HONOR 2101.003Dr. Ginger Smoak
MW: 9:40-10:30OH: By Appointment
MRSC 1205CTIHB 119
(801) 585-9002
Honors Core in Intellectual Traditions: Antiquity and the Beginning of the Common Era
COURSE CONTENT: This course examines a variety of texts and thinkers from earliest times to the beginnings of the Common Era, with a focus on the ideas that have had an enduring, foundational influence on our understanding of both ourselves and the world in which we live, and that have thereby become canonical works. We will take historical, philosophical, social, religious, and gendered approaches to the material. Topics covered will include the idea of the hero, fate, destiny, and free will,humans’ relationships with the gods/God and nature, the development of Christian and non-Christian religious traditions, the nature of the state, happiness, knowledge, and the roles of men and women. The course stresses careful reading, critical thinking, good writing, participation in the discussions, and attendance. It also stresses independent thought, and pushes you to examine and reexamine your beliefs, often past your comfort level.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In this course you will focus on critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, written and verbal communication, lifelong learning, and personal and social responsibility.
REQUIRED TEXTS (Bookstore):
Narayan, N.K., Ed. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic.
Penguin Classics, 1972. ISBN# 9780143039679.
Puchner, Martin, Ed. Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. A, Third edition. Norton &
Co., 2012. ISBN#9780393913293.
***Be sure to get this edition of this text as other editions do not have all of the required readings.
***PLEASE BRING YOUR TEXTS TO CLASS***
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Class Participation: 150 points
Response Papers: 10 points each/100 points
Synthetic Papers: 50 points each/150 points
Final Project/Process Paper: 150 points
Total: 550 points
Response Papers:
Response Papers to the weekly readings will be due in the Monday class. These should be brief, 1-2 pages, and include an overview of and critical response to the reading, and should deal with the overall significance and context of the material. These papers will help you to understand and engage with the class discussion, and can include thoughts, feelings, concerns and connections that the material elucidates. I will ask random students to read a sentence or paragraph from their papers in each class meeting. Each paper is worth 10 points, for a total of 100 points.
Synthetic Papers:
You will write three Synthetic Papers of about 5 pages which will reflect on the major topics in the class. You may choose the topic, subject to approval, and will discuss the writings, the discussion points, and context. These papers are worth 50 points each, for a total of 150 points. They should include citations. They should also be synthetic and find common points of analysis in the readings for that section. You may rewrite one of your papers, making substantive changes that require you to fundamentally reconceive the material. Please attach the original paper, with my comments, to the rewrite.
Final Project:
The Final Project can take many forms. It is worth 150 points and should be as synthetic as possible, that is, including as many ideas and texts as possible, synthesized chronologically, topically, and thematically. You will incorporate and present a creative and synthetic expression of themes from the course. Past projects have included movies, poems, artwork, a game show, and a twitter feed. You are welcome to collaborate with your fellow classmates on a project as well. Your project should be accompanied by a Process Paper and you will present/perform your work in the final class meeting.
Process Paper:
In a 4-5 page paper, detail your Final Project. Your project is a creative and synthetic expression of themes and intellectual threads from the course and should weave these threads together to create a “textile.” The Process Paper explicates this progression by explaining the ideas and from where they came, the forms they take in your project and how the symbols express the traditions. Explain the ideas behind and within your project and how it is representative of the class readings and discussions. Explicate the meanings of the parts of your project and how they work together to create a larger concept, especially if abstract. If your project presents an artistic rendering of these concepts, be sure to explain those concepts and how they are embodied, and how this representation becomes symbolic. Why did you choose these themes and ideas to explore further? Why did you choose that medium to do so? Why did you choose those particular texts and what contexts are important in your portrayal? How did the specific form of the project evoke the reactions you were hoping to elicit? What choices did you have to make in your representation? Your Process Paper should include passages, quotes and citations from the texts where applicable and should be specific and detailed about the textual references. It is due the final day of class.
*A note on class discussions: you may bring your readings on your laptop to class but you may not use your computer to do anything else during class. Class discussions are your chance to really think/discuss/explore concepts, ideas, theories and to make connections/have epiphanies and push your boundaries. Take advantage of it, and get into it. Take notes on ideas and passages from the readings that you want to engage with and then jump in.
