CLAS 239 A: Greece: From Ancient to Modern

Winter Quarter 2019
T Th, 12.30-2.20 at CDH 139

Instructors:

Dr. Alexander Hollmann (Classics)

hollmann@uw.edu: office hours Denny M262E M W 1.30-2.30 & by appointment

Dr. Nektaria Klapaki (JSIS, Hellenic Studies)

nklapaki@uw.edu: office hours Thomson 438, T 10-11 & by appointment

Course Description

How are Ancient and Modern Greece connected to each other? Partly real and partly invented, the bond between them can simultaneously be described in terms of revival and continuity, but also in terms of discontinuity, tension, appropriation and conflict. In the first half of the course we will look at some of the most distinctive features of and moments in Ancient Greek culture: the combination of competition and collaboration that gave rise to tyranny, oligarchy, and radical democracy, tragedy and comedy, athletic competition, and a much imitated style of art and architecture; how the Greeks presented themselves for generations to come in their literature, art, and architecture and saw themselves in relation to other peoples around them. In the second half of the course we look at Modern Greece and its relationship with Ancient Hellas: how has the heritage of Ancient Greece shaped Modern Greece? How have the excavations at Knossos and Mycenae and the debate about the Parthenon marbles impacted Modern Greek identity? How have Ancient Greek drama, myth and ritual been revived and to what end? What lies behind the modern (Greek) institution of the Olympic Games? How has the ancient Greek concept of democracy been used, appropriated, and abused?

We will explore primary texts and images both ancient and modern (poetry, history, novels, painting, sculpture, photography, and film) and a wide range of secondary readings in history, archaeology, literary criticism, cultural studies, and political science. There are no prerequisites.

Course Learning Objectives

• to become familiar with key features of Ancient and Modern Greek culture
• to study Ancient and Modern Greek self-perceptions
• to understand the ambivalent relation between modern and ancient Greece
• to familiarize themselves with the key aspects of modern Greek identity and the ideological processes whereby they were constructed

Course Assignments

• First quiz (Th Jan 24) 20%
• Midterm exam (Th Feb 7) 25%
• Second quiz (Th Feb 21) 20%
• Final exam (Th Mar 21) 25%
• Participation 10%

Required Course Reading Material

• Johanna Hanink, The Classical Debt: Greek Antiquity in an Era of Austerity(Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press, 2017).
• Other assigned readings will be available through Canvas and as handouts in the class

Course Policies

Please come to class prepared to participate. This includes having read the readings assigned for the day and have considered the study questions.

Please refrain from using electronic devices for anything other than taking notes in class.

Please do not leave the classroom during the class except if absolutely necessary. A break will be provided half-way through the class.

All Powerpoint presentations shown in class will be posted on the website but please note that these are only outlines and not a substitute for notes. If you miss a class, please get notes from another student.

If you cannot take a quiz or an exam because of illness or a personal or family emergency please let us know as soon as possible and a make-up may be arranged.

Grade scale

The following grade scale will be used to convert percentages to GPA points