School: Social Sciences
Academic Unit: Social Anthropology and History
Level of studies: Postgraduate
Course code: SHA-1 Semester: 1st
Course Title: Social and Political History of the Ancient World. Politics and Society: Cohesion and Conflict in the Polis-State
Independent teaching activities Weekly teaching hours Credits
3 10
Course type: General Background
Prerequisite courses: None
Language of instruction and examinations: Greek (and english)
Is the course offered to erasmus students: Yes
Course website (Url): https://en.sah.aegean.gr/graduate-programs/ma-in-social-and-historical-anthropology/courses-offered/kia-1/

    (2) LEARNING OUTCOMES

    Learning outcomes: Students gain knowledge of a series of theories, often contradicting one another, concerning the phenomenon of the polis-state as a congregation of peer citizens. At the same time, students have the opportunity to comprehend the particularities of the polis-state as a political institution, and thus to practice their analytical skills applying comparative methods in a historical perspective.

    General Competences: 
    The ancient Greek city-state has been represented by many scholars as an exquisite example of social and political cohesion. Yet, many others point to ancient Greek sources proving that the city-state has harbored every kind of factionalism and conflict. In the course of this seminar all centripetal and centrifugal social tendencies in the polis-state are discussed, along with the philosophers’ attitudes, the problem of economic and social inequality, and the threat of violence. Religion, social mentality, and the idiosyncratic moral system of competitive values and of individualism consist some of the major axes of discussion.

    (3) SYLLABUS

    (4) TEACHING and LEARNING METHODS – EVALUATION

    Delivery: Face-to face
    Use of information and communications technology : Powerpoint presentations, use of electronic platform (eclass).
    Teaching methods:  Activity Semester workload
    Lectures 39
    Study and Analysis of Bibliography 131
    Essay writing 80
    Course total: 250
    Student performance evaluation: Final essay writing in Greek

    (5) ATTACHED BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Suggested bibliography: