Cultural Politics and the Sociology of the University

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-478
Author(s):  
Sarah Winter
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Politics ◽  
The University

scholarly journals The Curse of 300? Popular Culture and Teaching the Spartans

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (33) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Stafford
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
Cultural Politics ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
Introductory Course ◽  
Culture Material ◽  
Greek History ◽  
The University ◽  
Greek World

I teach Spartan history at the University of Leeds both as part of an introductory course about the Greek World and also as part of a range of more closely-focused Special Subject modules for second and third year undergraduates, includingImage of SpartaandClassics on Screen. I use the film300, and other modern popular culture material, in different ways in each of these modules: as a subject in its own right forClassics on Screen, focusing on questions around what the material says about contemporary culture; and, inImage of Sparta, as a coda to the course's survey of ancient ‘images’, which allows for reflection back over the ancient material. Blanshard and Shahabudin suggest that cinematic output can be ‘…an important vehicle for discussing the values, history, and cultural politics of the classical past. It demands that we think about what are the key elements that make the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean so distinctive and worthy of study’ (Blanshard & Shahabudin, 2011, p. 1). While modern popular receptions of ancient Greek history are not actually on the AS or A Level specifications (perhaps they should be!), they have some potential for teaching at this level if a teacher wants their students to get to grips with the particular topic of Sparta.

scholarly journals Cultural Politics of Historically Marginalized Students in Indian Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 534-550
Author(s):  
Gaurav J. Pathania
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Politics ◽  
Student Activism ◽  
The Self ◽  
Network Society ◽  
Marginalized Students ◽  
Dominant Culture ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Gender Culture ◽  
The University

Abstract The university space, the most endangered zone in Indian democracy in the present, is witnessing the ideological churnings, contradictions, and emergent possibilities of affinity among radical voices contesting culturally hegemonic practices. Student activism in general and anti-caste activism in particular offer a complex interplay of caste, gender, culture, and politics in the university space, traditionally defined as neutral. Envisioning a democratic, socially just, and genuinely secular nation, historically marginalized students challenge and critique hegemonic narratives. This article argues that anti-caste activism on campuses invokes the democratic space of universities, where ideological meanings are constructed and deconstructed to unveil the suppression of historically marginalized voices in contemporary network society. The dominant culture and politics are actually rooted in the iron laws of ancient hierarchies intrinsically opposed to the self-historicizing and well-informed democratic aspirations of student activism.

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