Opuscula - CLAS 199 - F22

Opuscula

Overview

There will be four mini-projects, known as opuscula (the Latin for mini-projects) that you will have the option of completing before our last class of the semester on May 5. These projects will ask you dive deeply into the different aspects of the interconnection between race and antiquity by doing some basic reading and research about the topic and then completing an analysis or activity based on this reading. By doing these assignments, you will gain essential knowledge about key facets of the race and antiquity and get the chance to explore themes in the text that you find personally interesting.

There are no specific due dates for particular opuscula, but they must be completed sequentially. In addition, you cannot submit them all at the same time; you must receive a satisfactory grade on the previous opuscula before turning in the next one. For instance, you were to turn in the first opusculum, you would have to wait until I gave it back to turn in the second one. You should take this into account into when you decide whether and when to work on the opuscula. In addition, it is worth noting that even though the assignments may seem pretty simple, they will require quite a bit of careful thought and thus cannot be rushed. Opuscula can either be shared with me as a GoogleDoc or handed in in person, if you prefer.

Opuscula are not required to pass this class. For how they factor into the class grading rubric, have a look at the specifications grading page.

Opusculum #1: Critical Race Theory Brouhaha

For this opusculum, you will delve into a current controversy regarding critical race theory in the state of Florida. Earlier this year, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill banning the teaching of critical race theory in the state and it was signed into law shortly thereafter by Governor Ron DeSantis. Just a few weeks ago, the law was blocked from being put into action by a Florida judge.

You will start this project by reading a short press release from Florida governor’s office quoting supporters of the HB 7 bill (also known as the “Stop WOKE Act”) as well as a brief summary of the bill’s contents. You will then write a brief response (500 - 600 words) comparing and contrasting the portrayal of critical race theory in the bill and by its proponents compared with the tenets of CRT as laid out in the readings from Delgado and Stefancic.

A satisfactory assignment will:

Be 500 - 600 words in length
Compare and contrast the language used by Florida’s Stop WOKE Act with the claims advanced by Delgado and Stefancic
Make use of direct quotations and citations from the sources to make your argument
Reflect on the larger significance of your comparison

Opusculum #2: Bad Science, Bad Classics

For this opusculum, you will dig further into the intersection between race, science, and the study of classics in the 21st century. The last few years have seen DNA evidence being used to make claims about ancient history, specifically about what kind of people lived in certain places and the question of representation and diversity in the ancient world.

You will start this project by reading three brief articles: 1) a short piece about a controversy related to the depiction of a Black soldier in Roman Africa; 2) a short piece about an article in Nature about the DNA of the Mycenaeans; and 3) a longer piece on both controversies and how classics intersects with them. You will then write a 500-600 reflection comparing and contrasting the way that science is being deployed in these controversies with the connections between scientific race-thinking and antiquity in the 19th and early 20th century that we have read about and discussed in class. Your response will consider not only the discourse about race, science, and antiquity stayed the same, but also what ways it has changed from the 19th and early 20th centuries to now.

A satisfactory assignment will:

Be 500 - 600 words in length
Compare and contrast the discourse of race, science, and classics in the 19th and early 20th centuries with that of early 21st century
Make use of direct quotations and citations from sources assigned above as well as those that we have read for class to make your argument
Reflect on the larger significance of your comparison for this course

Opusculum #3: Race and Antiquity Talks

For this opusculum, you will need to attend two (out of a possible three) talks hosted by the Classics Department related to race and antiquity. After attending these two talks, you write a short summary and analysis of each talk (300 words for each lecture) and reflect how the two talks related to topics that we discussed in class (300 words). Because there will be some time between each talk and you might not remember all the details, I encourage you to write up your summary and reflection shortly after these lectures finish.

Below you will find a list of the three talks that you can attend to complete this opusculum:

5:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 27 - Smith Labs 154 - Yonatan Binyam on race and race-making in Early Christianity
5:30 pm Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Smith Labs 154 - Najee Olya on the visual representations of African individuals on Athenian ceramics
5:30 pm Monday, Nov. 28 - Kelly Dugan - Smith Labs 154 on American slavery and teaching of Greek and Latin

A satisfactory assignment will:

Be 800-900 words in length
Summarize clearly the key points of each talk
Highlight key pieces of evidence that the speakers used to make their larger point
Reflect on how the arguments and material discussed in each of these talks relates to and builds upon what we have discussed in class

NB: If you have a conflict that means you cannot attend two of the talks, let me know as soon as possible.

Opusculum #4: Annotated Bibliography

For this opusculum, you will compile an annotated bibliography. You will start by selecting a theme or topic related to race and antiquity that you have found particularly meaningful in this course (NB: you must run the topic by me so as to ensure that the topic is suitable for the project) You will then begin to research this theme and accumulate a bibliography of 10 sources (articles, chapters, or books) that deal with your theme/topic. You will then read these source and write a brief summary of it (1-2 paragraphs) laying out the purpose of the piece, its argument, its larger contribution to your understanding of the theme, and any problems you see with it.

If you are unsure as to how to compile a bibliography properly, please look at this webiste for reference. I don’t have a preference as to the bibliographic style that you use, I only ask that you be consistent throughout your document. If you need help finding sources, please consult with Jen Whalen, Holy Cross’ Classics librarian, or myself.

A satisfactory assignment will:

Explicitly states the theme or topic of the annotated bibliography
Include a list of 10 properly-cited sources
Feature a brief 1-2 paragraph annotations of each source that the source’s purpose, argument, and contribution to the study of the theme
Include criticism of sources where warranted