Poverty as Spectacle from the Odyssey to the Greek Crisis (Honors Course)

Also listed as HSS 2208

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

This course explores the ways in which poverty is not only represented but also constructed in/through various media, ranging from ancient literary texts to social history, political theory, and contemporary film. It seeks to enquire into the preconditions and cultural assumptions that inform representations of poverty, with special emphasis on the 20th and 21st centuries.

RATIONALE:

The socioeconomic context which produces poverty also produces the discourse through which constructions of poverty are generated and propagated. Using a variety of ‘texts’ from antiquity to modernity (poetry, prose romance, social history, photography, short fiction, and film), and following an interdisciplinary approach, the course will map the cultural, aesthetic, political and legal environments which have shaped the way we understand poverty in contemporary times. The course is structured on a series of interrelated and transhistorical themed sections, aiming to shed light on a network of alternative representations of poverty. Each themed section will be centered on a specific ‘text’ and its cultural, political, and philosophical resonance across the ages.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to

1. Engage with a variety of materials, from Ancient Greek epic to contemporary film, and connect cultural themes across history in ways that will enable them to have a grasp various perspectives and representations of poverty;

2. Discuss the ways in which poverty, both as ideological construction and as social phenomenon, relates to identity formation and dynamics of inclusion/exclusion;

3. Examine ethical and political dimensions of representations of poverty in various cultural contexts;

4. Demonstrate understanding of the intersections of ideology and aesthetics in various artistic representations of poverty, from ancient literary texts to contemporary film.

METHOD OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:

In congruence with the teaching and learning strategy of the college, the following tools are used:

• Textual analysis, class discussion, workshop-style pair work and group work during class meetings;
• Active student-centered teaching approach in the presentation of course material to engage learners;
• Critical-thinking exercises and learning activities designed to help students acquire confidence and benefit from independent study;
• Student presentations of learning material to encourage involvement in the learning process;
• Co-curricular activities, ranging from collaboration with student clubs and societies to debates and event organizing, to encourage students’ creative engagement with the material;
• Extensive instructor feedback on assignments and activities;
• Individualized assistance during office hours for further discussion of lecture material, additional reading, and assignments;
• Additional print and audiovisual educational material posted on the Blackboard course template;
• Other relevant educational material placed on reserve in the library.