PUBLIC HELLENISM

GRKM 4020 GU. Public Hellenism. 2 points.

Instructor: Dimitris Antoniou

The Practicum's participants will be registered for the course "Public Hellenism," which will meet daily from 10:00-11:00 (with the exception of a few days when it will meet 10:00-12:00). This course consists of three parts.The first part (weeks 1 and 2) introduces students to public humanities and Greek history and culture, is structured around an examination of SNFPHI projects currently underway in Greece, and draws on the materials that these projects have produced (films, guides of best practices, theoretical texts).

The second part of the course (weeks 3 and 4) is structured around workshops (on oral history, zines, archives, podcasts, online exhibitions, and game design) conducted in collaboration with Columbia programs and initiatives. These workshops are meant to provide students with the technical skills necessary to successfully pursue their own projects and to introduce them to the methods used by public humanities practitioners to connect with broad audiences. In the course's third part (weeks 5 and 6), students will work on their own projects while taking turns leading discussions with SNFPHI project leaders in Greece, Columbia faculty, and fellows of the Institute for Ideas and Imagination in Paris. These discussions will give students an opportunity to explore the various ways in which public humanities are practiced and also receive feedback and advice for their own projects.

Throughout the course students are expected to dedicate to the Practicum 2-3 hours per day (including class time). Evaluation will be on the basis of: participation (30%); a 400-500-word project proposal (10%); the final project (30%); and a 800-1000 word how-to guide detailing the theoretical and practical parameters of a project from its conceptualization to its implementation (30%).

Course Objectives: Students can expect to develop a foundation in Greek history, anthropology, politics, and art; exercise skills in close reading, critical thinking, and intellectual debate; engage issues in social justice, democracy, and community building, while developing skills for civic-minded work outside academia. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Public Humanities Initiative (SNFPHI) is sponsoring the program and will cover the cost of theVergil