Spring 2010:

CLLA 10001/60001 01: Beginning Latin I

TBD

MWF 11:45-12:35

also meets T 11:00-11:50
4 credits

CLLA 10002/60002 01: Beginning Latin II
Section 1

Instructor Thomas Clemmons
MWF 8:30-9:20
also meets T 9:30-10:20
4 credits

Section 2

Instructor: Jieon Kim
MWF 1:55-2:45
also meets T 12:30-1:20
4 credits

Prerequisite for CLLA 10002:  CLLA 10001
This two-semester sequence of courses introduces students to the language of the ancient Romans for the first time. It emphasizes the fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary, and prepares students to read original Latin texts. An appreciation for ancient Roman culture is also fostered through secondary readings and class discussion.

CLLA 20003/60003: Intermediate Latin I
Section 1

Professor Elizabeth Mazurek
MWF 3:00-3:50
3 credits

Section 2

Instructor: Daniel Perett
MWF 8:30-9:20
3 credits

Prerequisite:  CLLA 10002/60002, 10111/60111/60112 or equivalent.

This second-year language course builds on the work of Beginning Latin I and II. It combines a review of grammar with careful reading of classical Latin authors such as Cornelius Nepos and Ovid. The course improves students' translating skills, introduces methods for studying Latin literature in its historical and cultural contexts, and prepares students for more advanced work in the sophisticated literature of the ancient Romans.

CLLA 20004/60004 01: Reading and Writing Latin Prose

Professor Brian Krostenko

MWF 10:40-11:30
3 credits

This second-year language course continues the review of grammar begun in CLLA 20003 and introduces students to stylistic analysis through close readings of Latin prose authors such as Cicero and the younger Pliny. A special feature of the course is that studetns learn to write classical Latin for themselves. Offered each spring semester.

CLLA 30012/60012: Latin History-Writing

Prof. David Hernandez
MW 11:45-1:00
3 credits

This third-year course builds on CLLA 20003 and CLLA 20004, and offers close reading of passages from the works of the historical writers Caesar and Sallust.  Latin historiography is a sophisticated instrument for narrating past events, for showing how notions of cause and effect and change over time develop in historical thinking, and for indicating the relevance of the past to the present.  The political and social conditions of Rome that informed the writings of Caesar and Sallust are discussed, and the compositional techniques of their works are examined.  The course prepares students for advanced offerings in Latin literature, especially CLLA 40022, CLLA 40032, and CLLA 40052.  Offered in spring semester, alternate years.

CLLA 30075: Latin Saints' Lives

Prof. Hildegund Müller
TR 2:00-3:15
3 credits

Hagiography is one of the most versatile literary genres of Late Antiquity, and saints’ lives are among the most famous and celebrated texts of that age.  Starting out as simple eye-witness accounts of martyrdom and minutes of the martyrs’ trials (Acta), they soon evolved into far more sophisticated literary forms: they served not only for the edification, but also for the amusement of the Christian people, replacing the pagan novel with their fanciful narratives of persecution and constancy, and they merged with the traditions of classical poetry to create a wide range of poetic forms: epigrams for martyrs’ tombs (by Pope Damascus), hymns for liturgical use (Ambrose of Milan) and private piety (Prudentius), epic poems (the highly influential Life of St Martin of Tours by Venantius Fortunatus) and the laudatory “Birthday Poems” that Paulinus of Nola wrote for the patron saint of his city.

In this course, we will cover both prose and poetic texts (authors, apart from the abovementioned, will include Jerome, Eugippius, Vita Severini, and the Passio Perpetuae and Felicitatis).  Due to the historical importance and the wide later tradition of ancient hagiography, we will frequently refer to art and archaeology, history, and music.  The texts are suitable for students with intermediate and advanced Latin knowledge.  Some experience with classical poetry (Vergil) will be helpful.

CLLA 40017/60017:  Medieval Latin Survey

Professor Hildegund Müller

TR 3:30-4:45

3 credits

Prerequisite: CLLA 40016 or instructor's permission
The aim of this course is to experience a broad spectrum of Medieval Latin texts. Readings representative of a variety of genres (literary and subliterary), eras, and regions will be selected. Students planning to enroll in this course should be completing Introduction to Christian Latin Texts or they must secure the permission of the instructor. Those with interests in particular text types should inform the instructor well in advance so that he can try to accommodate their interests.

CLLA 40043: Roman Comedy

Prof. Catherine Schlegel
TR 11:00-12:15
3 credits

Recommended for students with advanced Latin skills.
This advanced course introduces students to Latin comic drama.  Comic plays were a popular attraction at Roman religious festivals, and Rome produced two outstanding comic writers of completely opposite temperament, the boisterous and broad Plautus, and the wry and elegant Terence.  Both continue to influence Western dramatic forms.  Readings from Plautus and Terence reveal the conventions of comic drama and its use as a distinctive instrument to reflect upon the concerns of Roman life.

CLLA 63021: Latin Text Editing

Prof. Martin Bloomer
R 8:15-10:45
3 credits

This seminar will provide a practical introduction to the editing of Latin texts, especially those of the Late Antique and Medieval periods. There are many unedited texts from these periods which present a number of challenges. Some have complex manuscript transmission, some exist in several versions. Commentaries and glossed manuscripts present their own difficulties. And of course the Latinity of these texts can be specialized. Much scholarship has turned recently to the editing of such challenging texts. Students will be introduced to the theory and practice of edition and textual criticism--including how to find mss., how to collate them, how to discern their relationships, and how to find funds to travel to collections—and the requisite scholarly research tolls (databases, software, etc.). We will devote our efforts to several text editing projects: the Distichs of Cato and some of its commentaries, the commentary tradition on Ovid's Metamorphoses, the sixth-century monastic text, the Life of the Younger Pacomius, and Augustine's Enarrationes in Psalmos. During Spring break the class will travel to Austria to work at several important manuscript repositories and scholarly institutions. A knowledge of Latin, some paleographical training, and a knowledge of a European vernacular language are necessary. The class will be taught by Professors Martin Bloomer and Hildegund Mueller, with special contributions from the emeritus professor of Latin at Notre Dame, Professor Daniel Sheerin.

Fall 2009:

CLLA 10001: Beginning Latin I

Professor Elizabeth Mazurek
MWF 8:30-9:20
Also meets T 9:30-10:20

Section 02

Instructor: David Jones
MWF 3:00-3:50
Also meets Th 3:30-4:20

Section 03

Instructor: Jieon Kim
MWF 1:55-2:45
Also meets T 2:00-2:50
4 credits

This two-semester sequence of courses introduces students to the language of the ancient Romans for the first time. It emphasizes the fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary, and prepares students to read original Latin texts. An appreciation for ancient Roman culture is also fostered through secondary readings and class discussion. CLLA 10001 and CLLA 10002 are offered every semester.

CLLA 10002 01: Beginning Latin II

Instructor: Jason Baxter
MWF 8:30-9:20
also meets T 2:00-2:50

Section 2

Professor Hildegund Muller
MWF 11:45-12:35
also meets T 11:00-11:50
4 credits

This two-semester sequence of courses introduces students to the language of the ancient Romans for the first time. It emphasizes the fundamentals of Latin grammar and vocabulary, and prepares students to read original Latin texts. An appreciation for ancient Roman culture is also fostered through secondary readings and class discussion. CLLA 10001 and CLLA 10002 are offered every semester.

CLLA 20003: Intermediate Latin

Professor David Ladouceur
MWF 9:35-10:25

Section 02

David Hernandez

MWF 3:00-3:50
3 credits

Prerequisite: CLLA 10002 or equivalent. This second-year language course builds on the work of Beginning Latin I and II. It combines a review of grammar with careful reading of classical Latin authors such as Cicero and Ovid. The course improves students' translating skills, introduces methods for studying Latin literature in its historical and cultural contexts, and prepares students for more advanced work in the sophisticated literature of the ancient Romans. Offered every semester.

CLLA 20004: Reading and Writing Latin Prose

Professor Brian Krostenko
MWF 10:40-11:30
3 credits
Recommended for students who have completed CLLA 20003 or equivalent

This second-year language course continues the review of grammar begun in CLLA 20003 and introduces students to stylistic analysis through close readings of Latin prose authors such as Cicero and the younger Pliny. A special feature of the course is that students learn to write classical Latin for themselves. Offered every semester.

CLLA 30011: Virgil

Professor Keith Bradley
MW 3:00-4:15
3 credits
Recommended for students who have completed CLLA 20003 or equivalent.

This third-year course builds on CLLA 20003 and CLLA 20004, and offers close reading of passages from the Aeneid. Virgil’s inspired adaptation of Homer’s epic poems traces the story of the flight of Aeneas from Troy to Italy, where Rome, a new Troy, will be founded. The place of Virgil’s epic in the emperor Augustus’ cultural program, various critical approaches to the poem, and its compositional techniques provide subjects for discussion. The course prepares students for advanced study in Latin literature, especially CLLA 40021, CLLA 40031, CLLA 40041, and CLLA 40051. Offered in fall semester, alternate years.

CLLA 40016/60016 01: Survey of Christian Latin

Professor Martin Bloomer
TR: 3:30-4:45
Crosslisted with MI 40003/60003
3 credits
Recommended for students with advanced Latin skills.

This class surveys the development of Christian Latin language and literature from thier origins through Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. It introduces students to the various important linguistic, stylistic and literary influences that contributed to Christian Latin poetry and prose. Students will also be introduced to the varieties of Christian Latin texts and the bibliographical and research skills needed to pursue research into these texts. All along we will be concerned to improve our abilities to read and understand the Latin of the tradition that stretches from the first translations of scripture to the treatises of Jerome and Augustine. The survey of Medieval Latin language and literature in the spring semester follows and builds upon this course.

CLLA 43555/63555: Augustine: Select Readings

Professor Hildegund Müller
MW: 1:30-2:45
3 credits
Prerequisite: 3 years of college Latin or by permission of the instructor.

In this course, we will read select passages from Augustine’s earliest extant works, the so-called Cassiciacum dialogues.

Augustine spent the winter between his conversion (386) and his baptism (Easter 387) at a friend’s villa in Cassiciacum near Milan, where he wrote four philosophical works, Contra Academicos, De Beata Vita, De Ordine, and Soliloquia. In choosing the form of the philosophical dialogue, he paid homage to his pagan predecessors, above all Cicero. The influence of pagan philosophy, especially Neoplatonism, is present throughout the dialogues, as is the interest in classical literature and in the Liberal Arts. The dialogues represent Augustine’s first attempt to express and structure his new-found belief (as well as the experience of his conversion), and the views and sentiment expressed in them sometimes widely differ from his later works; yet it is unmistakeably Augustine who is speaking. We will discuss the position of the dialogues in the course of Augustine’s intellectual development by comparing them to selections from later works (above all, Confessions) and from pagan philosophers (Cicero, Plotinus).

CLLA 40056 01/60056 01: From Ennius to Egeria :The History of Latin

Professor Brian Krostenko
MW 11:45-1:00
3 credits
Recommended for students with advanced Latin skills.

This course will examine the phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic and stylistic development of the Latin language from Proto-Italic to early Medieval Latin. Analysis of sample texts will alternate with discussion of relevant topics, which will include the principles of historical and comparative linguistics, Latin and its sister languages, the creation of the Latin inflectional system, the varieties of classical Latin, the development of Latin poetics and metrics, and the influence of Greek on Latin.

Classics in English Courses:

• Spring 2010
• Fall 2009

Spring 2010:

CLAS 10200 01: Greek and Roman Mythology

Prof. Tadeusz Mazurek
MWF 12:50-1:40
3 credits
(Freshmen only)
Fulfills University Literature Requirement

This first-year course surveys the mythologies of Greece and Rome—some of the foundational narratives of the Western literary and artistic tradition—and traces their transmission and influence over the course over two and a half thousand years from ancient to modern times. The course is particularly valuable as an initial course in the humanities because it pays special attention to such current interpretative theories as structuralism, psycho-analysis. feminism, and post-modernism that allow the many meanings of myths to be deciphered and understood. Offered annually.

CLAS 13186: Literature University Seminar: The New Testament from a Classical Perspective

Professor David Ladouceur
TR 9:30-10:45
3 credits
(Freshmen only)
Fulfills University Literature Requirement

This course will examine closely New Testament documents from a classical perspective, that is, it will treat them as ancient works in a Greco-Roman cultural context. The focus then will be primarily literary. The initial emphasis will be on the Gospel of Mark and how it works as a book and what effects it might have on an ancient audience.  Among modern literary approaches we will use are rhetorical criticsm, audience response criticism, feminist and post-colonial methods.  In addition we will draw on techniques from the social sciences to reconstruct a social matrix.

CLAS 30210: Roman Law and Governance

Professor Tadeusz Mazurek
MWF 9:35-10:25
3 credits

An introduction to the nature and influence of Roman law, one of the most celebrated and distinctive elements of ancient Roman culture.  The course surveys the development of Roman civil and criminal law from the very early and enigmatic Twelve Tables to the very late and amazingly great Digest of Justinian.  Topics covered include legal procedures, the creation of law, and Roman jurisprudence, all of which are studied in the broad context of Roman government and administration.  The lasting effects of Roman law on modern legal systems are also considered.

CLAS 30405: Greek Art and Architecture

Prof. Robin Rhodes
TR 2:00-3:15
3 credits

This course analyzes and traces the development of Greek architecture, painting, and sculpture in the historical period from the eighth through second century B.C., with some consideration of prehistoric Greek forebears of the Mycenaean Age. Particular emphasis is placed upon monumental art, its historical and cultural contexts, and how it reflects changing attitudes toward the gods, human achievement, and the relationship between the divine and the human.

CLAS 30416: Archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum: Daily Life in the Ancient Roman World

Prof. David Hernandez
MW 3:00-4:15
3 credits

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 buried two thriving Roman cities, Pompeii and Herculaneum, in a prison of volcanic stone. The rediscovery of the cities in modern times has revealed graphic scenes of the final days and an unparalleled glimpse of life in the ancient Roman world. The course examines the history of excavations and the material record. Topics to be discussed include public life (forum, temples, baths, inns, taverns), domestic life (homes, villas), entertainment (amphitheater), art (wall paintings, mosaics, sculpture), writings (ancient literary sources, epigraphy, graffiti), the afterlife (tombs), urban design, civil engineering, the economy, and themes related to Roman society (family, slavery, religion, government, traditions, diet).

CLAS 30799: Hieroglyphs and History

Prof. David Ladouceur
TR 12:30-1:45
3 credits

This course will focus on Egyptian hieroglyphs both as a means to reconstruct Egyptian history and culture as well as a reflection of that culture.  The student will be taught to translate and interpret primary sources especially on monuments and archaeological finds.  Material from the tomb of Tatankhamun will be read and analyzed in detail.  In addition there will be lectures and discussions on specific historical topics and also on developing chronologies, understanding color symbolism, recognizing the numerous Egyptian deities, and interpreting Pharaonic names.

