“Into the Labyrinths: Amazing Myths Meet in Crete”

Lang 180 201 (3 credits) & Lang 180 202 (1.5 credits)

Summer Abroad Course for 4.5 Drexel credits=3 semester credits

Overview:

The Drexel University 2007 summer study abroad program brings one more course to life by offering students the opportunity to literally dive into the Greek experience through an empirical study of its rich multifaceted culture as it is expressed today on the island of Crete. The course is conducted breathtakingly, viewing the Aegean Sea at a conference and exhibition center in a Cretan major Resort, where lodging also is. Field trips have been incorporated into the course requirements for successful completion of this course. These trips will give students a broad exposure to Eastern Mediterranean history, culture, traditions and society.

Meets:

MWF: ~9.30-12.30pm, Hotel

TR: ~9.00-6.00pm, Fieldtrips

Professor:

Dr. Maria Hnaraki, #6932-050-446, mh439@drexel.edu

Readings:

Required course readings include 2 books: a) The Insight Guide Crete (by Jeffery Pike; ISBN 1585730211) and b) Cretan Music: Unraveling Ariadne’s Thread (by Maria Hnaraki; ISBN 9789608386525). Feel free to contact the Professor if you need further information on a specific topic and/or if you wish to learn more about a particular subject. A wide range of books, journals and articles in English on several Greek and Cretan topics are available in the classroom for students to check out and use throughout this course.

Course Description and Objectives:

The course studies Greek culture as exhibited through its rich archaeology, history, visual art sources and the poetry, fiction, memoirs and letters of people who have visited, studied or even lived on the island. Students are guided through the techniques of participant observation as a research field method and are urged to apply them. They selectively attend festivals, rituals, family, household, village and city customs and practices, as these all are valuable mechanisms for learning the social, economic, cultural, political and religious ways that underlie and make Greek culture distinctive. Through this interdisciplinary program, students are exposed to “the other” that processes information differently than they do. They increase their interest in other cultures, become less ethnocentric as well as aware of cultural diversity. After all, travel is about enriching and creating dynamic perspectives, and the most important means of transportation is life itself.

Expectations from the Students:

Dr. Hnaraki expects students to read and actively participate in the discussion of all readings and classroom materials (for example, videos). She views discussion as an opportunity to explore and expand upon ideas and experiences as well as to complement and clarify lecture materials in preparation for projects. Everybody is expected to attend because, besides the readings, there is also directed listening, viewing, and in-class mini exercises or assignments. Fieldtrips have been incorporated into course requirements for successful completion of the class; through them students acquire broad exposure to Eastern Mediterranean history, culture, traditions and society.

Assignments-Grading-Deadlines:

Below is a list of assignments; further information/guidelines will be given in class. The final grade (200 points) will be based on a combination of writing assignments (100 points, 30+20+30+20 respectively) and class preparation and participation (100 points, 5 points per class).

Weekly presentations on mini-language projects (5 x 4 = 20 points)

During every week each student will be responsible for compiling a list of Greek words and/or phrases she/he will be learning. These can be taken from the texts, the daily classes, the personal exchanges students will be having with natives, the radio, the television, etc. Each student should possess at least 10 words or 5 phrases per week. Those who already have one or more quarters of Modern Greek might challenge themselves by compiling a combination of words/phrases list, to be shared and discussed on Fridays.

Journal (20 x 2 = 40 points)

This is more or less a kind of personal account. Every time after class you should write down at least one substantial paragraph with your impressions from that day. You may choose to write things that you learned in this class and you judge important, the way your experiences in relation to the “world” change, other thoughts and ideas related always to this class, even the ways you are thinking of using the knowledge earned here. On the assigned date you are asked to have completed all the pages since the first day of classes. You may provide pieces of your journal throughout the class period especially if you want to make sure that you are on the right track. Feel free to narrate your weekend experiences as well.

Ethnographic description of a performance (20 points)

For this assignment you will need to attend a performance (for example, a wedding/feast) and write a 3-5 pages paper with its ethnographic description and analysis. The professor is arranging at least one opportunity of that sort. More options will be available as well.

Be as detailed in your descriptions as you can. Try to observe as if you are seeing these things for the first time. You may need to take a small notebook with you and record your observations during the event or immediately afterwards. Give specific and detailed examples to support your descriptions. Not all of the questions will be relevant to each event, but function as guidelines:

Overall setting: Where is this performance, time of day, what is the layout of the area?

Participants: Think of participants as both the people performing and the audience.

Framework/structure: How is the event organized?

