Classics and the World Today 7: March 13–14, 2025
"Building as Metaphor: Constructing Understanding in the Ancient and Modern Worlds"
Prof. Bettina Reitz-Joosse (University of Groningen) and Prof. Glenn Most (Scuola Normale Superiore/The University of Chicago)
March 13, 5:15 pm, Kaneff Rotunda (Reception to follow in MN grand hall)
In today’s world, we often rely on basic architectural understanding to construct meanings, using phrases like “building blocks of life,” “relationships on a firm foundation,” and “to lay the groundwork,” to name a few. Building metaphors were also employed in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, building upon shared knowledge to create understanding. For example, some ancient thinkers conceived the origin of the world on the model of the construction of a building. Why did they do so? What other models were available to them? Many ancient authors also drew on architectural metaphors to describe their own processes of writing and composition. How does architectural metaphor relate to the practice of construction, and what can the one tell us about the other? Join us as we interrogate why and how building metaphors are used in the past and what this classical tradition means for us today.
March 14, 9 am–5 pm, CDRS
Join us on Friday, March 14th for a workshop in historical methods developed for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.
The Classics and the World Today (CaWT) Initiative was founded in order to ask to what extent discussing the world of the Ancient Greek and Roman Mediterranean can contribute to our current society. Its second aim was to foster a community of people interested in the ancient world at UTM, encouraging undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni and the broader public to engage with one another in a convivial setting.
The first events—consisting of public discussions with invited speakers and graduate workshops—were held in March 2017 when we celebrated both the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Erindale College as the predecessor of UTM, and the 50th anniversary of the teaching of Classical Civilization at UTM. Since this first event in 2017, further events have been held (see past events) discussing questions of religious violence, ancient mobility, the use and abuse of the historian Thucydides, the question of local identities, movement and global connections, civil wars and citizen strife in the ancient world, and digital tools for studying Classics. These events have drawn large numbers of visitors not only from within the university, but also from the Peel Region and the Greater Toronto Area. Please visit the ‘Past Events’ page to learn more about previous events.
Within the umbrella of CaWT, we also provide support for undergraduate students to continue studying the ancient Mediterranean beyond the classroom. Students have received bursaries to enhance their undergraduate experience by excavating in Greece, travelling to the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and visiting important museum collections in North America. Please visit this page to learn about options and past experiences.
For any questions, please contact:
Boris Chrubasik, Associate Professor
Email: boris.chrubasik@utoronto.ca
Office: MN 4264
Phone: (905) 569-4340