- Spring 2021
Syllabus Description:
COURSE INFORMATION
CLASSICS 326A: WOMEN IN GREEK AND ROMAN ANTIQUITY
Tuesday and Thursday 1:30-3:20 click to join
Meeting ID: 960 9796 7763
For the schedule of assignments see the MODULES (stay tuned for more as the quarter starts!). The modules show what you have to read and complete and submit and the Overview page in each module shows you how to do the quizzes and assignments. Always begin by looking at the Overview for each module! It will help you work efficiently with these challenging materials.
Olga Levaniouk
pronouns: she/her
olevan@u.washington.edu
Professor, Department of Classics
Office: working remotely
Office hours: Wednesdays 4-5pm (click to join) and by appointment—please don't hesitate to get in touch! You don't have to have a specific question to come to the office hour—I am happy just to chat about women in Antiquity (or other things in Antiquity). You are also welcome to ask me questions not directly related to the course — about the Classics department and the courses it offers, studying Ancient Greek and Latin, my work, etc. Feel free also to alert me to issues with course material—I welcome all questions and concerns.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Course goals: In this course we shall read and discuss ancient sources on religion, philosophy, medicine, literature, art, and law along with modern scholarly analyses of ancient society to explore the lives of women in ancient Greek and Roman societies. Readings are chosen and discussions are structured with the aim of developing three types of awareness:
historical awareness --knowledge of basic historical realities of women and of family life, limitations and biases of surviving evidence, how different Greece and Rome are from each other, and from now; a sense of how political institutions can intervene in family relations
critical awareness -- an understanding of the history of changing interpretations of the ancient world -- how what people see in ancient Greece or Rome can also articulate what they value in their own cultures
self-awareness -- a sensitivity to the forces (laws, customs, stereotypes, images and more) shaping our own social relations.
Required text:
M. Lefkowitz and M. Fant, Women’s Life in Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook in Translation, fourth edition (L&F hereafter)
Available from the University Book Store. Other readings will be made available on Canvas.
Learning Remotely
Class will be conducted synchronously via Zoom. Recordings of class sessions will be available back-up if you have difficulties connecting during class. The class time will be split between discussions with the whole class and breaking into groups to work together on things. There will be some graded group activities in break-out room that require student’s presence and participation (a small number of lowest grades will be dropped). I will do my best to make to make synchronous participation in class, including work in small teams, engaging and worthwhile.
Grading
Grades will be based on:
75% quizzes and assignments (individual and group) submitted through Canvas
25% final project
Several assignments and activities during the term ask you to formulate your ideas about the project and identify resources so that I can give you feedback and advice along the way. I enjoy working with students to identify areas of interest and help you find resources. You might be surprised - for anything you are curious about in the ancient Greek or Roman world and its lasting legacies, someone has probably been writing something intriguing about it and I can help you find it. I use the Coffee Table Page to make available articles and books on a range of topics that you may enjoy browsing as you think about possibilities for the project.
The 4.0 equivalency that will be used is as follows.
% Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade
100-94 4.0 83 3.0 73 2.0
93 3.9 82 2.9 72 1.9
92 3.8 81 2.8 71 1.8
91 3.7 80 2.7 70 1.7
90 3.6 79 2.6 69 1.6
89 3.5 78 2.5 68 1.5
87 3.4 77 2.4 67 1.4
86 3.3 76 2.3 66 1.3
85 3.2 75 2.2 65 1.2
84 3.1 74 2.1 64 1.1
63 1.0
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Disability Resources:
If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
Religious accommodations
“Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).”
Learning Support:
- Many materials for the class are provided via canvas. If you do not have access to canvas please let me know and we'll find a way of getting the materials to you.
- Access and Accommodations: Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me so we can discuss your needs in this course.
- UW Academic Support: http://depts.washington.edu/aspuw/more/campus-resources/ Links to an external site.
UW Counseling Center: http://www.washington.edu/counseling/
Student conduct:
The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/
Notice to Students - Use of Plagiarism Detection Software
The University has a license agreement with SimCheck, an educational tool that helps prevent or identify plagiarism from Internet resources. Your instructor may use the service in this class by requiring that assignments are submitted electronically to be checked by SimCheck. The SimCheck Report will indicate the amount of original text in your work and whether all material that you quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or used from another source is appropriately referenced.
Guidance to students taking courses from outside the U.S.
Faculty members at U.S. universities – including the University of Washington – have the right to academic freedom which includes presenting and exploring topics and content that other governments may consider to be illegal and, therefore, choose to censor. Examples may include topics and content involving religion, gender and sexuality, human rights, democracy and representative government, and historic events.
If, as a UW student, you are living outside of the United States while taking courses remotely, you are subject to the laws of your local jurisdiction. Local authorities may limit your access to course material and take punitive action towards you. Unfortunately, the University of Washington has no authority over the laws in your jurisdictions or how local authorities enforce those laws.
If you are taking UW courses outside of the United States, you have reason to exercise caution when enrolling in courses that cover topics and issues censored in your jurisdiction. If you have concerns regarding a course or courses that you have registered for, please contact your academic advisor who will assist you in exploring options.