First Year Seminar

Race Before Race: Social Difference in the Ancient and Classical Worlds

HIST-13000-01 Ithaca College Department of History

TR 9:25-10:40AM CNS 278

W 3:00-3:50PM CNS 278

Jason Freitag

Muller Faculty Center Room 423

Phone x4-5798

E-mail:

Office Hours: 10:00AM-Noon Wednesday, 1:30-2:30PM Thursday, and by appointment.

Course Description:

This course will examine a variety of discourses on difference in the ancient, classical and pre-modern periods. The main objective of the seminar will be to introduce students to the long conversation regarding distinctions between human groups, in the absence of the concept of “race” as we know it in the present day. The course will look to cultures as diverse as caste society in ancient India, aristocratic indulgences in the code of Hammurabi, ideas of order and servitude in the classical Greek world, and the issues of the chosen people in the Hebrew Bible and the community of the faithful in the Christian New Testament. The course will end with a brief review of the emergence of the concept of race in the 15th century and beyond, designed to position the students for further study of race and racism in the modern period. In all cases, we will explore important aspects of the idea of difference as they developed globally in conversations regarding identity, social status and civilization.

We will consider primary sources (texts written by someone directly connected with the events and issues in question) almost exclusively in order to help us develop and engage our critical and analytical faculties. "Engagement" is the key word here. As you read, listen to and think about this material, try always to consider the author’s relationship to their topic, the larger issues they are addressing and the use to which they are putting their sources as they make their argument. A major objective of this course, and the ultimate measure of its success, will be the extent to which you powerfully enter into conversation in this way with the texts and ideas under study, as well as with each other, as we proceed along our historical journey. Each student’s active participation in the life of the class will ensure an interesting learning experience not just for them, but for the class as a whole.

Attendance Policy:

Attendance at seminar is extremely important, and in grading you will be held responsible not only for the material in the texts, but in the class discussions as well. Accordingly, attendance will be taken on a regular basis. More than 4 unexcused absences will result in a ½-step reduction in your final grade (instead of an A-, there will be a step down to a B+). Documented illnesses or emergencies, as well as religious holidays, are excused absences, and do not count towards the total. If you are having issues or special circumstances that prevent you from coming to class, please come and see me so that appropriate arrangements can be made.


Assignments and Evaluation:

This course is meant to develop both your oral and written communication skills. Therefore, there will be both oral and written components to the assignments and final evaluation in the course.

Oral presentations: There will be one oral presentation for this class. The presentation will be short (5-10 minutes maximum), and is designed to lead the class discussion on an assigned primary source reading. This presentation is not a summary of the text. Rather, it is meant to provide a brief analysis of the historical context from which the text arose, discuss the aims and issues you see in the text, and finally present the questions you feel will provoke and promote discussion of the text for that class session.

The oral presentation will count towards the attendance and class participation component of your grade.

Written Assignments: There will be two different sorts of written assignment in this course.

Over the course of the semester, I will ask for four 1 1/2 – 2 page response papers to the primary texts you are reading. These papers are meant to be both short (as evidenced by the page limit) and analytical/critical. As you read the text for a particular class meeting, formulate a response to that text – deal with the issues it raises, its place in our developing conversation, and its relationship to the other texts and contexts of the course. In other words, do not summarize, but analyze the text! These papers will be due on the day the text you have chosen is scheduled for discussion, and will hopefully serve as a springboard for debate in the session. Please consult the schedule of readings for the deadlines you should meet in handing in these papers.

After you have handed in your first paper, we will schedule a short meeting to discuss that paper one-on-one, and deal with any individual writing issues that might arise. I will require only one of these paper conferences, but encourage you to schedule more if you would like to.

At the end of the semester, I will ask for a longer (6-8) page paper on a topic we have developed together over the course of the semester, typically arising out of the issues you’ve developed in your shorter papers. More information about the final paper will be forthcoming over the next few weeks.

Exams: There will be a midterm exam on October 17th, and the final exam is scheduled for December 18th from 7:30-10:00AM.

Evaluation:

The midterm exam will count for 15% of your final grade.
The primary source response papers will count for 25% of your final grade.

The final paper will count for 25% of your final grade.

The final exam will count for 15% of your final grade.
Regular attendance, demonstrated reading, thoughtful participation and well-organized, engaged oral presentation will count for 20% of your final grade

Schedule of Readings:

August / 31 / Introduction. What do we mean by “race”?
September / 5 / Nature and the Divine: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Available outside my office late Friday, 1st September
6 / IC Resources: Introduction to the Library
7 / Difference and Power: The Laws of Hammurabi
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode.html
12 / Caste in India: The Laws of Manu
13 / Discussion: Structuring a Paper – The Thesis.
14 / Caste in India: The Laws of Manu
19 / Ethics and the Way: Confucius
20 / Discussion: Structuring a Paper – Citation and Reference
21 / Ethics and the Way: Lao Tzu
1st Primary Source Paper due by this date
26 / Greeks and Civilization: Herodotus
27 / IC Discussion: The Gen Ed Program
28 / Greeks and Civilization: Herodotus
October / 3 / Eugenics or Citizenship? Plato
4 / IC Discussion: Declare or Explore Some More?
5 / Eugenics or Citizenship? Plato
10 / Does Slavery Imply Racism? Aristotle
11 / Discussion: Exams and Grading
12 / Does Slavery Imply Racism? Aristotle
2nd Primary Source Paper due by this date
17 /

Midterm Exam

18 / No Class: You’ve Earned a Break
19 / No Class: Fall Break
24 / Unities of Humankind: Epicureans, Stoics and Sceptics
25 / IC Discussion: Connecting with Homer
26 / Unities of Humankind: Epicureans, Stoics and Sceptics
31 / Tribes and Nations I: Tacitus’ Germania
November / 1 /

IC Discussion: Choices, Choices, Choices: How to pick a class.

2 / Who are Chosen? The Hebrew Bible & The New Testament
7 / Man and God: St. Augustine
8 /

Open Discussion

9 / Man and God: St. Augustine
3rd Primary Source Paper due by this date
14 / Aristotle Returns: deSepulveda in the “New World”
15 /

Open Discussion

16 / Aristotle Returns: de Las Casas and the Rights of “Indians”
21 /

No Class: Thanksgiving Break

22 / No Class: Thanksgiving Break
23 / No Class: Thanksgiving Break
28 / The Republic: Machiavelli
29 /

Open Discussion

30 / Tribes and Nations II: Hobbes’ Leviathan
December / 5 / Liberalism, Property and Slavery: Locke
6 /

Open Discussion

7 / Liberalism, Property and Slavery: Locke
12 / Blood and History: DeGobineau
13 /

Open Discussion

14 / Blood and History: DeGobineau
4th Primary Source Paper due by this date
18 / Final Exam 7:30-10:00AM