Course Description: This course presents an introduction to
ancient Greek and Roman attitudes towards gender performance and sexual
expressions and behaviors, with continual reference to modern attitudes
and behaviors. In specific, the course uses gender and sexuality to
sketch out a picture of ancient Greek and Roman societies against which
we will also examine our own society. After a short introduction to the
major concepts, there will be lectures and class discussions on topics
like the following: age grades & rites of passage; childhood &
adulthood; marriage; conception, birth, infanticide; the family; love;
male homosexuality; female sexuality & the extant women poets; women &
property; and sex & politics
Course Catalogue: "Classical Greek and Roman attitudes
to gender and sexuality compared and contrasted with modern notions and
behaviors. Attention is paid to literature (dramatic, philosophical,
medical, and legal texts) and archaeological evidence (vase painting,
sculpture, and domestic architecture). The course may include the
following topics: age divisions and rites of passage from childhood to
maturity; marriage; conception, birth, and infanticide; the family;
love; homoeroticism; property and economics; and sexuality and the law,
politics, and religion. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is required:
(Same as HWC 374.)"
Course Goals: Besides a familiarity with the details of
ancient Greek and Roman notions of sex and gender, the student should
also understand that gender expression, sexual attitudes, and sexual
and behaviors have histories: there is no one "natural" or immutable
expression of sex, sexuality, or gender. These concepts differ from
culture to culture and change over time.
Textbooks
Required
Recommended
- J. Weeks, Sexuality, a good overview of what we think we know
about sex and what is myth.
- In addition, the various sections of the course have pertinent bibliographies of material available in the KU Libraries, on-line, and deposited on Blackboard.
Grading
- Exams
- There will be 1 short quiz (15 Feb, on terminology), a midterm and a final.
- Quiz: 15 February (F) on terminology, constructions, theory
- Midterm exam: 15 March (F), 11:00-11:50, WES 4033.
- Final exam: 13 May (M), 10:30 am - 1:00 pm, WES 4033.
- For the Midterm and Final, a "Study Guide" will be posted online one week ahead of time.
- Both the Midterm and Final will have approximately the same
format: slide identifications (all will have been shown in class);
identifications of technical
terms; and short essays.
- Makeup Exams will be given ONLY if your absence is legitimate (serious health problems, a death in the immediate family) AND if you have a written document testifying to this emergency, to be submitted within a reasonable length of time; if this is a foreseeable absence, then you must inform me of your absence at least one week in advance by e-mail.
- Attendance & Class Participation. I expect full attendance at each class session; I shall take attendance about 15 times during the semester.
- You should come to each class because almost ALL the material on the exams, including slide illustrations, will come from the lectures.
- I expect some class participation (questions, discussion) from each student. This will result in my knowing your name; if I do not know your name by the Midterm, then I will not be able to recognize your full capabilities.
- Your attendance will be noted, and part of your grade will be based on your attendance.
- Written Work
- General remarks
- 1. All written work may be submitted in hardcopy or electronically as a PDF
or MS Word file (.doc or .docx) by email.
- 2. Papers need to be "signposted" (divided by headers with subtitles in bold).
- 3. Bibliographies and footnotes need to follow standard practice (for examples
of the formats I use, see my Citation Formats for
Bibliographies and Notes). Bibliographies should be listed on a separate page, which does not count toward the page length requirements. URLs for online sources need to be stable -- if the link does not lead me to the article cited, the citation will not count.
- 4. Illustrations are welcome, provided they receive captions detailing their
source -- you may not use more than one illustration from my own PowerPoint slide
lectures per paper.
- 5. Each written assignment will be given a totaling grade based on three sub-grades:
- Format -- 1 inch margins; appropriate font & pitch (e.g., Times, pitch 11 or 12);
consistent bibliography & footnote citations; signposting.
- Writing Style -- proper spelling, grammar, sentence structure, "voice."
- Content -- does the paper have anything interesting to say? Is there an intelligent organization? Does it have a "point"?
- Exercise 1 (due 15 Feb): description of an incident or situation drawn NOT from
your life (e.g., advertisements, TV, video, an other's Facebook) (2-3 pages) with an analysis
(another 2-3 pages) of how gender perceptions and gender roles shaped or governed
the situation.
- Exercise 2 (due Mar 8): select 2 studies on more or less similar topics from
the lists below, write a half-page (single-space) summary of each, headed by their
citation (1 page total), and then 3-5 pages comparing and/or contrasting the
studies. 6 pages maximum.
- Exercise 3 (due 5 Apr): select 1 study from the lists below, write a one-page
summary, then, using at least 3 other
sources (these may come from the lists below, or not), write 3-7 pages of analysis.
8 pages maximum, plus bibliography and illustrations (if used).
- Exercise 4 (due 26 Apr): description of an incident or situation that DID
involve you (2-3 pages) with an analysis (another 3-7 pages) of how attitudes,
perceptions, and behaviors concerning gender and/or sexuality shaped or governed the
situation. The analysis must use at least 5 bibliographical sources. 10 pages
maximum, plus bibliography.
- FINAL GRADE: Your final semester grade will be based fairly equally on Midterrm, the 4 exercises, and your in-class participation and attendance. The final exam may be an extra factor (see below). I am always impressed by dramatic improvement over the course of the semester.
- After I grade your final (4th) exercise, I shall post your "Grade So Far" by 10 May (Stop Day).
- IF you attended 75% of the sessions when I took attendance (e.g., 11 of the 15 sessions), and if
you attend class the last week, you may
take your
"Grade So Far" as your final course grade.
- If you are NOT satisfied with your "Grade So Far," you may take the Final Exam (13 May (M), 10:30 am - 1:00 pm, WES 4033) which will be
based on the lectures after the Midterm. Taking the Final Exam will
NOT lower your "Grade So Far."
- HOW TO GET A GOOD GRADE IN THIS CLASS
- Read the readings BEFORE coming to lecture.
- Come to every class - you will not be able to pass this course satisfactorily if you do not see the images presented in class.
- Ask questions in class; tell me your name until I have memorized it.
- Do your own work!