GRADE SCALE AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY
93%-100%=A77%-79%=C+60%-62%=D-
90%-92%=A-73%-76%=CBelow 60%=F
87%-89%=B+70%-72%=C-
83%-86%=B67%-69%=D+
80%-82%=B-63%-66%=D
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.
Academic Misconduct Policy: Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarizing, research misconduct, misrepresenting one’s work, and inappropriately collaborating. Definitions can be found in the Student Code at If you are suspected of academic misconduct, the process proceeds according to the rules found in the Student Code, University Policy 6-400(V). According to that policy, after meeting with you, the instructor must determine whether academic misconduct has, in fact, occurred.
--If s/he determines that no academic misconduct has occurred, s/he will document that you are not responsible for any academic misconduct.
--If s/he determines academic misconduct has occurred and this is the first instance in which you have been alleged to have committed academic misconduct, s/he will take into account whether the act was intentional or a result of negligence in determining the appropriate sanction, which can be up to failing the course. The sanction will be noted in the resolution of the case and your right of appeal is as specified in Policy 6-400(V).
--If s/he determines academic misconduct has occurred, and you have previously been sanctioned for an act of academic misconduct, and the prior instance of misconduct resulted in a sanction less than failing the course, the department will follow the process to fail you for the course. If the prior sanction was failure of the course, your new act of misconduct will result in failure of the course and the department will also follow the process to seek your dismissal from the program and the University.
University Accommodation Policy (6-100): No content accommodations will be made for this course. It is the student’s obligation to determine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty, if the requirements of this course conflict with the student's sincerely-held core beliefs. If there is such a conflict, the student should consider dropping the class. Please visit the Administration Policy and Procedures Website ( and look under Accommodations Policy for complete details.
Addressing Sexual Misconduct: Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a Civil Rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status or genetic information. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 135 Park Building, 801-581-8365, or the Office of the Dean of Students, 270 Union Building, 801-581-7066. For support and confidential consultation, contact the Center for Student Wellness, 426 SSB, 801-581-7776. To report to the police, contact the Department of Public Safety, 801-585-2677(COPS).
Semester Schedule:
Note that the Readings are in one of several places, including Canvas, the Norton Anthology, or in a supplemental text.
DateTopicAssignment
Week of Jan. 8IntroductionCannibal Spell
Early CivilizationsHymn to the Aten
Babylonian Creation Epic
Stela of Taimhotep
Response Paper #1 (Friday)
Monday, Jan. 15NO CLASS
Week of Jan. 17MesopotamianLegalEpic of Gilgamesh
and Spiritual TextsCode of Hammurabi (C)
Response Paper #2
Week of Jan. 22Early Greek PhilosophyLucretius Response Paper #3
Week of Sept. 29Greek Dark AgesIliad, p. 230-283
Epics and Heroes
Week of Feb. 5Greek Dark AgesIliad, p. 284-331
Epics and HeroesResponse Paper #4
Wednesday, Feb. 7Synthetic Paper #1 Due
Week of Feb. 12Archaic and ClassicalGreeceAesop’s Fables Fables, Poetry, History Sappho’s Poems
Herodotus’ Histories
Response Paper #5
Monday, Feb. 19NO CLASS
Week of Feb. 21Greek Drama and ComedyEuripides, Medea Aristophanes, Lysistrata
Response Paper #6
Week of Feb. 26Greek PhilosophyPlato’s Symposium Plato’s Republic (C)
Response Paper #7
Week of Mar. 5Eastern LiteratureRamayana
Wednesday, Mar. 7Synthetic Paper #2 Due
Week of Mar. 12Roman Republican EpicsVirgil’s Aeneid, p. 964-1072
Response Paper #8
Week of March 18NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK
Week of Mar. 25Roman Republican PoetryHorace, Ode 1.37
Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Response Paper #9
Week of April 2Roman Empire and Early Luke 2 (C)
Christianity Gospel of Mary Magdalen (C)
Clement of Alexandria (C) Response Paper #10
Wednesday, April4Synthetic Paper #3 Due
Week of April 9Final Project Presentations
Friday, April 13NO CLASS
Week of April 16Final Project Presentations
Monday, April 23Final Project Presentations
Process Paper Due