CLAS 40041 Introduction to Applied Linguistics

Prof. Lance Askildson
MW 3:00-4:15
3 credits

This course will introduce students to the properties of language and their systematic study via linguistic inquiry. Specifically, the origins and mechanisms of linguistic knowlwedge will be examined alongside the componential units of syntax, morphology, phonology and semantics. The course will further introduce students to applied linguistic study with an emphasis on second language acquisition and the integration of sociocultural knowledge within this process. Students will complete this course with a greater understanding of the nature of langauge and the mechanisms whereby it is acquired, conceptually represented and produced.

CLAS 40126: Ancient Comedy

Prof. Catherine Schlegel
TR 3:30-4:45
3 credits

This course will focus on the two models of western comedy which are found in the Athenian plays of Aristophanes and in the Roman plays of Plautus and Terence.  Students will read the works in English translation. The larger purpose of the course is to identify the ideas that lie behind the conventions and devices of Greek and Roman comedic theater.   Students will investigate the historical contexts that gave rise to the different types of ancient dramatic comedy and read some modern theoretical work on humor and laughter.  The course will ask students to observe and theorize about the plays they read and to articulate the mysterious operation of comedy, which can undermine authority and the status quo but can also shore up the existing power structures and deride innovation.

CLAS 40342: Christianity in the Roman World

Prof. Sabine MacCormack
TR 9:30-10:45
3 credits

The course studies continuity and discontinuity in the Mediterranean world during the transition from Roman Empire to Byzantium in the East, and the early Germanic kingdoms in the West.  Christianity played a vital role during this transformation, but not the only one.  Beginning with a review of Roman institutions, law, culture and religion, we will observe the changes they underwent between c. 150 CE and c. 750 CE.  At the end of the period we study, some people were still thinking of themselves as living within the Roman empire, even though the local potentate was a non-Roman king.  The Byzantines, meanwhile, described themselves as ‘Romaioi.”  Also, Roman law had become Christian law, and in Western Europe, Latin was beginning to generate the languages now collectively described as ‘Romance.’  On the fringes of Europe, in England and Ireland missionaries shared with their converts not just Christianity but also the Latin language and Latin literature along with Roman concepts of culture and social organization.

CLAS 63255 Environment, City, and Countryside in Ancient Rome and Late Antiquity

Prof. Sabine MacCormack
W 3:00-5:30
3 credits

Restricted to ECS MA students. Undergrads may take the course with the permission of the instructor.

The course examines the nature of work, especially work on the land, and attitudes to it and to the rural and urban environments, from the later Roman republic to late antiquity. Cicero considered engagement with the land to be a laudable occupation, but he, like Roman agricultural writers, was thinking of supervising work on the land, rather than performing it himself. In late antiquity, by contrast, Christian writers considered work on the land, along with other forms of physicial work to be honourable occupations, at least in theory.  Meanwhile, in the transition from ancient to Christian methods of time reckoning, conceptions of language, and of the hours, days, weeks, months and years, changed and contributed to the reformulation of the idea and reality of agricultural work. These changes were also expressed in poetry and in the visual arts, and they can be traced archaeologically on the land itself. The purpose of the course is to explore these and related shifts in our evidence and to consider how they can be explained. On the one hand, we are looking for practical explanations, i.e. changes in legal practice and the practice of work; on the other hand, we are looking for shifts in the cultural, religious and political environment in which people did their work and found meaning in it. To measure change and continuity, the course concludes with a 13th century Italian agricultural treatise.

Fall 2009:

CLAS 10100: Ancient Greece and Rome

Prof. Tadeusz Mazurek
MWF 12:50-1:40
Cross listed with: HIST 10210
(First Year of Studies)
Fulfills History Requirement.
Offered only in the fall semester
3 credits

This first-year course introduces the general history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome to students coming to the subject for the first time. Literary texts central to the ancient Greek and Roman traditions receive prime attention, including works by Homer, Plato, Cicero and Virgil, but students are also exposed to the importance of learning from documentary texts, archeology, and art history. Topics discussed include concepts of divinity and humanity, heroism and virtue, gender, democracy, empire, and civic identity, and how they changed in meaning over time. The course allows students to develop a rich appreciation for the Greek and Roman roots of their own lives, and prepares them to study the Greco-Roman past at more advanced levels. Offered annually.

CLAS 13186 01: University Seminar

Professor Blake Leyerle
TR 9:30-10:4
(First Year of Studies)
3 credits

In this seminar we will consider the realities of travel in antiquity (road construction and maintenance, vehicles and animal transportation, ancient ships and shipping routes, maps and other orientation devices) as well as a variety of accounts of travel from both the classical and the early Christian world (Homer’s Odyssey, Herodotus’s Histories, Lucian of Samosata’s True History, Apuleius’s The Golden Ass, and some of the first Christian pilgrimage narratives). Our approach will be both literary and social historical.

