November 2, 2004
Purdue classics program announces first public lecture series
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's Interdisciplinary Program in Classics and the Classical Association will sponsor the first university lecture series highlighting scholarship in the classics.
The theme for the inaugural series is Women in the Ancient World. All lectures are free and open to the public.
"The classics are vibrant at Purdue," said Patrice Rankine, director of Interdisciplinary Programs in Classics and associate professor of classics. "There continues to be an increase in the number of students enrolled in Greek and Latin language courses, as well as our mythology courses.
"The classics remain a source of knowledge and beauty in the 21st century. Just consider the recent movies of 'Gladiator,' 'Troy' and 'Alexander.' These movies provide examples of the ideals – such as learning from suffering and putting aside individual competitiveness for collective gains – that we admire in Greek tragedy. This new series at Purdue will make the classics more accessible to everyone."
John Kirby, one of the founders of the program and professor of foreign languages and literatures, will present the first lecture, "Women in Greek Tragedy," at 8 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 4) in Rawls Hall, Room 1086.
In addition to four other speakers, the series also includes a roundtable discussion of women in the ancient world on April 7, and will conclude on April 21 with a keynote lecture by Robert Sutton, professor of world languages and cultures, and coordinator of the Program in Classical Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The time and location will be announced next semester.
Upcoming speakers for the lectures, which all begin at 8 p.m., include:
• Nov. 18. Rankine, "Cleopatra, Race & Gender." University Hall, Room 303.
• Jan. 26. Nicholas Rauh, associate professor of history, "Women in the Household (Women's Work)." Rawls Hall, Room 1086.
• March 3. Richard King, assistant professor of classics, "Transgenderism in Ovid." Rawls Hall, Room 1086.
• March 24. Keith Dickson, associate professor of classics and chair of Arabic, Classics, Hebrew and Italian in the Classical Studies Program, "Women in Myth." Rawls Hall, Room 1086.
The Classical Studies Program focuses on ancient Greek and Roman literature, history, philosophy and culture. About 400 students enroll in classics courses every semester, including the areas of history and society, mythology, Latin, and Greek.
The Women in the Ancient World series is funded by the classics program.
CONTACT: Patrice Rankine, (765) 494-3833, rankine@purdue.edu
Writer: Amy Patterson-Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web site:
Purdue Classical Studies
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