of the political world. In the class, we look at political-economic processes of globalization, the relationship between the nation-state and markets, and the various ways that politics and spatial scales interact, are mutually constituted, and reproduced. Concepts of ‘the global,’ locality, nationalism, borders, scale, hegemony, and geopolitics are paired with case studies from history and from the present day. Evan Casper-Futterman.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GEOG 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
The department.
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GEOG 297 - Readings in Geography Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 unit(s)
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GEOG 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Open to qualified students in other disciplines who wish to pursue related independent work in geography. The department.
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Geography: III. Advanced |
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GEOG 300 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
A 1-unit thesis starting in the fall semester, with 1/2 unit graded provisionally in the fall and 1/2 unit graded in the spring. The final grade, awarded in the spring, shall replace the provisional grade in the fall. The department.
Yearlong course 300-GEOG 301 .
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GEOG 301 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
A 1-unit thesis starting in the fall semester, with 1/2 unit graded provisionally in the fall and 1/2 unit graded in the spring. The final grade, awarded in the spring, shall replace the provisional grade in the fall. The department.
Yearlong course GEOG 300 -301.
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GEOG 302 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
1 unit(s)
Students may elect a 1-semester, 1-unit thesis only in exceptional circumstances. Usually, students adopt GEOG 300 -GEOG 301 . The department.
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GEOG 304 - Senior Seminar: Issues in Geographic Theory and Method Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
A review of the theory, method, and practice of geographical inquiry. The seminar traces the history of geographic thought from early episodes of global exploration to modern scientific transformations. The works and biographies of major contemporary theorists are critically examined in terms of the changing philosophies of geographic research. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are discussed, along with scientific, humanist, radical, feminist, and other critiques in human geography. Overall, alternative conceptions of geography are related to the evolution of society and the dominant intellectual currents of the day. The student is left to choose which approaches best suits his or her own research. The seminar culminates in the presentation of student research proposals. Mr. Nevins.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 340 - Advanced Urban and Regional Studies Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 340 and ESCI 340 ) Topic for 2016/17b: Arctic Environmental Change. Arctic environments define a geographic region that is important to understand both in terms of its distinctive biogeographic patterns and functions and because it is subject to some of the most dramatic and far-reaching environmental consequences associated with climate change. This course examines the biogeographic and climate patterns of the region to understand how it contributes to global biodiversity, and why it contributes disproportionately to the regulation and change of the earth’s climate system. What characteristics define these environments and make them especially vulnerable to positive feedbacks in a changing climate? How might climate changes alter the distribution of plants and animals in the region? How do environmental changes at high latitudes influence the global climate system? We examine current literature and data, including reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to explore these questions about ongoing and anticipated environmental change in arctic regions. Some background in understanding earth systems or climate change is helpful. Mary Ann Cunningham.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 352 - Medicine and (Dis)order: A Social Geography of Healthcare
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 352 ) The healthcare industry is a central component of the modern world. In the case of the United States, it has co-evolved with capitalism, inequality, mass incarceration, and urbanization-among other phenomena. Using a social and historical geographic lens, this course examines the development of medicine as it relates to these phenomena as well as matters of social difference (e.g., gender, sexuality, class, and race) and associated social struggles. Topics include the development of healthcare institutions and related labor regimes, race and medical experimentation, and transgender identity and the healthcare system. In exploring these topics, the course also engages alternative understandings of health and wellness, and organized efforts “from below” to realize alternative, more democratic forms of healthcare.
Not offered in 2016/17.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 356 - Environment and Land Use Planning
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 356 and URBS 356 ) This seminar focuses on land-use issues such as open-space planning, urban design, transportation planning, and the social and environmental effects of planning and land use policies. The focus of the course this year is impacts of planning policies (such as transportation, zoning, or growth boundaries) on environmental quality, including open space preservation, farmland conservation, and environmental services. We begin with global and regional examples and then apply ideas in the context of Dutchess County’s trajectory of land use change and planning policies. Susan Blickstein.
Prerequisite(s): one 200-level course in Geography, Urban Studies or Environmental Studies.
