Critical Readings

Graduate / Professional

A weekly seminar for graduate students in which we read and discuss a selection of old and new monographs (and perhaps a few key articles) relevant to the field of ancient studies. Three weekly presenters give a fifteen-minute oral review of a book, which is followed by a thirty-five-minute discussion. Everyone reads a short passage from the work assigned by the presenter one week in advance. It should not exceed ten to twelve pages on average and should be exemplary of the work. Presenters focus on extracting main points from the chosen work and discuss its place within the broader framework of ancient studies. The seminar targets students in Assyriology, Classics, Egyptology, Hebrew Bible, and Religion, but others may find it interesting and relevant. For our first meeting, we all read and discuss the same book: Liverani’s Imagining Babylon , which, despite its alleged focus on the Near East, presents a concise and somewhat controversial summary of the history of ancient history. At the first meeting we also divide up the coming weeks and readings between us. The topic for each week is left intentionally broad so as to accommodate a wide selection of books. The selection of themes, on the other hand, ensures that we make it through several major topics within ancient studies, from economics and religion to art and archeology. We rehearse skills in critical reading, writing scholarly reviews, debating, and, of course, we engage with a massive amount of literature that we might not otherwise find the time to read. T 1:30pm-3:25pm