RLB511 Gender, Sexuality and Religions in Ancient Rome

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2016
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Leonardo Ambasciano, Ph.D., M.A. (lecturer), Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Šárka Londa Vondráčková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each even Tuesday 14:10–15:45 B2.24
Prerequisites (in Czech)
RLB206 Roman Religion || RLB239 Hellenistic Religions
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to provide undergraduate students with a comprehensive overview of gender issues and sexuality in ancient Roman religion. Specifically, the course will focus on women’s participation and female cults in the Roman state religion. An introductory section on social aspects and cultural settings will supply the necessary conceptual tools to delve deeper into the analysis of the principal cults reserved to women. Methodological issues, particularly concerning the evaluation of the fragmentary documentary record, are assessed early on, as is the utility of an interdisciplinary approach. Finally, a comparative sketch will help contextualizing the sociological emergence of different cultural patterns and the institutional establishment of the dominants’ coercive perspectives. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the cultural underpinnings of Roman gender differences, to identify the major gender-exclusive cults, and to summarize the most relevant normative features concerning the Roman understanding and management of sexuality in both political and religious institutions.
Syllabus
  • 1. The Good Goddess and the Dead Queen: An introductory example
  • 2. An empty pantheon? Facing the documentary wasteland
  • 3. The sociologist in the temple of Vesta
  • 4. Sex, cognition, and politics in the Bacchanalia affaire
  • 5. The dominant perspective: Cooperate to outcompete rivals
  • 6. The subordinate perspective: Zombie ants and human brains
Literature
    required literature
  • A history of women in the west. Edited by Pauline Schmitt-Pantel. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1992, xxi, 572. ISBN 067440369X. info
Teaching methods
Teacher-led classes. Students are strongly encouraged to interact and provide their feedback either during lessons and/or via email. Any relevant suggestion or clarification will be carefully taken into consideration in light of the final assessment.
Assessment methods
The concluding examination will consist of one short-essay question (i.e., open-ended) analyzing an outstanding theme discussed in class, plus a series of multiple-choice questions. Required readings are provided in the dedicated bibliography above (see “Syllabus”). Strongly suggested additional readings useful to better address the short-essay question will be available before each class. Whenever possible, relevant papers will be provided during each class or uploaded on the course webpage. Percentage of score contributed by each typology of questions: short-essay question: 60%; multiple-choice questions: 40%.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught only once.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2016/RLB511