Not offered in 2016/17.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 372 - Topics in Human Geography Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2016/17a: Placing Collective Action: Geography & Social Movements. Why does collective action emerge in some contexts but not others? How do social movements mobilize support for their agendas? How are space and place integral to and reproduced through political struggle? This seminar explores these central questions through exploration of sociological approaches to the study of social movements developed both in the US and Western Europe. Geographical critiques of these theories are also explored, with an emphasis on the role of space and place in structuring collective action, as well as on the production of urban space through political struggle. We start with classical works on the production of space and place, including selections by Lefebvre, Harvey, Massey, Agnew, and Don Mitchell. This is followed by an overview of the major theoretical approaches to the study of social movements within sociology, drawing on work by McCarthy and Zald, McAdam, Tarrow, Benford and Snow, and Habermas, among others. We then turn to geographically-informed explanations of collective action and explore emerging trends in the study of collective action such as the role of new technologies in activists’ efforts to control urban space, the rise of zero tolerance approaches to policing urban protest, the increasingly transnational character of movements, and what this all means for emerging alternatives to territorially-bound citizenship. Susan Blickstein.
Topic for 2016/17b: Political Ecology. The relationship between environmental change and the livelihoods of peoples across the planet has long been a central concern of geographers. Political ecology is a particular, albeit multifaceted, approach to such matters. Broadly concerned with the dialectical ties between nature and society, it centers its analysis on social relations, power and difference; geographic unevenness; positionality, and issues of social justice. Course readings explore myriad themes that political ecologists focus on: resource exploitation, conflict and violence, race and gender, governmentality, rural development, and urban and industrial phenomena. In engaging such themes, the course interrogates vari- ous theoretical approaches ranging from actor network theory, to cultural studies, to Marxism and post-coloniality. Joseph Nevins.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 384 - Community GIS
1 unit(s)
Geographers contribute to vitality and equity in their communities by examining the spatial dynamics of socioeconomic and environmental problems. Strategies used to interrogate these problems include mapping and geographic information systems (GIS), or computer-aided mapping and spatial analysis. For example, community access to transportation and housing, differential access to food or health care, or distributions of social services are often best understood in terms of mapped patterns. These patterns both reflect and influence the social dynamics of a community. In addition to affecting quality of life, these issues give insights into the ways we decide as a society to allocate resources. In this course we take on subjects of concern in the local area and use mapping and spatial data to examine them. Projects may involve work with groups in the Poughkeepsie area as well as library research, readings, some GIS work. Course activities and projects vary according to subjects studied. Because this course focuses on collaborative research projects, rather than on the technology, GIS and cartography are useful but not prerequisite courses. The department.
Not offered in 2016/17.
One 3-hour period.
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GEOG 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
The department.
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German: I. Introductory |
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GERM 105 - Beginning German: The Stories of Childhood Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course offers a yearlong introduction to the study of German language and culture through literature, fairy tales, and films for and about children. Since these materials tend to be linguistically easier, they are ideal for beginning language learning. Moreover, their role in socializing a new generation makes them important sources for understanding a culture’s fundamental values and way of looking at the world. Materials range from classic texts, such as fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, to contemporary stories, films, and television shows. In addition to offering a systematic introduction to German grammar and vocabulary, classroom activities promote practical and active oral and written communication. No prior experience with German required. Karin Maxey and Silke von der Emde.
Yearlong course 105-GERM 106 .
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GERM 106 - Beginning German: The Stories of Childhood Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course offers a yearlong introduction to the study of German language and culture through literature, fairy tales, and films for and about children. Since these materials tend to be linguistically easier, they are ideal for beginning language learning. Moreover, their role in socializing a new generation makes them important sources for understanding a culture’s fundamental values and way of looking at the world. Materials range from classic texts, such as fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, to contemporary stories, films, and television shows. In addition to offering a systematic introduction to German grammar and vocabulary, classroom activities promote practical and active oral and written communication. No prior experience with German required. Karin Maxey and Silke von der Emde.
Yearlong course GERM 105 -106.
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GERM 109 - Intensive Beginning German Semester Offered: Spring
2 unit(s)
A single-semester study of the German language, equivalent to GERM 105 -GERM 106 . Intensive training in the fundamental language skills. Designed for beginning students who wish to accelerate their learning of German. Jeffrey Schneider.
Open to all classes; five 75-minute periods, four 30-minute drill sessions, and computer-assisted instruction.
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GERM 182 - Lost in Translation?: Writing the New Self in a Different Language Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as CLCS 182 ) Eva Hoffmann, who emigrated from Poland to Canada at age thirteen, initially experienced the transition from Polish to English as “a dispossession of one’s self.” For her, adapting to a new language and culture involves a balancing act: “how does one bend toward another culture without falling over, how does one strike an elastic balance between rigidity and self-effacement?” This course seeks to study what it means (and has meant) for a variety of non-native speakers to write in English or another second language: from the politics of using “the language of the colonizers,” to personal journeys of self-transformation and loss of identity, to the discovery new aspects of one’s personality in another linguistic and cultural context. Readings include stories, essays, speeches and autobiographies in which authors reflect on what it means to write in a new “tongue.” The course also explores aspects of second language acquisition, including the privilege of the non-native speaker, as well as academic essays on the relationship between language and personal identity. In addition to studying the stylistic conventions of academic writing in English, assignments give students the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences as non-native speakers writing in English and/or their experience working with communities of non-native speakers of English. Karin Maxey.
