Pre Modern and Ancient World Studies
Course Descriptions, Fall 2008
ART 110H. Art History I
4.00 credit hours
Gimenez-Berger, Alejandra - Koch Hall
Prereqisites: None
A selective chronological survey of architecture, painting, sculpture and decorative arts from the birth of art in the Prehistoric period through its development in the Middle Ages. Although this course focuses on art created in Western Europe, the survey will also include the art of the Ancient Near East and the Byzantine Empire.
ART 275H 1W. Greek and Roman Art - Morris - Koch Hall
4.00 credit hours
Gimenez-Berger, Alejandra - Koch Hall
Prerequisites: Art 110H or Art 120H or permission of instructor.
An introduction to the art and archaeology of Greece and Rome. The course explores the origins and meanings of the Classical style, surveying art and architecture from the Minoan to the Hellenistic periods, followed by a consideration of Roman art and architecture from the Etruscans to the beginnings of Christian Art. Artistic production is considered from the point of view of the cultures that produced them.
ECON 320. History of Economic Thought
4.00 credits
Wishart, David
Prerequisites: ECON 190 or equivalent.
This course critically examines the work of economic thinkers from the time of Plato through the early 20th century. The goal of this course is to both enable students to understand how the environment economic thinkers lived in influenced their analysis and to appreciate how economic thought has been refined and improved through the ages. The centerpiece of the course will continue to be a detailed textual analysis of Adam Smith's classic work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Readings will focus on original texts as much as possible throughout the course. Students will be expected to write two short papers, give one in-class presentation, write midterm and final exams, and participate actively in class discussions. The format for the course is lecture-discussion. This course is writing intensive.
English 280. British Survey I
4.00 credits
Richards, Cynthia
In the course, we will read, discuss, and write about representative texts from the Middle Ages to the beginnings of the British novel in the eighteenth century. We will also seek to locate these texts within the historical and ideological conditions which helped to determine their meaning for their contemporary readers. The course will focus on several themes, such as the construction of the self and the relationship of literature to the state. These themes will help us organize and familiarize a diverse body of literature that can often feel quite foreign to the modern reader. Early British attitudes toward the writer, the reader, and the text can also vary from our own and we will remain attentive to how these attitudes change over the centuries. In the process, you will acquire a basic knowledge of literary terms, styles, forms, critical concepts and significant dates. Finally, we will step back from these concerns to reflect on how English is made and why it is that we read these particular works as representative.
English 280. British Survey I
4.00 credits
Buckman, Ty
Prerequisite: ENGL 170H, ENGL 180A or ENGL 190A/C
In this survey for English literature from its beginnings to the early eighteenth century, students will be introduced to the writings of a variety of authors working in a variety of genres: sonnet, dramatic comedy, epic poem, essay, novel, and others. In order to impose some structure on a rather diverse body of writings, we will trace several broad themes across these works while attending to, so far as possible in a course of this type, the historical milieux in which these texts were written and read or performed. A reading journal, three papers, a midterm and final. Writing intensive.
HIST 101H 1W. Life, Love and War in the Middle Ages
4.00 credits
Livingstone, Amy
Prerequisite: Freshmen Section only. Student must register for ENGL-101E-GW concurrently.
What was it like to live, love and die in the Middle Ages? This course will examine the lives of famous medieval people, like Charlemagne and Eleanor of Aquitaine, but also those whose experiences are not as well known - such as peasants, Jews, heretics, women and children. The lives of these people will be brought to life through modern novels but also the medieval accounts of their lives. By coming to appreciate the lives of medieval people, the larger political, economic, cultural and social developments that shaped the medieval period will be brought to life. Course assessment will consist of essay exams, papers, quizzes, presentations and class participation. Writing intensive.
HIST 105C/H 1W. Pre-Modern World
4.00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian
Prerequisite: None
World Civilization I is fundamentally about the interconnectivity of the global system. In this class we will discuss kings, emperors, and philosophers from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in addition to how the kingdoms and empires of the world interacted during this period. Key topics include the development of empire from Persia to China to Rome, the migrations of steppe peoples from Mongolia into Europe over the course of a thousand years, and the religious interactions (and their sometimes violent conflicts) in Eurasia and Africa that resulted in the spread of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. In addition to discussing happenings within various kingdoms and fledgling states of the world, this class, specifically in lecture and discussion, is designed to look at how those kingdoms interacted with one another and what the consequences were-culturally, religiously, and economically. What was gained, and what lost? Class will consist of lecture and discussion (and possibly group projects). Attendance is essential. Students will be expected to complete reading assignments and contribute to class discussion, and to complete all writing assignments on time. Writing intensive.
HIST 105C/H 2W. Pre-Modern World
4.00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian
Prerequisite: None
World Civilization I is fundamentally about the interconnectivity of the global system. In this class we will discuss kings, emperors, and philosophers from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in addition to how the kingdoms and empires of the world interacted during this period. Key topics include the development of empire from Persia to China to Rome, the migrations of steppe peoples from Mongolia into Europe over the course of a thousand years, and the religious interactions (and their sometimes violent conflicts) in Eurasia and Africa that resulted in the spread of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. In addition to discussing happenings within various kingdoms and fledgling states of the world, this class, specifically in lecture and discussion, is designed to look at how those kingdoms interacted with one another and what the consequences were-culturally, religiously, and economically. What was gained, and what lost? Class will consist of lecture and discussion (and possibly group projects). Attendance is essential. Students will be expected to complete reading assignments and contribute to class discussion, and to complete all writing assignments on time. Writing intensive.
HIST 105C/H 3W. Pre-Modern World
4.00 credits
Brooks Hedstrom, Darlene
Prerequisite: Freshmen only with Supplemental Instruction
This course considers how in the world ancient history matters in shaping the modern world. We will discard the dryness of history to consider real questions that have historical importance in thinking about the past. We will develop skills in reading, debating and argumentation as we consider issues such as how telling stories about the world reflect core values of society, what medical beliefs about the body tell us about gender roles in the past, what beliefs were foundation to the Islamic empire, how Genghis Khan ushered in the modern age, and to what degree ancient religious beliefs predetermine the political and ethical history of a community. We will read primary sources from period, examine archaeological remains of material culture and read historical fiction as a way to engage with these questions and establish skills in thinking critically about the past. The course is reading and writing intensive. Students will be assessed on the basis of weekly quizzes, in class debate and discussion, and three exams. Supplemental Instruction will be available two times a week.
HIST 106C/H 1W. Modern World
4.00 credits
Maus, Tanya
Prerequisite: Freshmen only with Supplemental Instruction
Is the world modern? Where does the modern begin and where does it end? What assumptions are implied by defining our present as such? Beginning from 1400, this course will examine the historical development of various states throughout the world and the ways that regions and states embraced or rejected changing definitions of modernity. We will consider these questions from a global perspective (how states and regions interacted with each other from the fifteenth century) and from a regional perspective (how states responded internally to historical changes from the fifteenth century). In particular, we will examine European expansion from the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries and the subsequent attempt of Europe and the United States to define a new world order based upon international standards. We will then consider how this clashed with already existing inter-state systems throughout the world. Students' work will be evaluated through in-class participation, in-class quizzes, presentations and a variety of written assignments. Writing intensive. Required for Integrated Social Studies Major.
HIST 161C 1W. Pre Modern East Asia
4.00 credits
Maus, Tanya
Prerequisite: None
Elegant courtiers and eunuchs, ethical scholars, powerful Buddhist nuns, and impudent commoners were some of many groups that created the fabric of East Asian societies during the pre-modern period. This course looks at how such groups within China, Korea, and Japan developed the foundations for powerful states and societies with flourishing economies and rich cultural diversity. In particular, we will focus on the relationship between politics, religion, and culture as sources of East Asian interchange and identity. Students' work will be evaluated through in-class participation, in-class quizzes, presentations and a variety of written assignments.Writing intensive.
HIST 171C 1W. African Societies to 1500
4.00 credits
Rosenberg, Scott
Prerequisite: None
This class will cover the major themes and issues of African history before the arrival of Europeans and the Atlantic Slave Trade. Topics will range from the African roots of human society to placing ancient Egypt within African history. We will also examine the role of Islam in Africa. In particular, this class will explore the role of oral traditions and "myth" in African societies and will attempt to ascertain their usefulness as historical documents. Additionally, in our examination of these societies we will focus on the roles of trade, environment, and religion in African political and social systems.Writing intensive.
HIST 201C 1W. Mummies, Myths and Monuments
4.00 credits
Brooks Hedstrom, Darlene
Prerequisite: None
Ancient Egypt is a subject that fascinates the American imagination. This course will consider the American discovery of Egypt through the work of famous archaeologists and historians. With this foundation, we will examine the over 3,000 years of history that shape what is known of ancient Egypt from the great pyramid builders of the Old Kingdom, to the great poets of the Middle Kingdom, to the great apex of Egyptian power under the pharaohs of the New Kingdom. The course will conclude with an examination of the last century of Egyptian history under the invading empires of the Kushites, the Persians, and the Greeks. This is a survey class that will require intensive reading in both primary (both textual and artifactual evidence) and secondary sources on Egypt.Writing intensive
HIST 202H 1 W. Children of the Past
4.00 credits
Livingstone, Amy
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
What was it like growing up in the past? Did pre modern people have a "childhood?' Historians have recently turned their attention to investigating the private lives of medieval and early modern people. In this class we will explore what historians have uncovered about growing up in the past. We will examine the experiences of children in medieval London and Florence, Reformation Germany and sixteenth-century France. This course will also examine how historians "do" history. What methods, theories, philosophies inform how historians have approached examining the history of childhood? What are the issues that confront historians in regard to the use of primary sources and historiographic traditions? Should historians be objective? Can they be objective? Each of those questions is fundamental to the task, vocation and obligation of the historian. To address such issues, students will read, analyze and critique primary sources. The "history" of historical interpretation, or historiography, will also be explored through a series of monographs and articles. Students will write several short analytical essays, as well as a longer historiographical paper, and participate in discussion and debate.Writing intensive.
