Compulsory attendance
Yes.
Admission requirements
Bachelor’s degree obtained, admission to the RMA-programme.
Description
It is common knowledge, nowadays, that the ancient Mediterranean is characterised by an immense connectivity from at least the Bronze Age onwards. Most archaeologists seem to agree on the fact that from that period onwards, all material culture is thus in one way or another a “hybrid”.
There is much less agreement on how to understand and study this “globalised world”, and how to interpret all the forms and results of culture contact we see in our archaeological data. This course will face these important questions head on: What is acculturation? Can we still think in terms of mobility and exchange? Are globalisation studies really an alternative? What do we actually mean when we say Orientalisation, Hellenisation or Romanisation? How feasible is it to characterise material culture as “hybrid”? Students will work out a specific case study revolving around these questions that will be presented and discussed in class.
Course objectives
Detailed knowledge of culture contact in the ancient Mediterranean on the basis of assigned literature, lectures, assigments and discussions;
Detailed knowledge of the relevant literature, including current debates and the archaeological approaches;
Ability to critically assess current research and literature and to voice one’s well-argumented opinion;
Ability to process archaeological data and to apply theoretical models;
Ability to produce a paper on one’s findings in studying a specific case study.
Ects distribution
The course load will be distributed as follows:
Lectures (1 ects);
Literature (1 ects);
Essay (3 ects).
Timetable
Course schedule details can be found in the MA time schedule.
Mode of instruction
Lectures;
Reading of relevant books/articles;
Individual assignments;
Discussion on the basis of the assignments.
Assessment method
Active participation in class discussions;
Reading of the assigned literature;
Assignments and essay (about 10 pp. and including a presentation of the research in class).
Assessment deadline
The assignments/essay need to have been handed in by the beginning of the next block.
Reading list
Partly indicated during the seminar, partly to be identified by the students themselves.
Registration
Register for this course via uSis.
Instructions for registration can be found in the uSis manual.
Contact information
For more information about this course, please contact dr M.J. Versluys.