CLAS 295 - Topics in Classical Civilization

Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.

Selected subject areas in classical civilization. The topic selected varies from year to year. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different.

Topic for Winter 2012:

CLAS 295: The Language of Leadership: Classical Rhetoric in Theory and Practice (3). An exploration of the theory of rhetoric (the study of language and its effect on an audience) as it was invented and developed in Classical antiquity, as well as the practice of rhetorical discourse which it shaped and directed from Classical Greece down to the present day, with a special focus on the role of rhetoric in the art of leadership. Students read and discuss theoretical works in English by Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintillian, and others, as well as speeches and other rhetorical works ranging from Classical Athens to the modern-day U.S. Students are also asked to use what they have learned from these readings and discussions to compose a series of rhetorical exercises of their own for presentation to the class, and to critique and discuss the rhetorical efforts of their fellow students. (HL) D. Carlisle.