COR 357 ROME
A city of contrasts, Rome is both legend and history, past and present, real and imaginary. As the “Eternal City” where “all roads lead”, Rome also offers an excellent case study for the enduring questions that define a liberal arts education. In this course we will explore the powers, policies, peoples and practices that make up “Rome.” Rather than follow a chronological timeframe, the course will be guided by significant questions, such as: What is good government? What is evil? What is beauty? Approaches to these questions will include discussions of the city as both a physical and a political thing as well as artistic ideas of Rome with examples ranging from Renaissance frescoes to Hollywood films. Students will complete a capstone project that uses Rome as a focal point but connects to broader material relevant to each student’s course of study at Elon. Topics could include science and the Vatican, racism, and regionalism, feminism, football, or fascism. This course is writing intensive. Open to students in the third or fourth year of study. Counts toward the Italian Studies minor and the Classical Studies minor.