Ancient Greece: Democracy and Empire
By learning about the emergence, corruption, and decline of Athenian democracy, students will gain a deeper understanding about governance and develop informed ideas about what can and cannot be applied to the current political climate. We will visit ancient sites where many of the ideas intrinsic to our conception of Western politics as a whole were first formulated. There will also be plenty of time to swim in the Aegean Sea and hike through beautiful countryside!
Our group will spend some time on DuoLingo before the program, and during our stay we will engage in some modern cultural activities, in order to facilitate a more meaningful immersion in today's Greece while we study their past.
Snapshot
We will visit numerous sites in Athens and the Argolid while examining and discussing ideas about citizenship and governing systems in the ancient world, with a focus on Athenian democracy and its reception in the modern world.
Program Dates: June 7-21, 2027
Themes: The role of citizens in democracy and empire; populism and demagoguery; interpretations of legitimate authority in antiquity; roots of American politics
Program Leaders: Dr. Elizabeth Meyer and Dr. Jael Hernández-Vásquez
Maximum Cost: $8,500