| Women and Religion in Antiquity |
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| Course Description This course will examine women in antiquity, with a focus on women in the Roman Empire. We will use religion as lens to direct our studies, since religion provided one of the most important means by which women participated in the public, civic arena in antiquity. We will examine different religious attitudes toward women and gender, women's roles in different religious traditions, and the effects of religion on the social construction of gender and on institutions often associated with women (such as the family). We begin with women in the so-called "pagan" traditions in Greece and Rome and then move to women in early Judaism. We conclude with an extensive section on women in early Christianity. One course in ancient history or ancient religion/philosophy is strongly recommended. |
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| Course Objectives This course has several primary objectives. Students will learn: |
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| Required Texts The following textbooks are available at the IC bookstore. They are also on reserve at the library. Ross Kraemer, Her Share of the Blessings: Women's Religions among Pagans, Jews and Christians in the Greco-Roman World, will be available on the first day of class; it is also on reserve. I will occasionally provide required readings as handouts. |
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| Course Requirements Daily assignments: Assignments should be completed before class. To do well in this course, you will need to be an active reader and take notes!!! You should also read your colleague's response paper (see below) before class and use the paper to prepare for discussion in class. Response Papers: Each day, one student will be responsible for writing a 2-page response paper on the readings. The paper will be distributed to the rest of the class beforehand, and you will begin the discussion section of class for that day by explaining and expanding on your paper. The paper should be a close reading of the assignment and should present your own analysis of what you think are the most important issues in the readings, with specific references to the readings. (It should not be a summary.) Consider writing about what you think is most important in the readings, what is new or most surprising in the assignment, contradictions or continuities in the readings, themes that have arisen earlier in the course that you see in the current assignment, or aspects of the assignment that you do not understand. These papers will be graded, but I will drop your lowest grade when averaging the final grade. Class participation and attendance: Class discussion is an integral part of this class. All students are expected to participate in a thoughtful, well-prepared manner that is grounded in the course assignments. All members of the class are expected to reflect critically on they ways in which they can contribute to constructive rather than destructive class dynamics. I do call upon students and will not always wait for students to volunteer themselves. Again, take notes!!! You will be expected to incorporate issues raised in class discussions in your papers. Regular, critical engagement with the assignments in class is required to earn a participation grade above a C. You will not be graded on whether or not your comments are "right." You will be graded on whether or not you completed the assignments, critically reflected on them and the issues for the class, and constructively engaged questions and ideas posed by the professor and your fellow classmates. More than 2 unexcused absences will severely affect your grade. Provide an official note from your dean, health services, coach, etc., to excuse missed classes. Make friends: if you must miss class, you should get notes from a classmate before meeting with the instructor to go over missed material. Research Paper: One 10-12-page research paper on a topic of your choice that relates to women and religion in antiquity. All topics must receive my approval. The project will be divided into 4 stages: 1. Conference with professor to discuss topic and get approval of the topic. 2. Paper Proposal (including thesis, basic issues & questions to be researched, and preliminary bibliography) 3. Class presentation on your research 4. Final paper |
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| Grading Late work will not be accepted and will receive a zero. If you experience an emergency and need an exception to this policy, you must provide an official excuse from your adviser, dean, or doctor and make arrangements with me, preferably before the work is due. Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
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| Academic Integrity Work that violates the academic integrity policies of the College or this course will receive a zero and will be reported to the Dean's office. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students should consult Ithaca College's plagiarism and academic honesty policies at http://www.ithaca.edu/judicialaffairs/SCCAppendix.htm#AppendixII. Students must also submit original work for each assignment in this course. So, students may not turn in a paper that is identical to or contains portions of another paper or assignment that has already been submitted for this course or any other course. Students may be removed from the course for disruptive behavior, excessive absences, plagiarism or academic dishonesty, or other activities that the professor deems unacceptable. I encourage students to study together and to discuss course materials outside of class. Unless otherwise indicated in the assignment, no papers or other graded assignments are collaborative; they must be completed by the individual student. Students should use their own discretion in determining how far to take their conversations about the readings before writing their papers. Students with questions about the academic integrity policies for this course should consult with the professor before the deadline for the assignment in question. |
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| Email and Websites I frequently communicate with students over email. All students must have an active Ithaca College email account and should check their email frequently for correspondence. If you have another outside email account that you prefer to use, you should forward your IC email to that address. The official course homepage is http://www.carrieschroeder.com/women. Recommended websites for the study of women and religion in antiquity can be found there. Additional material for students, including changes or updates to the assignments, can be found on the WebCT page at http://courses.ithaca.edu. |
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Schedule of Assignments
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| Page last updated 8/30/03 |
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