GRST 200 - Antiquity Now: Reinterpreting Greece and Rome

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

In this class we consider the many ways that ancient Greece and Rome remain visible and significant in the contemporary world. Such prominence demands critical consideration, especially considering that Classical learning –– long the province of only an elite few –– was deeply implicated in colonial projects and continues to be a tool of white supremacists. Our multifaceted approach to the complex ways in which the past and present are mutually informed by one another includes consideration of: modern adaptations of ancient texts in literature and film; debates about ownership and display of cultural artifacts; the history of classics in the Vassar curriculum; and instances where examples from antiquity are cited to inform contemporary debates. Freed of a value-laden idealizing narrative of antiquity which presumes that that which is ancient has value simply because it is prior, we discover a vibrant space in which to engage in a series of conversations between the ancient world and our own. Rachel Friedman.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS