Fall 2016 - HS 100 D100

The Greek World (4)

Class Number: 7359

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 6 – Dec 5, 2016: Tue, Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An interdisciplinary introduction to the Greek culture in different periods. Using various sources and materials the course explores continuities and ruptures, evolutions and revolutions, and the impact such issues have on the imagination of people today. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

On a tiny corner of Europe, a people still speaks the language of Plato. This ancient land, visited every year by millions of tourists, is rich in history and culture. The course before you is a study of this land and of the Greek world at large from the time when civilization first stirred in the Aegean Sea through the modern age.  

Starting with Homer’s heroic times we then witness the rise of city-states, we study the hustle and bustle of Athenian Democracy and the stark might of Sparta. Alexander the Great takes us to the fabulously rich Hellenistic world of the east. We then study the lives of the Greeks and the afterlife of their ideas in the Roman era when the teachings of Jesus are recorded in Greek into the New Testament and preached by St Paul by the Acropolis. We then move to Byzantine palace corridors where Christian Roman emperors speak Greek.  

By the time of the Renaissance Byzantine intellectuals teach Greek philosophy to Italian aristocrats in Florence while others link through trade Greek communities in Ottoman Constantinople, Venice, and Odessa. Our journey ends in the present at a time of economic crisis, cutting age cinema, mass tourism, and refugee movements.  

Following the life and culture of the Greeks over more than 3000 years is too big a task for any one scholar. This is the reason why this course is co-taught by members of the Hellenic Studies program, who each bring to the classroom their distinct expertise in the history, literature, and art of the Hellenic world. From the ancient Olympics and the palace corridors of the Byzantine to the trading communities of Ottoman Greece and the civil war tragedy of 1940s Athens, the Greek world becomes the stage for fascinating historical, cultural, and as of late economic drama (itself a Greek word).  

The teaching team for The Greek World will examine with you the significance of the Greek experience and achievement, setting it in a global context and considering its importance for the citizen of the 21st century. Through word, sound, image, reason and emotion we seek to introduce you to the rich history and culture of the Greeks and stir your interest in the world of Hellenism. Join us then for a journey through The Greek World.

Grading

  • Class participation 25%
  • Quiz 1 25%
  • Quiz 2 25%
  • Quiz 3 25%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

There is no assigned textbook. Class Readings will be provided in PDF format on the class website. 

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS