AFRICAAM 145: Narratives of Enslavement (CLASSICS 145, CLASSICS 245, COMPLIT 145C)
Widely dispersed narratives by and about enslaved persons are our focus. We'll explore the concept of 'slave narrative' by comparing texts from the ancient Mediterranean, the Cape of Good Hope, West Africa and the United States. We'll consider famous autobiographies alongside less familiar material such as court trial records. What are the affordances, what are the limits of such narratives as historical evidence? What notions of enslaved experience emerge? How close can we come to understanding the experiences of the enslaved? How different do such experiences seem when compared across time and space? Note: graduates and advanced undergraduates wishing to read original Greek and Latin texts should register for Reading Greek and Roman Slavery (
Classics 142/242) in addition.
Last offered: Winter 2024
CLASSICS 142: Reading Greek and Roman Slavery (CLASSICS 242)
This course offers an optional side-bar to Narratives of Enslavement (
CLASSICS 145/245) for graduate and advanced undergraduate students seeking additional reading of original Greek and Latin texts. Selections will come, inter alia, from Aristotle's Politics; [Demosthenes'] Against Neaera; Paul's Letter to Philemon; Columella, De re rustica; Pliny's Letters; the anonymous Life of Aesop; as well as Greek and Latin legal documents and inscriptions.
Last offered: Winter 2024
CLASSICS 145: Narratives of Enslavement (AFRICAAM 145, CLASSICS 245, COMPLIT 145C)
Widely dispersed narratives by and about enslaved persons are our focus. We'll explore the concept of 'slave narrative' by comparing texts from the ancient Mediterranean, the Cape of Good Hope, West Africa and the United States. We'll consider famous autobiographies alongside less familiar material such as court trial records. What are the affordances, what are the limits of such narratives as historical evidence? What notions of enslaved experience emerge? How close can we come to understanding the experiences of the enslaved? How different do such experiences seem when compared across time and space? Note: graduates and advanced undergraduates wishing to read original Greek and Latin texts should register for Reading Greek and Roman Slavery (
Classics 142/242) in addition.
Last offered: Winter 2024
CLASSICS 245: Narratives of Enslavement (AFRICAAM 145, CLASSICS 145, COMPLIT 145C)
Widely dispersed narratives by and about enslaved persons are our focus. We'll explore the concept of 'slave narrative' by comparing texts from the ancient Mediterranean, the Cape of Good Hope, West Africa and the United States. We'll consider famous autobiographies alongside less familiar material such as court trial records. What are the affordances, what are the limits of such narratives as historical evidence? What notions of enslaved experience emerge? How close can we come to understanding the experiences of the enslaved? How different do such experiences seem when compared across time and space? Note: graduates and advanced undergraduates wishing to read original Greek and Latin texts should register for Reading Greek and Roman Slavery (
Classics 142/242) in addition.
Last offered: Winter 2024
COMPLIT 145C: Narratives of Enslavement (AFRICAAM 145, CLASSICS 145, CLASSICS 245)
Widely dispersed narratives by and about enslaved persons are our focus. We'll explore the concept of 'slave narrative' by comparing texts from the ancient Mediterranean, the Cape of Good Hope, West Africa and the United States. We'll consider famous autobiographies alongside less familiar material such as court trial records. What are the affordances, what are the limits of such narratives as historical evidence? What notions of enslaved experience emerge? How close can we come to understanding the experiences of the enslaved? How different do such experiences seem when compared across time and space? Note: graduates and advanced undergraduates wishing to read original Greek and Latin texts should register for Reading Greek and Roman Slavery (
Classics 142/242) in addition.
Last offered: Winter 2024
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