HIST 251C 1W. The History of Russia to 1796
4.00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian
Prerequisite: None
Russia occupies a unique position between Europe and Asia. This class will explore the creation of the Russian state, leading into the modern period. We will begin with the exploration and settlement of the Vikings in Eastern Europe, which began the genesis of the state known as "Rus." That European state soon encountered threats from Asia when the Mongols invaded in the thirteenth century. The Mongol invasions changed Russian history and contributed to the "othering" of Russia which has continued to the present day. It also created a situation which leads to the creation of Tsars, Russian emperors who come to dominate their European and Asian territory, eventually leading to the creation of a multi-ethnic empire under Tsar Ivan IV. Ivan's spiritual heirs Peter and Catherine are where we will end the class. The two "greats" dominate the eighteenth century in Russian politics and have a huge impact on the international political scene, changing Russia from the inside out. Class will consist of lecture and discussion (and possibly group projects). Attendance is essential. Students will be expected to complete reading assignments and contribute to class discussion, and to complete all writing assignments on time.Writing intensive.
HIST 390 1W. Wives, Wenches, Saints and Sinners: Women in the Middle Ages
4.00 credits
Livingstone, Amy
Prerequisite: HIST 202C/H or permission of instructor.
Saints, martyrs, damsels in distress, grimy peasant women, ladies in pointy hats are some of the prevailing images of medieval women. Scholarship on medieval women is also fraught with different visions of medieval women. Some historians find medieval women's voices silent, and refer to the middle ages as the "male middle ages." More recently, other scholars have come to challenge this model and suggest more of a "rough and ready equality" for medieval women. Keeping in mind these two paradigms of women's experience, this class will explore the lives of a variety of medieval women, including peasants, aristocratic ladies, nuns, heretics, prostitutes, urban women, artists, and mystics. Through examination of primary sources, as well as historical monographs and essays, students explore the complexities of medieval women's experiences. Evaluation will be based on a in depth historiographical analysis of a medieval woman, critiques of primary and secondary sources, class presentations and participation.Writing intensive.
MUSIC 301H 1W. History of Western Music to 1750
4.00 credits
Faber, Trudy
Prerequisite: English 101E
A study of the important musical developments from early Greek music, through the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, and of the composers whose creativity brought new ideas to fruition. Topics include: chant and early polyphony, Ars Antiqua and Ars Nova, the development of the Franco-Netherlands style, music of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, Italian monody, opera and opera-related forms, instrumental music of the Baroque and especially the music of Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel. Although the course format is generally lecture/discussion/listening, there will also be videos and live performances on organ and harpsichord. Required for music majors.
Writing intensive
PHIL 310 1W. Ancient & Medieval Philosophy
4.00 credits
Reed, Don
Prerequisite: One prior course in PHIL or permission.
This course is an introduction to the historical method of philosophical reflection and an introduction to the philosophers of a particular period and a particular tradition (ancient Greek to medieval European). As part of the first goal, we will observe the historical nature of philosophical thinking, i.e., the way it develops historically, not by accident but by its very nature. We will trace one tradition of answers to questions variously answered by four particular notions (which themselves are reformulated over and over again): (1) the notion that abstractions (like geometrical figures and the periodic table of elements) are the true objects of knowledge, (2) the notion that it is sometimes very difficult if not impossible to do what you know is good and not to do what you know is bad, (3) the notion that to be real and to be excellent are the same, i.e., that being and goodness are identical, and (4) the notion that the soul is immortal and lives on after the body decays and ceases. Students will take a mid-term and a final exam and write four papers. Writing intensive.
POLI 211R. Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy
4.00 credits
Wright, Heather
Prerequisite: None
This is a challenging and thought-provoking course which explores the history of political philosophy from ancient Greek drama to medieval thought through a combination of primary textual analysis and interpretive commentary. What is political philosophy? Simply put, it is the quest for knowledge about the nature of politics. Ancient and medieval political philosophers sought knowledge about many of our most compelling and vital human questions. What is the nature of human beings? What is nature itself?
