Ancient and Medieval Cultures is part of UNR Core Humanities Program. Each instructor forms their version of the course to their interests and
CH 201: Ancient and Medieval Cultures surveys the cultures of the Near East, Greece, Rome, and the European Middle Ages. Students learn about the cultural and historical origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and explore the roots of philosophy and science. Core themes that are examined through the assigned texts and images include concepts like heroism, justice, and romantic love. This particular course focuses on the concepts of “identity” and the “individual” in the foundational documents and events of a broadly understood “Western Civilization.”
Our inquiry will involve the reading and analysis of a range of texts from a variety of cultures and traditions, as well as discussions of the contexts necessary for understanding what they might have meant for the communities that produced them and why they are important today. Our main tools in these tasks will be critical thinking and effective communication, both in writing and in discussion.
Edward M. Schoolman 