CLAS 13186 02: University Seminar

Professor Sabine MacCormack
TR 11:00-12:15
(First Year of Studies)
3 credits

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE): Lawyer, politician, philosopher.
We have more information about Cicero than about any other Roman individual. In this course, we will study selections from his letters, speeches and dialogues so as to understand the man, his times and his contemporaries, among them Julius Caesar.
Cicero was born in Arpinum, a small Italian town near Rome, and was sent for his education to Rome, where he made his career, first as a lawyer, and then also as a statesman. Law and politics were intimately related in Cicero's career, because even as a young and relatively inexperienced advocate, he pleaded political cases that required not just skill but also courage. As holder of the highest Roman magistracy (the consulship), Cicero had to confront a conspiracy to overthrow the government. His subsequent exile was in part the work of the enemies he made in the course of these events. Thanks to his opposition to Julius Caesar's dictatorship, Cicero was forced to withdraw into private life. He used these years to write dialogues about politics and law, philosophy and rhetoric. After Caesar's assassination, Cicero returned to politics in the hope of restoring some form of the traditional government of the Roman republic. This cost him his life. Cicero's influence was enormous. In his own time he was recognized - even by his enemies - as a brilliant orator whose views had to be reckoned with. The early Christians and their medieval successors thought long and hard about his philosophical works. In the renaissance, it was Cicero's speeches that invited imitation and emulation. Then and subsequently, the hundreds of letters he wrote to his friend Atticus and to other contemporaries have revealed his personal life, and his reflections and uncertainties about the turbulent times in which he lived.

CLAS 30021: Greek Literature and Culture

Professor Martin Bloomer
TR 12:30-1:45
3 credits

This course surveys the leading works of ancient Greek literature and examines the cultural contexts in which they were written, received, and transmitted. Students read poetry and prose from many genres, and sample works from a thousand years of extraordinary literary creativity. Among the authors introduced are Homer,Hesiod, Sappho, Aeschylus,Sophocles, Euripides, Herodotus, Aristophanes, Platoand Longus. Special attention is paid to the formal structures of Greek literary works, the cultural issues they raise, and the lasting value of Greek literature to the modern age. The course prepares students for more advanced work in classical literature and culture.

CLAS 30112: The Age of Alexander

Professor Christopher Baron
TR 3:30-4:45
3 credits

This course examines the military achievements of Alexander of Macedon (356ˆ323 B.C.) and their far-reaching political, social, cultural, and religious consequences. Topics covered include the Greek, Macedonian, Persian, and other cultural contexts of the time, Alexander's attitude toward divinity (including his own), his concept of empire, his generalship, and his legacy for Greco-Roman antiquity. Particular attention is devoted to representations of Alexander through the ages, beginning during his own lifetime with the accounts of ancient writers˜historians and others˜down to novels and films of the present day. Ancient authors and documents are read in translation.

CLAS 30205 01/02: The History of Ancient Rome

Professor David Hernandez
MW 12:50-1:40
3 credits

An outline introduction to the history of ancient Rome from Romulus to Constantine. The topics covered include the meteoric spread of Roman rule in the ancient Mediterranean, the brilliance of a republican form of government tragically swept away by destructive civil war, the rise of repressive autocracy under the Caesars, and the threats to empire in late antiquity posed inside by the rise of Christianity and outside by hostile invaders. Readings include narrative, documentary, and archaeological sources. The course prepares students for advanced study in ancient history. Offered biennially.

CLAS 32205: The History of Ancient Rome Discussion Group

Section 1
Professor David Hernandez

Section 2
Professor TBA

Section 3
Professor TBA
F 1:55-2:45
A weekly tutorial required for those registered for CLAS 30205, or its crosslists.

CLAS 30335: History of Ancient Medicine

Professor David Ladouceur
3 credits
MW 1:30-2:45

This course traces the development of medicine in the ancient Mediterranean world, concentrating on the medical beliefs, theories, and practices of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The course emphasizes the value of studying written sources such as the Hippocratic treatises and the works of Galen with artistic evidence and human remains. A connection between ancient and modern medicine is made by considering two contrasting models of disease—the biomedical and the biopsychosocial—that figure as the focus of a contemporary debate on health care.

CLAS 53100:  Honors Seminar

Professor Catherine Schlegel
TR 2:00-3:15
3 credits

This course is offered each fall semester and is a requirement for all majors in Classics and Greek and Roman Civilization who wish to receive an honors degree. The specific content of the seminar varies from year to year, but its broad purpose is to introduce students to scholarly methods of research, and through research to reflect on the value of studying classical antiquity.

CLAS 53500/73500: Literature and Empire: The Roman Experience

Professor Keith Bradley
T 12:30-3:00
3 credits

This seminar examines major works of literature from the Roman imperial era and the political and ideological contexts in which they were written. Its principal theme is therelationship between literature and authority from the age of Augustus through the age of Augustine.Works from a variety of genres are read as items that engaged with the rise of autocracy at Rome and the impact autocracy had on freedom of expression and creativity, with the immanence in Roman culture of Mediterranean-wide rule, and with the threats to empire, both within and without, that emerged over time. Textsto be read, in English translation, include some or all of the following: Virgil's Aeneid, Ovid's Poetry of Exile, Lucan's Civil War, Tacitus' Annals, Germania and Agricola, Pliny's Letters, Juvenal's Satires, Apuleius' The Golden Ass, the Gallic poetry of Ausonius, and Augustine's City of God.