Open only to freshmen; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Readings and discussions in English.
Three 75-minute periods.
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German: II. Intermediate |
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GERM 210 - Intermediate German I: Identity in Contemporary Germany Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Low-intermediate language study through short texts and research topics on questions of national identity in contemporary Germany. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing oral and written expression. The course uses an online educational environment and may involve an exchange with learners at another college. Lioba Gerhardi, Eric Trump.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 106 , GERM 109 or the equivalent.
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GERM 211 - Intermediate German II: Space in Weimar Germany Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Intermediate language study through texts and research topics on questions of space in Weimar Germany at the time of the “Roaring Twenties.” Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing oral and written expression. The course uses an online educational environment and may involve an exchange with learners at another college. Silke von der Emde.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 210 or the equivalent.
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GERM 220 - Turning a Phrase: Writing with Style in German Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Achieving eloquent style in German requires more than knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical correctness. In this course students learn how to take their written German to the next level by focusing on stylistic conventions at the level of the sentence, paragraph and essay while developing their own voice in the language. In addition to studying examples of published writing on a range of contemporary issues, the course combines an individualized review of German grammar with short writing assignments. The course offers strong preparation for writing assignments at German universities or upper-level German classes at Vassar. Karin Maxey.
One 2-hour period.
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GERM 221 - Compelling Speech: German Conversational Skills Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
In this course, students deepen their oral proficiency in the language by studying various forms of spoken German on t.v. series, talk shows and other media and then honing their speaking skills in a variety of different contexts, such as classroom oral reports (Referate), debates, and interviews. In addition to improving pronunciation, instruction emphasizes conversational conventions for expressing opinions, persuading, and leading discussions. The course offers strong preparation for studying abroad or upper-level courses at Vassar. Karin Maxey.
One 2-hour period.
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GERM 230 - Contemporary German Culture and Media
1 unit(s)
Advanced intermediate language study through an examination of contemporary German culture and the role played by different media such as newspapers, television, radio, film, and the Internet. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary, reviewing grammar, as well as oral and written expression. The course may involve an exchange with native speakers of German. Lioba Gerhardi.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 211 or the equivalent.
Not offered in 2016/17.
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GERM 235 - Introduction to German Cultural Studies Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 235 ) Topic for 2016/17a: Atrocious Science: German Biopolitics and Its Consequences. Scientific racism (eugenics), forced sterilization, euthanasia, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and medical experiments on concentration camp victims-these atrocities represent the murderous consequences of Nazi biopolitics, that is, their effort to translate specific biologistic ideas of the time into actual policy. But these conceptions of science started long before the Nazis and their implementation encompasses more than Nazi atrocities. This course seeks to develop a keener understanding of biopolitics in the German context as well as its continued relevance for twentieth-century medical ethics, law, and culture. In addition to exploring the historical roots of biopolitical thought in German culture, we examine more recent critical theories drawn from the work of Giorgio Agamben, Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, and others. We also study the important role that literature and film have played in promoting, contesting or condemning biopolitical ideas and their application. All readings and discussions in English. Eric Trump.
Open to all classes.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 239 - Introduction to German Cultural Studies for Majors
1 unit(s)
Students in this course attend the same seminar meetings as in GERM 235 but do the readings in the original, attend a separate discussion class, and take separate exams.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 230 or the equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2016/17.
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GERM 240 - A Culture of Play: An Introduction to German Theater Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Since the eighteenth century, drama and theater have held a vaunted place within Germany’s language literary and cultural production. This course offers an introduction to that tradition through the study of specific authors, texts, and theories. Students have the opportunity to hone their speaking skills through performance activities, such as mounting scenes or an entire production. Strong emphasis is placed on developing vocabulary and reviewing grammar as well as developing written expression. Authors may include Brecht, Büchner, Dürrenmatt, Handke, Hauptmann, Jelinek, Loher, and Weiss. Lioba Gerhardi.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 211 or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 260 - Developments in German Literature Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2016/17b: Writing Life: Memoirs, Autobiographies and Biographies of East and West Germany. Many genres serve to document the events of a person’s existence-memoirs, (literary) autobiography, and biography - and each has their own conventions and traditions. But what does it mean to write a life? How and why do we remember lives, and how do memory and history intersect in each of these genres? This course explores the relationship between life writing and history in the wake of the division and reunification of Germany. In addition to interrogating the genre conventions that distinguish different kinds of life writing, the course investigates questions of credibility, memory and emotion as well as the relationship between history, personal experience, and nostalgia. Attention will also be given to furthering students’ German proficiency. Readings may include Jana Hensel’s East German memoir Zonenkinder and Florian Illies’ West German pop lit novel Generation Golf. Karin Maxey.
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Prerequisite(s): GERM 230 , GERM 240 , or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 265 - German Film in English Translation Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course offers an overview of selected historical and formal developments in German films from the silent period to the present.
Topic for 2016/17b: Screening Terrorism: Lessons from the German Past. Though acts of international terrorism have shaped German consciousness since 9/11, Germany has a much longer and more complex relationship with terrorism dating back to the radical leftist and anti-establishment Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Faction), also known as RAF or Baader-Meinhof, which emerged in the late 1960s and operated into the 1990s. This course explores the early and ongoing cinematic engagement with this wave of terrorism. In addition to films by some of the most important German filmmakers of New German Cinema, such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, and Volker Schlöndorff, the course looks at important recent releases, such as Black Box by Andres Veiel, The Baader-Meinhof Complex by Bernd Eichinger, and The International by Tom Tykwer, among others. We also consider films, such as Sleepers by Benjamin Heisenberg, which try to draw connections between German reactions to RAF and more recent forms of terrorism. Silke von der Emde.
Readings and discussions are in English, and all films have English subtitles.
Open to all classes.
Two 75-minute periods and two film screenings.
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GERM 270 - Aesthetic Forms, Texts, and Genres
1 unit(s)
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 280 - Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Theory and Practice Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as EDUC 280 ) This course is designed for students who intend to teach language in the United States or abroad, and for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how second languages are learned and taught. In the course, we explore major topics in foreign language teaching and learning, including writing, speaking, listening, reading, culture, and grammar, addressing questions such as: Does explicit grammar instruction actually help students learn grammar? Can you really learn a second language the same way you learn your first one(s), as some language learning software ads claim? What does culture have to do with language, and why should (or shouldn’t) we teach it? As we attend to these and other issues, students reflect on their own language learning experiences and become familiar with the history, scholarship, and practices within the fields of second language acquisition and foreign language pedagogy. Karin Maxey.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 290 - Field Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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GERM 297 - Readings In German
0.5 unit(s)
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GERM 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Permission required.
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German: III. Advanced |
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GERM 301 - Senior Seminar Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2016/17a: Body Language: German Women Writers from the 18th Century to Today. This course sets out to explore how women writers and artists have sought to articulate the complex ways in which one’s physical body intersects with broader political and social upheavals, such as revolution, wars, fascism, communist rule, and terrorism. How does the body figure for such writers as both a threat and a source of hope, a sense of possibility and a limitation? What reconfigurations of language and aesthetic form are required to capture power and reconfigure our relationship to it? Readings span the Romantic era to the present and may include texts by Caroline von Günderrode, Gabriele Reuter, Christa Wolf and Elfriede Jelinek. In addition to placing the writings in their historical background, the course introduces students to key concepts in feminist and literary theory. Silke von der Emde.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 260 or GERM 270 or the equivalent.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GERM 375 - Advanced Topics in German Cultural Studies
1 unit(s)
Not offered in 2016/17.
