Hellenic Studies Program Spring 2019 Course Offerings
Elementary Modern Greek II, Maria Kaliambou
MGRK 110
M-F 9:25-10:15
An introduction to modern Greek, with emphasis on oral expression. Use of communicative activities, graded texts, written assignments, grammar drills, audiovisual material, and contemporary documents. In-depth cultural study.
Intermediate Modern Greek II, Maria Kaliambou
MGRK 130
M-F 10:30-11:20
Further development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in modern Greek. Presentation of short research projects related to modern Greece.
History of Modern Greece, Paris Aslanidis
MGRK222/HIST237J
Th 2.30-4.20
This seminar studies the history of modern Greece since the early 19th century. Greece’s contested position between East and West, both geopolitically and symbolically, functions as the ideational backdrop for the study of the country’s historical trajectory and the development of its main institutions. Discussion of the future of the Greek state vis-à-vis the ongoing sociopolitical crisis it has been facing since its near bankruptcy in 2010 is also considered.
The Olympics Games, Ancient and Modern, George Syrimis
MGRK300/HIST242J/WGSS293/CLCV319
Th 9:25-11:15
Introduction to the history of the Olympic Games from antiquity to the present. The mythology of athletic events in ancient Greece and the ritual, political, and social ramifications of the actual competitions. The revival of the modern Olympic movement in 1896, the political investment of the Greek state at the time, and specific games as they illustrate the convergence of athletic cultures and sociopolitical transformations in the twentieth century.
Extreme & Radical Right Movements, Paris Aslanidis
MGRK304/PLSC376/SOCY307/ER&M376
Th 1:30-3:20
Extreme and radical right movements and political parties are a recurrent phenomenon found in most parts of the world. Discussion of their foundational values and the causes of their continuous, even increasing, support among citizens and voters.
Hellenic Studies Program Fall 2018 Course Offerings
Elementary Modern Greek I, Maria Kaliambou
MGRK 110
M-F 9:25-10:15
An introduction to modern Greek, with emphasis on oral expression. Use of communicative activities, graded texts, written assignments, grammar drills, audiovisual material, and contemporary documents. In-depth cultural study.
Intermediate Modern Greek II, Maria Kaliambou
MGRK 130
M-F 10:30-11:20
Further development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in modern Greek. Presentation of short research projects related to modern Greece.
Advanced Modern Greek II, Maria Kaliambou
MGRK 151
MWF 11:35-12:25
Advanced language course intended to further develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, while sharpening students’ sensitivity toward modern Greek culture.
Dionysus in Modernity, George Syrimis
MGRK216/LITR239/WGSS209/CLCV216
F 1:30-3:20
Modernity’s fascination with the myth of Dionysus. Questions of agency, identity and community, and psychological integrity and the modern constitution of the self. Manifestations of Dionysus in literature, anthropology, and music; the Apollonian-Dionysiac dichotomy; twentieth-century variations of these themes in psychoanalysis, surrealism, and magical realism.
Nikos Kazantzakis: From Revolution to Nihilism, George Syrimis
MGRK215/LITR230/CLCV209
Th 1:30-3:20
The Greek poet, novelist, essayist, philosopher, playwright, and travel writer Nikos Kazantzakis. The philosophical influence of Darwin, Nietzsche, and Bergson on Kazantzakis; his fascination with the figures of Christ and Odysseus. Questions of fiction and autobiography, history and revolution, travel writing, twentieth-century existentialism, and the reception of the Homeric tradition.
The Euro Crisis, Paris Aslanidis
MGRK236/PLSC138/SOCY221
Th 1.30-3.20
Examination of how Europe continues to struggle with repercussions of the Great Recession and the impact of the Eurozone crisis in countries such as Portugal, Ireland, Spain, and, especially, Greece. Topics include the euro as a viable common currency; why and how the Eurozone crisis erupted and spread; and whether this catastrophe could have been averted.
Populism from Chavez to Trump, Paris Aslanidis
MGRK237/SOCY389/PLSC375/LAST386/GLBL215
T 1:30-3:20
Investigation of the nature of the populist phenomenon and its impact on politics, society, and the economy in various regions of the world. Conceptual and methodological analyses are supported by comparative assessments of various empirical instances, from populist politicians such as Hugo Chavez and Donald Trump, to populist social movements such as the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street.