What does it mean to be human? What gives life meaning? How do we engage with the sacred, and how can wisdom from the ancient world help us navigate the present? In this course, we will grapple with these questions by comparing lessons found in oral traditions, texts, and artifacts from diverse cultures around the globe.
Each week, the course takes on a new big question, guiding students through close readings of ancient texts within their cultural and historical contexts while building the analytical skills that will serve them throughout their academic careers. Along the way, students will build important academic skills that will serve them throughout their college career and beyond. These include close reading of texts, writing about primary sources, generating meaningful questions, and engaging in critical analysis and discussions. By the end of the semester, students will have both a richer understanding of the ancient world and sharper tools for thinking about their own.