What is justice? How can we begin to understand power? What is the good life for human beings? What is the best form of political rule? What is the proper relationship of philosophy to politics? On what basis might we construct our ethical life? Are men and women different, and if so, how might this impact the political? Not surprisingly, political philosophers have thought and continue to think very differently about these topics. Evaluation will be based on several short essays, midterm and final examinations, and class preparation and participation.
Religion 121R. Art of Biblical Literature
4.00 credits
Kaiser, Barbara
Prerequisite: None
This course is intended to help readers appreciate the artistry of biblical prose and poetry. We will examine texts from the Old and New Testaments and Apocrypha, paying special attention to plot structure, word-plays, imagery, repetition, characterization, themes, parallelism and aetiology. Throughout the term, we will consider reinterpretations of biblical literature in the music, literature, and film of our own culture. Class sessions have a lecture/discussion format. There will be three or four exams and regular written responses to readings. Writing intensive.
Religion 134 C/R. Chinese and Japanese Religious Traditions
4.00 credits
Oldstone-Moore, Jennifer
Prerequisite: None
This course examines several religious traditions which have shaped East Asian civilizations. We will study the formal traditions of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Shinto and the New Religions; we will also consider the popular religious traditions of China and Japan. Classes include both lecture and discussion; students will be evaluated through essay exams, short papers and analysis of scripture and other texts.
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed especially for religion majors, pre-theological students, and others with a serious interest in biblical studies. We will attempt to place the Old Testament literature in its historical context, understand the theological perspectives which shape the texts, develop methods of interpretation, and simply appreciate the artistry and inspiration of the Old Testament literature. Class sessions have lecture/discussion format. Students will take three exams and write a paper.Writing intensive
Religion 241R. Christian Tradition
4.00 credits
Nelson, Paul
Prerequisite: None
Historical survey of the development of Christian thought and doctrine in the West. Students will be introduced to the work of major theologians (classical and modern) and to issues of perennial debate such as the tensions between reason and revelation, the humanity and divinity of Christ, nature and grace, justification and sanctification, spirit and structure, and differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant doctrine. Lecture/discussion format. Midterm and final examinations. No prerequisite though students should be aware that the course requires careful reading of primary texts, many of which are quite challenging.
Religion 300-1W Topics: Word and Sword Violence in the Bible
4.00 credits
Kaiser, Barbara
Pre-requisite: 1 previous course in Bible at the college level or instructor permission
In this seminar we will confront some of the disturbing passages in the Bible: traditions of holy war and conquest, narratives of rape and murder, cries for vengeance, violent images of God, sharp prophetic invective, responses to political oppression, stories and theological reflections on Jesus crucifixion, and apocalyptic visions of wrath. We will also consider whether biblical critiques of violence and visions of peace offer compelling arguments against the terrifying texts. After we have examined the biblical passages in their ancient literary and historical context, we will consider how modern groups have responded to these texts, whether as justification for violence, critiques of violence, or challenges to the relevance and authority of the Bible. Since this is a seminar, students will participate actively in each class session through sharing analytical and creative writings, staging debates, summarizing reading assignments, responding to questions, and leading discussions. Those considering the course must take the prerequisite seriously, as participants should already have experience with an academic approach to the Bible and should have some knowledge of basic historical background.
Religion 339 C/R. Monkeys, Samuari and Gods
4.00 credits
Oldstone-Moore, Jennifer
Prerequisite: None
This seminar will look at religious meaning and message in some of the best loved literature of China and Japan, including Journey to the West, Tale of Heike, Dream of the Red Chamber, Account of my Hut, and others. Class will be a combination of lecture and discussion, with student presentations and a term paper. Videos and other media will be used when possible.Writing intensive.
Spanish 350H. Spanish Peninsular Civilization
4.00 credits
McIntyre, C.
Prerequisite: Spanish 215 or 217
Cultural survey of Spain from its earliest history to the present with an emphasis on contemporary Peninsular culture. Lectures and discussions are supplemented by readings as well as presentations that reflect the history and development of Spanish civilization.
Spanish 425/1W. Advanced Studies in Hispanic Literature I
4.00 credits
McIntyre, C.
Prerequisite: One 300 level Spanish course taught in Spanish
In-depth study of topics and themes in Peninsular literature. Course will include reading, analysis and discussion of selected literary works. Writing intensive.
PAST 400. Capstone Seminar
4.00 credits
Staff
Prerequisite: Must be a junior or senior Pre-Modern and Ancient Studies minor and have completed twelve hours of the PAST minor.
Capstone course in which the junior or senior Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies minor integrates the major strands of Pre-Modern and Ancient World history, culture, religion and philosophy, and literature around a specified theme and writes an extensive research paper. Writing intensive.