Arabic Courses

• Spring 2010
• Fall 2009

Spring 2010:

MEAR 10002/60002: First Year Arabic II

Section 1

Professor Mahan Mirza
MW 3:00-3:50
also meets TR 3:30-4:20
4 credits

Section 2

Professor Abdul Saadi
MWF 12:50-1:40
also meets R 12:30-1:20
4 credits

Section 3

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 10:40-11:30;
also meets R 9:30-10:20
4 credits

Section 4

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 11:45-12:35
also meets R 11:00-11:50
4 credits
Prerequisite: MEAR 10001 or 60001 or equivalent

This two-semester sequence of courses is a basic introduction to all aspects of the Arabic language through a comprehensive and integrated method. The focus is on language proficiency in all areas of the language including speaking, reading, and writing. The course also introduces students to aspects of Arabic culture and everyday life in the Middle East.

MEAR 10001 is offered each fall semester and MEAR 10002 is offered each spring semester.

MEAR 20004/60004 01: Second Year Arabic II

Section 1

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 8:30-9:20
3 credits

Section 2

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 9:35-10:25
3 credits

Section 3

Professor Abdul M. Saadi
MWF 11:45-12:35
3 credits
Prerequisite: MEAR 20003 or equivalent

This course is geared to consolidating skills gained in the previous three semesteres while enhancing the ability to converse and conduct oneself in Arabic. Reading skills are enhanced by exposure to more sophisticated examples of literature. Original written expression is encouraged through the composition of short essays.

MEAR 30006/60006 01: Third Year Arabic II

Section 1

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 1:55-2:45
3 credits

Section 2

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 3:00-3:50
3 credits
Prerequisite: MEAR 30005/60005 or equivalent

This third-year Arabic course emphasis is on developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in interactive settings. Vocabulary building will be the focus of drills; we will cover basic vocabulary in various authentic uses of the language. Special attention will also be given to media Arabic. Basic Arabic grammar should be completed by the end of the year. We will continue with Part 2 of the Kitaab sequence. Supplementary materials, mainly from Arabic media (BBC Arabic News, newspapers, magazines), will be provided. Tests, both oral and written, will cover the textbook material, in addition to the basic grammar and the cumulative vocabulary.

MEAR 32300 LAC--Arabic Reading/Discussion Group (Language Across the Curriculum)

Prof. Li Guo
W 2:00-3:00
1 credit
Co-requisite: MELC 40075

A reading group for students who have taken two years of college Arabic and are interested in reading some course materials in the Arabic original. (meets one hour per week)

MEAR 40008 01: Fourth Year Arabic II

Professor Abdul M. Saadi
MWF 3:00-3:50
3 credits
Prerequisite: MEAR 40007

The focus of this course is the integration of formal and spoken Arabic. This as accomplished through a series of readings students prepare in advance of class. Class time is spent conversing in idiomatic Arabic about the text. Arabic media (movies, on-line resources) are intended to supplement the readings and expand contexts and vocabulary for further interaction in Arabic.

MEAR 40026: Advanced Arabic Composition and Conversation II

Prof. Abdul Saadi
MWF 8:30-9:20
3 credits

This course deals with the advanced level of Modern Standard Arabic.  It is the continuation of Advanced Composition and Conversation I (MEAR 40025).  The course deals with all aspects of reading, writing, listening and conversation following the method of proficiency.

There will be carefully selected texts for reading comprehension and grammatical analysis the topics of which are among the most heated subjects in the social, political and intellectual lives in the Middle East.  Additionally,  the students will be exposed to the colloquial Arabic (Syrian and Lebanese) through programs in Computer, as well as handouts to be shared by professor.

The course will enable the students to write relatively long Arabic essays, develop efficient reading skills, listen to and discuss topics of general and professional interest, be knowledgeable of Arabic culture, be able to express themselves fluently and conduct conversations dealing with issues presented in the course material.

Fourth Year Arabic or its equivalent is prerequisite for admission to this course.

Courses in English:

MELC 10101 01: Intro to Arabic Culture/Civilization

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 10:40-11:30
(Freshmen only)
Fulfills University Literature requirement.
3 credits

This course is an introductory survey of Arabic culture and civilization from the pre-Islamic era to the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The course will trace the origins of the Arab people and their distinctive culture and literature. The revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad and subsequent development of Islam will be treated in detail. Following this, the course will focus on the spread of Islamic civilization, its interactions with other cultures, and its contributions to scholarship in the areas of literature, art, and architecture.

MELC 13186: University Seminar: The Arabian Nights and World Literature

Prof. Li Guo
TR 12:30-1:45
Fulfills University Literature requirement.
3 credits

This course has as its focal point the famous collection of tales, the Thousand and One Nights (better known as The Arabian Nights).  We examine issues of provenance.  We study the stories as literary texts as well as historical documents.  We examine how these tales have been interpreted by later societies.  Finally, we use this course to introduce us to the study of the Middle East, its languages, history, literature, and peoples.

MELC 30051: Islamic Religious Thought: Formation and Development

Prof. Mahan Mirza
MW 1:30-2:45
3 credits

This course traces developments in the first few centuries of Islam in Theology (kalam), law (shari ?a and fiqh), and mysticism (tasawwuf or Sufism).  Students will gain a solid understanding of diversity within Islam including and beyond the typical distinction between Sunnism and Shi ?ism.  Beginning with a brief overview of Muhammad and the Qur’an, the course explores the issue of succession, codification of hadith, formation of major schools of thought, and development of consensus.  Students will receive both a historical survey and read primary texts in translation.  Given that most modern Islamic movements view the first few centuries of Islam as a “golden age,” this course provides essential background for students to engage debates that are taking place within contemporary Islam.

MELC 40075: Marriage, Divorce, and Family in Muslim Socities

Prof. Li Guo
TR 3:30-4:45
3 credits

High rates of divorce, often taken to be a modern and western phenomenon, were also typical of pre-modern Muslim societies. How was that possible, insofar as “Marriage is half [fulfillment of one’s] religious duties,” as the Prophet Muhammad once famously dictated? What, then, is the Islamic ideal of marriage? What were the patriarchal models advocated by medieval Muslim jurists and moralists? Did the historical reality of marriage and family life in the Islamic Near East have anything in common with these models?  Do the assumptions about the legal inferiority of Muslim women and their economic dependence on men hold truth? These are the questions this course will try to address. To that end, we will read and discuss a wide range of primary sources (all in English translation)—the Koran and Hadith (Muhammad’s saying and deeds), legal writings, narrative (chronicles, belles-lettres) sources, and documentary (archives, contracts) materials—as well as recent scholarship on the subject. While our theoretical framework is that of social history, we will also pay close attention to intimate accounts of, and reflections on, individual medieval lives. We will conduct case studies as for group projects. While the focus is on the Islamic Near East (700-1500), we will extend our inquiry to include the modern Middle East as well.

            No knowledge of Arabic is required. For students who have taken two years of college Arabic and are interested in reading some course materials in the Arabic original, we will organize a reading group (meets one hour a week, earning an extra credit).

MELC 40700: Islamic Ethics of War & Peace

Prof. Rashied Omar
TR 2:00-3:15
3 credits

ARBC majors or MMME minors only

Since September 11, 2001, topics related to Islam have inundated the airwaves, aroused the curiosity of many and troubled the minds of some. In order to better understand current events, it is important to have a greater understanding of the world view of Islam. This course on "Islamic Ethics of War and Peace" will provide students with such an opportunity. It examines the major principles of Islamic ethics and the key theories of classical and contemporary Muslim ethicists. These principles and theories will be applied to analyze contemporary Muslim perspectives on war and peace. Cognizant of the various contexts within which ethical questions are debated, students will be encouraged to explore the impact of modernity, post-modernity, globalization and liberalism on Muslim ethical discourses. Students will also be encouraged to compare the ethical principles and theories of Islam on war and peace with that of other philosophical and religious theories to discover points of difference as well as convergence. Students are not expected to emerge from this course as experts on Islamic Ethics or any of its subfields, but rather, they will be exposed to major authors and arguments and be provided with a number of conceptual lenses that can be applied to their analysis of the diverse ways in which Islam is implicated in conflict, violence and peacebuilding on both a global and local level.

Fall 2009:

 MEAR 10001: First Year Arabic I

Section 1

Professor Abdul Saadi
MWF 12:50-1:40
also meets T 9:30-10:20

Section 2

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 9:35-10:25
also meets Th 11:00-11:50

Section 3

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 10:40-11:30
also meets T 11:00-11:50

Section 4

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 11:45-12:35
also meets Th 9:30-10:20

Section 5

Professor Mahan Mirza
MWF 8:30-9:20
also meets Th 3:30-4:20
4 credits

This two-semester sequence of courses is a basic introduction to all aspects of the Arabic language through a comprehensive and integrated method. The focus is on language proficiency in all areas of the language including speaking, reading, and writing. The course also introduces students to aspects of Arabic culture and everyday life in the Middle East.

MEAR 10001 is offered each spring semester and MEAR 10002 is offered each fall semester.

MEAR 20003: Second Year Arabic I

Section 1

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 12:50-1:40

Section 2

Instructor: Abdul Saadi
MWF 9:35-10:25

Section 3

Professor Ghada Bualuan
MWF 11:45-12:35

MEAR 30005: Third Year Arabic I

Professor Abdul Saadi
MWF 8:30-9:20

Section 2

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 1:55-2:45
3 credits
Prerequisite: MEAR 20004, 60004 or equivalent.

This third-year Arabic course emphasis is on developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in interactive settings. Vocabulary building will be the focus of drills; we will cover basic vocabulary in various authentic uses of the language. Special attention will also be given to media Arabic. Basic Arabic grammar should be completed by the end of the year. We will continue with Part 2 of the Kitaab sequence. Supplementary materials, mainly from Arabic media (BBC Arabic News, newspapers, magazines), will be provided. Tests, both oral and written, will cover the textbook material, in addition to the basic grammar and the cumulative vocabulary.