Preparation: What was necessary to happen before this event could take place?

Interaction: Among the performers and audience? Among the audience?

Cuing: How do performers communicate with each other?

Function: What function(s) does the event fulfill?

Genre: Type of performance?

Synthesis: What is the relationship between all the above?

Personal Reaction: What impact did this event have on you?

I have only provided one or two questions per area, but there are dozens of possibilities.

Final Project: Class presentation (20 points)

Instead of a final exam each student will have to read, present, and be able to discuss a magazine or newspaper article related, somehow, to this course. The professor will need to know your selected article at least three days before the actual presentation so as to make sure it matches well with the scope of this project. You will have approximately 10 minutes to “make your point” and answer questions. Your presentation should a) briefly summarize the article’s main points, b) describe the cultural feature(s) in the article, and c) show it represents something important you learned throughout this class about Greece.

Grading scale: A+ (98-100), A (94-97), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (84-86), B- (80-83), C+ (77-79), C (74-76)... See the “Code of Student Ethics” for university policies on plagiarism, and so on.

Deadlines: To avoid surprises and allow for coherent planning, I have listed deadlines on this syllabus. Please, turn in written assignments on time. Late assignments and papers may be lowered for each day late.

Do not hesitate to discuss your concerns and expectations related to the course with the Professor. Looking forward to working with you. Creativity much welcomed. Have a great stay in… paradise!

COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK 1: July 9-13

Readings Insight Guide: 18-49; 106-117

Class 1 Introduction

Class 2 Fieldtrip 1

Class 3 Cretan Culture & Folklore: Ancient History (Minoan)

Class 4 Fieldtrip 2

Class 5 Movie A/Language #1

WEEK 2: July 16-20

Readings Insight Guide: 55-63

Hnaraki: 39-55

Class 6 Between East & West: Modern History; People & Landscape

Class 7 Fieldtrip 3

Class 8 Cretan Myths & Legends

Class 9 Fieldtrip 4

Class 10 Movie B/Language #2

WEEK 3: July 23-27

Readings Insight Guide: 65-69; 71-75

Hnaraki: 58-75; 78-113; 116-131

Class 1 1 Religion, Dialect & Literature

Class 12 Fieldtrip 5

Class 13 Rituals, Beliefs; Folk Poetry & Cretan Music

Class 14 Fieldtrip 6

Class 15 Movie C/Language #3

WEEK 4: July 30-August 3

Readings Insight Guide: 77-79; 83-87; 172-3; 222-3

Hnaraki: 134-155

Projects Journal, Ethnographic Paper, Final Project

Class 16 Material Culture; Fauna-Flora; The Cretan Diet

Class 17 Fieldtrip 7

Class 18 Movie D/Language #4

Class 19 Fieldtrip 8

Class 20 Journal, Ethnographic Paper, Final Project

ITINERARIES

July 10

Trip #1 (10am-5pm):

Knossos (1 hour), Archaeological Museum (1 hour), St. Minas,-St. Catherine (30 minutes), St. Titos, Historical Museum (1 hour), Lions Square, Market, Valide Tzami, Kazantzakis tomb (2 hours)

July 12

Trip #2 (10am-5pm):

10 Saints (30 minutes), Gortyna (30 minutes), Voroi (1 hour), Festos (30 minutes), Matala (1 hour), Zaros (1 hour)

July 17

Trip #3 (10am-5pm):

Lassithi (30 minutes), Dikteon Cave (1 hour), Lato (30 minutes), Elouda (1 hour), St. Nicolas (1 hour)

July 19

Trip #4 (10am-3pm):

Farmer’s market (1 hour), Anoya (1 hour), Psiloritis-Mitato (1 hour), Arolithos (1 hour)

July 24

Trip #5 (9am-5pm):

Fodele (30 minutes), Arkadi (30 minutes), Rethymno (1 hour), Spili (30 minutes), Preveli (2 hours), Agia Galini (1 hour)

July 26

Trip # 6 (9am-5pm):

Kournas (30 minutes), Vrises (30 minutes), Falasarna (1 hour), Chania (2 hours); KAM, Venizelos tombs (30 minutes)

July 31

Trip #7 (9am-5pm):

Selinari (15 minutes), Ierapetra (1 hour), Toplou (30 minutes), Vai (1.30 hour)

August 2

Trip #8 (9am-5pm):

Thrapsano (1 hour), Houdetsi (1 hour), Arhanes (1 hour), Kazantzakis (1 hour), Boutaris (1 hour)

Itineraries & times subject to change pending road construction and other “local” conditions!