Athens, Greece
June 28 - August 9, 2008
Why NYU in Athens? | Facilities | Housing | Faculty | Links
Director of the Program: Liana Theodoratou, Clinical Associate Professor and Director, Language and Culture Programs, Alexander S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies
Why NYU in Athens?
NYU IN ATHENS combines classroom study of the language, history, literature, politics, art, and culture of Greece with cultural activities and field trips to introduce students to all aspects of Greek life. Approaching modern Hellenic society and culture from an interdisciplinary perspective, the program provides students with an appreciation of the history of modern Greek language and literature and an understanding of how the Greeks have borne their classical, Byzantine, and Ottoman historical and political experiences, even as they translate them into the modern era. Since one of the most important aims of NYU in Athens is to provide its students with a means of understanding Greek culture within the context of lived experience, special emphasis is placed on visiting and exploring significant cultural and historical sites, not only in Athens but also in other parts of Greece.
Activities include walking tours of Athens, visits to monuments and museums, evening outings to dramatic and musical performances, and a half-day trip to Attica's beautiful coastline and Poseidon's temple at Cape Sounion. Weekend trips include the royal tombs of Mycenae, the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, the Roman ruins at Acrocorinth, the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, and Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. There is a visit to the volcanic Cycladic island of Santorini, known not only for its historical and archaeological importance but also for its geophysical uniqueness and breathtaking beauty. Other trips include the impressive medieval settlement of Mystras, the capital of Byzantine Greece, and the imposing Byzantine-Venetian fortified towns in mountainous Arcadia in the Peloponnese. There are also visits to significant sites of modern Greek history, including Nafplio, the capital of the Greek state after the 1821 War of Independence and a city known for its beautiful examples of 19th-century neoclassical architecture, as well as the Polytechnic School of Athens, site of the 1973 student uprising against the dictatorship. All these sites offer the unique opportunity for long walks, hiking, and exploration. The program's trips and excursions are under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture and are meant to encourage students to discover and experience modern Greece through the various lenses of its rich history.
In order to facilitate further the students' relationship with the host country, classes are supplemented by presentations and lectures by Greek intellectuals, writers, artists, scholars, politicians, and representatives of the Greek sections of international organizations. Students have the opportunity to meet and to converse with these visitors informally either within the context of a specific class or within the context of events organized for the entire student body. Field trips, cultural activities, and guest lectures constitute an integral component of the program; students are expected to attend and actively participate in all of them.
Facilities
Classes are held at the Al Andar Center, a three-story neoclassical building conveniently located in the historical center of Athens. The center has several classrooms, study areas, a library, gallery space, screening rooms, patio, and recreation areas. The surrounding neighborhood is active, with many cafes, restaurants, cinemas, stores, and opportunities to enjoy one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Visit http://www.alandar.gr/ for more details.
Housing
Students stay in double rooms at the five-star Park Hotel, a modern, air-conditioned hotel situated a short distance from the Al Andar Center. The hotel's location, in a lively section of Athens, offers students the opportunity to enjoy a neighborhood rich in cultural diversions and leisure activities. Breakfast, linens, and a daily room cleaning service are provided. Hotel amenities include a roof garden with pool. Visit the hotel's website at http://www.park-hotel.gr for more details.
Faculty
Dimitris Kargiotis |
| Olga Taxidou Ph.D., Edinburgh. Professor of drama; Department of English Literature, University of Edinburgh; associate dean, Scottish Universities International Summer School. |
| Liana Theodoratou Ph.D., Pittsburgh. Clinical Associate Professor and Director, Language and Culture Programs, Alexander S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies; Director, NYU in Athens. |
| Iakovos Vasiliou Ph.D., Pittsburgh. Associate Professor; Department of Phlosophy, The Graduate Center/Brooklyn College, City University of New York. |
| Nancy Worman Ph.D., Princeton. Associate Professor; Departments of Classics, Barnard College, Columbia University. |
Links
Greek Embassy in Washington D.C.
Greek Internet Yellow Pages for business information in Greece
The Alexander S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies at NYU
U.S. Department of State, October 1999 Bureau of European Affairs Background Notes, Greece