GK4117 Lies, History and Ideology

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available to General Degree students with the permission of the Honours Adviser

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof A G Long

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr A Long

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

We shall examine stories about the Athenian past, particularly the myth of 'autochthony', according to which the Athenians' native land gave birth to their ancestors. We shall consider the role played by these stories in shaping Athenian civic identity; our focus will be on the sophisticated exploration of and response to these stories in Athenian literature, rhetoric and philosophy. An important theme discussed by these texts is the political expediency of telling falsehoods about the past. The set texts will be Euripides' Ion, selected parts of Isocrates' political writing, Plato's Menexenus and selected parts of Plato's Republic.

Assessment pattern

2-hour Written Examination = 40%, Unseen test = 15%, Coursework = 45%

Re-assessment

2-hour Written Examination = 40%, Unseen test = 15%, Coursework = 45%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

Induction in Orientation Week then 2 hours of lectures and seminars.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Recognize characteristic features of a wide range of Greek texts from different genres that engage with debates about Athenian history and ideology, the morality of lying, and the myth of autochthony
  • Describe and analyse the language, contents, narrative technique, stagecraft, philosophical arguments and style of these works
  • Analyse the interaction of these works with their social, cultural, intellectual and historical context
  • Demonstrate expertise and advanced skills in translating these and related texts, seen and unseen, into good English
  • Analyse, critically evaluate and discuss select pieces of published research
  • Devise sophisticated and wide-ranging, coherent arguments on important research questions related to the prescribed texts on the basis of a thorough analysis of the primary text and the critical analysis of published scholarship