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GERM 399 - Senior Independent Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Greek and Roman Studies: I. Introductory Courses in English Translation
Courses in English translation, numbered X00-X19 are taught entirely in English. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is required. |
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GRST 100 - Then and Now: Reinterpreting Greece and Rome Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Here we are at the beginning of the 21st century, yet all around us we continue to see allusions to and creative engagements with Greek and Roman antiquity. From the bestseller list which features a novel claiming to reveal recently discovered books of the Odyssey to an HBO series that takes place in ancient Rome and comparisons of the post 9/11 United States to the Roman Empire in the news, the worlds of ancient Greece and Rome continue to be viscerally alive and compelling as sources for artistic and cultural production. Why is this so? In this course we examine the ways that the legacies of classical antiquity continue to be felt today and invite us to explore the cultures of Greece and Rome. The course serves as an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of Greek and Roman languages, literature, history, and archaeology and the interpretation of these cultures by subsequent civilizations. The course addresses both the complex political, social, intellectual, and cultural settings of the ancient world and the ways in which the study of antiquity can challenge and enrich our experience of the present. To pursue these questions we read ancient texts, examine material artifacts, study linguistic evidence, and engage with creative contemporary responses to antiquity and recent theoretical work on the study of the ancient world. In serving as an overview of the kinds of questions that contemporary culture inspires us to ask of and about antiquity and the materials and approaches that scholars use for their inquiries, the course prepares the student for further work in the department. Ms. Friedman.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 101 - Civilization in Question
1 unit(s)
(Same as CLCS 101 ) This course undertakes to question civilization in various ways. First, by looking at texts from ancient, medieval, and renaissance cultures, as well as texts and films from our own; it introduces students to major works of the Western tradition and asks how they bring under scrutiny their own tradition. In particular we examine how the individual, community, justice and the divine are imagined in these texts. Second, because the course is team-taught by faculty from different disciplines, we explore the ways a text is interpreted and how different meanings are found in it because of the different perspectives brought to the class by its faculty. Finally, we reflect on the role questioning plays in the process of a liberal arts education and the different kinds of attitudes and intellectual outlooks we learn to bring tot he study of any text, which impels us to consider the ways we allow the past to inform and question the present and the present to inform and question our understanding of the past. Readings for the course vary from year to year, but have included Genesis, Exodus, and texts by Homer, Plato, Nietzsche, Foucault, and Walcott. Ms. Friedman (Greek and Roman Studies) and Mr. Schreier (History).
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods and one 50-minute discussion period.
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GRST 104 - Greek Archaeology Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course examines sites and monuments of the ancient Greek world from the Bronze Age to the Classical period. We introduce archaeological methods, examine the history and developement of Greek archaeology from the origins of the field in the 1870’s to the present, and trace the chronological development of Greek art and architecture across several major sites including Knossos, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi, and Athens. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding and interpreting monuments in terms of their political, social, and economic contexts. Barbara Olsen.
Alternate years.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 127 - Intensive Elementary Greek
2 unit(s)
An intensive introduction to the fundamentals of classical Greek grammar and syntax. Students with no background in ancient Greek learn to read Homer, Plato, Greek tragedy, Herodotus, and other classical texts after one semester’s intensive work. This course is the equivalent of GRST 125 - 126 and fulfills the language requirement by itself. Rachel Friedman.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Four 75-minute periods plus one 50-minute grammar drill.
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GRST 180 - Narratives of Personal Transformation, from Ancient Greece to the 21st Century Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course explores narratives of personal transformation, starting with works from Greek and Roman antiquity before turning to literary works and popular media from other cultures and time periods. We examine various aspects of personal transformation, including changes in beliefs, behaviors, societal roles, bodily states, psychological experiences, and personal expression. Attention is given to transformations and constructions of gender identity, recognizing the relevance of such topics in not only our own cultural moment, but also in several Greek and Roman texts that present gender as a construct that is fluid and/or ambiguous. Possible readings include selections from Plato’s Symposium, the poems of Catullus, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Apuleius’ The Golden Ass, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex, and Margaret Atwood’s Penelopiad. Possible television/film materials include the film Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) and episodes from the television show Transparent (2014-present).
Open only to freshmen; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 181 - Classical Rhetoric and the 2016 Presidential Campaign Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
We are all inundated by words and images intended to persuade, whether from advertisers, from supposedly neutral news sources, and, particularly in an election year, from politicians. All of these employ the techniques of classical rhetoric, which has its roots in the birth of democracy in ancient Greece and has remained central in western discourse until the present day. In this course we will consider the function of rhetorical speech in the ancient world and the role of rhetoric in contemporary American society, with particular attention to its use in the 2016 presidential campaign. Some may be surprised to discover the continuing relevance of ancient theories of persuasion in modern times, when channels for the delivery and consumption of persuasive discourse have proliferated far beyond those available to ancient rhetoricians. Writing assignments will include analyses of contemporary rhetoric, including speeches, advertisements, and news coverage from the campaign, as well as exercises aimed at making our own writing more persuasive. Curtis Dozier.
Open only to freshmen; satisfies college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Two 75-minute periods.
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Greek and Roman Studies: II. Intermediate Independent Work
Independent work may be pursued in Greek, Latin, or English translation. |
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GRST 201 - Ancient Warfare Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course examines the phenomenon of war in Greek and Roman antiquity. While not neglecting traditional military topics such as arms and armor, organization, tactics, and strategy, we seek a wider cultural understanding of war by exploring its social ideology, the role of women and other non-combatants, and its depiction in art and literature. Wars for discussion include the fictional Trojan War as well as historical wars such as the Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War, the Punic Wars, and the Roman Civil War. Readings in English translation are selected from Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides, Caesar, and others.