MEAR 40007:Fourth Year Arabic I

Professor Abdul Saadi
MWF 4:05-4:55
3 credits

As the title suggests, this course will explore commonalities between Islam and Christianity without denying the differences. Theological, ethical, moral, and legal perspectives will inform our readings and discussions as we engage historically relevant and contemporary issues pertaining to Christian-Muslim relations. The significance of the diversity of thought within each religious tradition and of multiple interpretations of religious texts which allow for more pluralistic perspectives to emerge among Muslims and Christians will receive considerable attention. The course will attempt to frankly assess both the obstacles to and possibilities for establishing common ground and fostering greater inter-faith understanding.

MEAR 40025: Advanced Composition and Conversation

Professor Rabab El Nady
MWF 4:05-4:55
3 credits

This course deals with aspects of Modern Standard Arabic in a comprehensive and integrated method, including vocabulary and phrases, reading comprehension, grammar, conversation, writing, and listening. The course will primarily focus on the contemporary Arabic that is understandable all over the Arab world and used in social, business, and intellectual gatherings. The students will also be exposed to the colloquial Arabic and the Arab culture through watching Arabic TV programs, movies, and other audio-visual programs accompanied with reading social magazines and other authentic materials. The course will enable the students to write relatively long Arabic essays, develop efficient reading skills, listen to and discuss topics of general and professional interest, be knowledgeable of Arabic culture, be able to express themselves fluently and conduct conversations dealing with issues presented in the course material.   

Courses in English:

MELC 20070: Intro to Islamic Civilization

Professor Li Guo
TR 12:30-1:45
3 credits

This course is designed to introduce students to Islamic civilization and Muslim culture and societies. The course will cover the foundations of Islamic belief, worship, and institutions, along with the evolution of sacred law (al-shari‘a) and theology, as well as various aspects of intellectual activities. The Koran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad will be examined in detail. Both Sunni and Shi‘i perspectives will be considered. Major Sufi personalities will be discussed to illuminate the mystical, and popular, tradition in Islam. Topics on arts, architecture, literary culture, and sciences will be covered. Although the course is concerned more with the history of ideas than with modern Islam as such, it has great relevance for understanding contemporary Muslim attitudes and political, social, and cultural trends in the Muslim world today.

MELC 30030: Love, Death, Exile in Arabic Literature

Professor Li Guo
TR 3:30-4:45
3 credits

This course explores literary and artistic presentation of the themes “love, death, and exile” in Arabic literature and popular culture from pre-Islamic era to the present day. Through close readings of Arabic poetry, essays, short stories, and novels (in English translation), and analyzing a number of Arabic movies (with English subtitles), we discuss the following issues: themes and genres of classical Arabic love poetry; gender, eroticism, and sexuality in Arabic literary discourse; alienation, fatalism, and the motif of al-hanin ila al-watan (nostalgia for one’s homeland) in modern Arabic poetry and fiction

MELC 30800: Muhammed and the Qu'ran

Professor Mirhan Mirza
MW 4:30-5:45
3 credits

Islamic law, theology, and spirituality are all derived primarily from the Qur'an and the practice (sunna) of the messenger and exemplar Muhammad. This course provides students with an in-depth introduction to these twin foundations of the Islamic religious tradition. Students will read a comprehensive biography (sira) of Muhammad based on the earliest sources. Students will also read selections from the Qur'an, contextualized within the narrative of Muhammad's prophetic career. In addition to familiarizing students with the traditional narrative of Muhammad's life and the style, content and structure of the Qur'an, this course also explores contemporary questions and debates in the historical-critical study of Islamic origins.

Egyptology, Hebrew and Syriac Courses

Hebrew Courses:
Fall 2009:

MEHE 10002 01: Elementary Hebrew I

Instructor: Abraham Winitzer
MW 3:00-4:15
Crosslisting: THEO 60002
3 credits

This is a two-semester introductory course in biblical Hebrew; under normal circumstances, the student must complete the first in order to enroll in the second. The fall semester will be devoted to learning the grammar of biblical Hebrew. The spring semester will be divided into two parts. For the first six weeks we will finish and review the grammar. In the remaining part of the course we will read and translate texts from the Hebrew Bible, Qumran, and Rabbinic literature. The course will focus on developing reading and comprehension skills in biblical Hebrew through the study of biblical texts. In addition, students will learn how to use reference grammars, concordances, and apparatus to the Biblical Hebraica. The course encourages students to think about the grammatical forms and their implications for biblical interpretation.

This course in Hebrew is offered through the Department of Theology.  The Department of Classics crosslists the course.  For specific information on the course, please check the Theology website at http://www.nd.edu/~theo/

Spring 2010

MEHE 10002 01: Elementary Hebrew II

Instructor: Abraham Winitzer

tbd
Crosslisting with THEO 60003
3 credits

This is a two-semester introductory course in biblical Hebrew; under normal circumstances, the student must complete the first in order to enroll in the second. The fall semester will be devoted to learning the grammar of biblical Hebrew. The spring semester will be divided into two parts. For the first six weeks we will finish and review the grammar. In the remaining part of the course we will read and translate texts from the Hebrew Bible, Qumran, and Rabbinic literature. The course will focus on developing reading and comprehension skills in biblical Hebrew through the study of biblical texts. In addition, students will learn how to use reference grammars, concordances, and apparatus to the Biblical Hebraica. The course encourages students to think about the grammatical forms and their implications for biblical interpretation.