Current Integrated Studies

When does history begin? This integrated study answers that question by tracing the invention of many technologies and institutions taken for granted today, such as writing, cities, and democracy, to the ancient Near East and Greece. Students will be introduced to the history, politics, and culture of the peoples of the ancient Near East and Greece, from the establishment of the first cities in Mesopotamia to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Through an exploration of this period, students will gain valuable insights into the complexities of contemporary societies and develop a nuanced perspective on the world we inhabit today. Satisfies the H, S, L, I, and W1 requirements. Twelve credit hours.

Faculty: Elizabeth Hill, James Taylor, Tizoc Chavez.

Students who take the three linked courses in IS 145 will receive all-college distribution credit in five areas: Historical Studies (H), Social Sciences (S), Literature (L), the first-year writing (W1), and the international diversity (I) requirements.

PL 145 — Myth and Reason: Literature and Philosophy of Ancient Greece

An introductory survey of key works in ancient Greek literature and philosophy. The course encourages a holistic understanding of the ancient Greek world by foregrounding conceptual relations between myth and reason, religion and philosophy, nature and civilization, and more. Selected readings may include excerpts from the epic poems of Homer; Hesiod’s Theogony; Fragments of Sappho’s poetry; the tragedies of Euripides, Aeschylus, and Sophocles; the comedies of Aristophanes; Plutarch’s “Sayings of Spartan Women”; fragments from PreSocratic philosophers including Heraclitus and Parmenides; Plato’s dialogues; and Aristotle’s treatises. Satisfies the L and I requirement. Four credit hours. Hill.

GO 145A — Leadership in the Ancient World

What constitutes “good” leadership? What makes for a successful leader? This course explores these questions through an in-depth study of leadership in the ancient world. It explores the political, social, and cultural contexts that shaped leadership styles and strategies in that era. Through analyzing the leadership theories, practices, and ideologies of figures such as Cyrus the Great, Themistocles, Pericles, and Alexander the Great, students will gain a historical and theoretical foundation for the study of political leadership in contemporary times. Satisfies the S and W1 requirements. Four credit hours. Chavez.

CL158 — History of Ancient Greece and the Near East

This course offers an overview of ancient Greek history and culture from the Mycenaean society of the Bronze Age to the formation of the Hellenistic kingdoms, and situates this historical survey within the broader context of the histories and cultures of the Near East. We will begin with the foundation of the first cities in the fourth millennium BCE and end with the fall of Ptolemaic Egypt to the Roman Empire. Over the course of the semester, we will read texts ranging from the poems of the priestess Enheduanna to the dialogues of the philosopher Plato. Particular attention will be paid to political, social, and cultural history. Satisfies the H requirement. Four credit hours. Taylor.