Prerequisite(s): any 100-level course in Classics, Greek, or Latin, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 202 - Myth Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course examines ancient myth from a variety of theoretical perspectives. It compares Greek and Roman myth with other mythic traditions and explores different versions of the same myth within Greek and Roman culture. We also consider transformations of ancient myths into modem versions. Literary, artistic, and archaeological evidence provide ways to understand the function of myth in ancient Greek and Roman society. Rachel Friedman.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 203 - Women in Greek and Roman History and Myth
1 unit(s)
(Same as WMST 203 ) Greek and Roman literary and historical accounts abound with vividly drawn women such as Helen, Antigone, Medea, Livia, and Agrippina, the mother of Nero. But how representative were such figures of the daily lives of women throughout Greek and Roman antiquity? This course investigates the images and realities of women in the ancient Greek and Roman world, from the Greek Late Bronze Age (c. 1200 BCE) to the Roman Empire (up to the III c. CE) by juxtaposing evidence from literature, historical sources, and archaeological material. Throughout, the course examines the complex ways in which ancient women interacted with the institutions of the state, the family, religion, and the arts. Barbara Olsen.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 204 - Gender and Sexuality in Roman Culture
1 unit(s)
(Same as WMST 204 ) This course examines in detail the sexual attitudes and behaviors of the ancient Romans and the gender roles that both shaped and were shaped by those attitudes. We study selections from ancient Greek and Roman literature, examine artistic remains, and read articles written by prominent scholars of ancient Rome. While the readings are in roughly chronological order, the course is principally organized by topic (e.g., a day for “Roman pederasty” or “Vestal virgins”). All readings are in English translation.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 209 - From Homer to Omeros
1 unit(s)
(Same as AFRS 209 ) No poet since James Joyce has been as deeply and creatively engaged in a refashioning of Homer as Derek Walcott, the Caribbean poet and 1992 Nobel Laureate. He has authored both a stage version of the Odyssey and a modern epic, Omeros, and in both of them he brings a decidedly postcolonial and decidedly Caribbean idiom to Homer’s ancient tales. In this course we devote ourselves to a close reading of these works alongside the appropriate sections of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Our aim is both to understand the complexities of Walcott’s use of the Homeric models and to discover the new meanings that emerge in Homer when we read him through Walcott’s eyes. Rachel Friedman.
Prerequisite(s): any 100-level Greek and Roman Studies course or one unit of related work or special permission.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 210 - Art, Myth, and Society in the Ancient Aegean
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 210 ) Eve D’Ambra.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or ART 106 or coursework in Greek & Roman Studies, or permission of the instructor.
NRO available to non-majors.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 211 - Rome: The Art of Empire
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 211 ) From humble beginnings to its conquest of most of the known world, Rome dominated the Mediterranean with the power of its empire. Art and architecture gave monumental expression to its political ideology, especially in the building of cities that spread Roman civilization across most of Europe and parts of the Middle East and Africa. Roman art also featured adornment, luxury, and collecting in both public and private spheres. Given the diversity of the people included in the Roman empire and its artistic forms, what is particularly Roman about Roman art? Eve D’Ambra.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or ART 106 or one unit in Greek and Roman Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 215 - The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 215 ) Ancient Egypt has long fascinated the public with its pyramids, mummies, and golden divine rulers. This course provides a survey of the archaeology, art, and architecture of ancient Egypt from the prehistoric cultures of the Nile Valley through the period of Cleopatra’s rule and Roman domination. Topics to be studied include the art of the funerary cult and the afterlife, technology and social organization, and court rituals of the pharaohs, along with aspects of everyday life. Eve D’Ambra.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or ART 106 or one unit of Greek and Roman Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 216 - History of the Ancient Greeks Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 216 ) This course examines the history and culture of the ancient Greeks from the emergence of the city-state in the eighth century BCE to the conquests of Alexander the Great in 335 BCE. In addition to an outline of the political and social history of the Greeks, the course examines several historical, cultural, and methodological topics in depth, including the emergence of writing, Greek colonialism and imperialism, ancient democracy, polytheism, the social structures of Athenian society, and the relationship between Greeks and other Mediterranean cultures. Students both read primary sources (for example, Sappho, Tyrtaios, Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, and Plato) and examine sites and artifacts recovered through archaeology; the development of students’ critical abilities to evaluate and use these sources for the study of history is a primary goal of the class. Barbara Olsen.
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GRST 217 - History of the Ancient Romans
1 unit(s)
(Same as HIST 217 ) This course examines the history of the ancient Romans from the foundation of their city around the eighth century BCE to the collapse of their Mediterranean Empire in the fifth century CE. The course offers a broad historical outline of Roman history, but focuses on significant topics and moments in Roman history, including the Republican aristocracy, the civil and slave wars of the Late Republic, the foundation of the Empire by Caesar Augustus, urbanism, the place of public entertainments (gladiatorial combats, Roman hunts, chariot races, and theater) in society, the rise of Christianity, the processes of Romanization, and barbarization, and the political decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Students read primary sources such as Plautus, Cicero, Livy, Tacitus, and Suetonius, and secondary accounts dealing with important issues such as slavery, religious persecution and multiculturalism. Students also examine important archaeological sites and artifacts. The development of students’ critical abilities to evaluate and use these sources for the study of history is a primary goal of the class. J. Bert Lott.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 219 - The First Cities: The Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 219 and URBS 219 ) The art, architecture, and artifacts of the region comprising ancient Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, and Turkey from 3200 BCE to the conquest of Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE. Beginning with the rise of cities and cuneiform writing in Mesopotamia, course topics include the role of the arts in the formation of states and complex societies, cult practices, trade and military action, as well as in everyday life. How do we make sense of the past through its ruins and artifacts, especially when they are under attack (the destruction wrought by ISIS)? Eve D’Ambra.
Prerequisite(s): ART 105 or 106 or one unit in Greek and Roman Studies, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 282 - Greek and Roman Sports Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
The ancient Greeks and Romans loved sports, from races at the Olympics to bloody gladiatorial combat in the Colosseum. How and why did athletics become so important in ancient society, and what can they also tell us about attitudes to sex, food, religion, or war? We consider the history of athletic contests from the Homeric epics until the end of the Roman Empire, including professionals and amateurs, athletes and fans, women’s sports, children’s games, and how our own experience of physical competition is or is not the same. Britta Ager.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 285 - Sex, Gender and the History of Medicine Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 285 and WMST 285 ) This course looks at topics in the history of medicine that can be traced from their Classical roots into the modern period. Topics include abortion and miscarriage, hysteria, the one/two sex body, dissection, and epilepsy or panic attacks (called the “sacred disease” in antiquity) among others. We look at how disease, pathology, and medical interventions are culturally situated and gendered. For instance, what was “mobile womb” in ancient Greek medicine comes to be hysteria in the 19th century, and has its legacy in modern medical dismissals of women’s pain and suffering. Tara Mulder.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 290 - Field Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): Special Permission.
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GRST 298 - Independent Study Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): Special Permission.
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Greek and Roman Studies: III. Advanced |
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GRST 301 - Seminar in Classical Civilization Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as DRAM 301 ) Topic for 2016/17a: Ancient Theater: Traditional and Radical Approaches. What matters in the history of theater and performance? Why do we still care about Plato’s cave and Aristotle’s Poetics? In this survey course on ancient theater and performance, we begin by assessing Classics as a discipline and its privileged place at the head of the Western theater tradition. We read works by all the major Greek and Roman playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Menander, Plautus, Terence, and Seneca. Our investigations of the plays are paired with canonical and radical interlocutors from Aristotle to Nietzsche to Luce Irigaray. We also consider the ancient performative works from outside the west: theMahabharata and Kabuki and Nō theater. Finally, the course concludes with the viewing and examination of modern adoptions and re-performances, including Peter Hall’s Eumenides, Yukio Ninagawa’s Oedipus Rex, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Sita Sings the Blues, among others. Tara Mulder
Prerequisite(s): previous course work in Greek and Roman Studies or Drama, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 302 - The Blegen Seminar Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
The course is offered by the Blegen Distinguished Visiting Research Professor or the Blegen Research Fellow in Classics, appointed annually to pursue research and lecture on his/her scholarly concerns in classical antiquity. We encourage students to take note of the fact that each Blegen Seminar is uniquely offered and will not be repeated. Since the topic changes every year, the course may be taken for credit more than once.
Topic for 2016/17b: Cult, Magic, and Witchcraft. In this course curse tablets, the magical papyri, literary accounts of witches and magicians, ghost stories, and other evidence for the practice of magic in the ancient world are paired with historical and anthropological readings that address what magic is and how it works on a social, psychological, and practical level. The course addresses questions about human behavior, such as how we think symbolically, make practical decisions, express emotions, and mediate conflict. Britta Ager.
Prerequisite(s): previous coursework in Greek and Roman Studies or a field related to the topic, or permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 310 - Seminar in Ancient Art Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 310 ) Topic for 2016/17a: Pompeii: Public and Private Life. The volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79 blotted out life in Pompeii, but the Roman town lives on as a study site and tourist attraction. Its urban development with grand theaters and amphitheaters alongside of taverns and brothels exemplifies high and low Roman culture. The homes of private citizens demonstrate intense social competition in their scale, grounds, and the Greek myths painted on walls. Pompeii gave shape to the world of Roman citizens and others through its raucous street life and gleaming monumental centers. Eve D’Ambra.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period.
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GRST 360 - a or b Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
1 unit(s)
One semester senior thesis. Seniors only
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GRST 361 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Full Year Thesis (1/2 unit per semester). Seniors Only.
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GRST 362 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Full Year Thesis (1/2 unit per semester). Seniors Only.
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GRST 363 - a or b Senior Project Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Extended writing or other project elected concurrently with a seminar in Greek and Roman Studies. Seniors only.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor of the concurrent seminar.
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GRST 399 - Senior Independent Study
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Courses in Greek Language and Literature: I. Introductory Courses in Greek Language and Literature
Courses numbered X20-X39 require appropriate reading ability in ancient Greek. |
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GRST 125 - Elementary Greek Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Introduction to the language. Rachel Friedman.
Open to all classes. No previous Greek is required.
Yearlong course 125-GRST 126 .
Four 50-minute periods.
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GRST 126 - Elementary Greek
1 unit(s)
Introduction to the language. Rachel Friedman.
Open to all classes.
Yearlong course GRST 125 -126.
Not offered in 2016/17.
Four 50-minute periods.
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Courses in Greek Language and Literature: II. Intermediate |
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GRST 225 - Intermediate Greek Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Authors may include Sophokles, Euripides, Xenophon, Lysias, and Plato. In addition to consolidating knowledge of grammar, the selection of passages brings into focus important aspects of Athenian culture. Rachel Friedman.
Prerequisite(s): GRST 105 -GRST 106 or permission of the instructor.
Three 50-minute periods.
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Courses in Greek Language and Literature: III. Advanced |
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GRST 321 - Advanced Greek: Topics in Greek Literature Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as GRST 226 ) Topic for 2016/17b: Plato on Poetry. Students in this course examine, in ancient Greek, the philosopher Plato’s highly influential discussions of poetry in his Ion, Republic, and other texts. Of central interest is the tension in Plato’s writings between a view of poetry as a warped, even deceptive, representation of reality and his apparent admiration for the poet’s divinely-inspired powers. Questions addressed include the role of imaginative literature in society and what justification there may be for censorship of literature. In addition to becoming familiar with Plato’s contribution to the history of poetics, his Greek style, and the reception of his ideas about literature, students are invited to consider contemporary “fiction” (whether textual or in other media) in light of Plato’s discussion. Curtis Dozier.
This course should be elected by students before electing any advanced Greek course in the department.
Students enrolled in GRST 226 have an extra hour of grammar review and students enrolled in GRST 321 have longer Greek assignments.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 322 - Greek Tragedy Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
A reading of a play by Sophokles or Euripides. Careful study of the text helps us to understand the playwright’s style. We also consider how the play examines and responds to the historical, social and political conditions of Athens in the fifth century BCE. Rachel Friedman.
Prerequisite(s): two units in 200-level courses in the language or permission of the instructor.
Offered in alternate years.
Two 75-minute periods.
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GRST 323 - Homer
1 unit(s)
Extensive selections from the Iliad, the Odyssey, and/or Homeric Hymns with attention given to oral theory, thematic structure, and social issues raised by the poems. Barbara Olsen.
Prerequisite(s): two units in 200-level courses in the language or permission of the instructor.
Offered in alternate years. Not offered in 2016/17.
Two 75-minute periods.
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Courses in Latin Language and Literature: I. Introductory Courses in Latin Language and Literature
Courses numbered X40-X59 require appropriate reading ability in Latin. |
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GRST 145 - Elementary Latin Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Introduction to the language. Curtis Dozier.
Open to all classes. No previous Latin is required.
Yearlong course 145-GRST 146 .
Four 50-minute periods.
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GRST 146 - Elementary Latin Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Introduction to the language.
Open to all classes.
Yearlong course GRST 145 -146.
Four 50-minute periods.
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Courses in Latin Language and Literature: II. Intermediate |
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GRST 245 - Intermediate Latin I Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Selected readings from authors such as Plautus, Cicero, Catullus, Caesar, Sallust, and Virgil. The selection of readings is designed to consolidate knowledge of grammar, provide an introduction to the translation of continuous, unadapted Latin, and highlight interesting features of Roman culture in the last two centuries of the Republic.
Prerequisite(s): GRST 145 -GRST 146 or permission of the instructor or chair.
Three 50-minute periods.
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