Meet IDS Faculty
Image: IDS Faculty – Dr. Jessica Magnani
“Interdisciplinary studies are a holistic approach […]
The Roots of Interdisciplinary Education
By Erik Durneika
I believe that the roots of interdisciplinary studies go back to the times of the Ancient Greeks. Throughout the ages, the Greek people, within various city-states, have sought to form the perfect “Greek individual” – a person who showcases talents in many aspects (e.g. […]
The Origins of Virgil’s Aeneid
by Margot Palmer
The Aeneid brings together myths and theology from ancient cultures to which Virgil had access, notably the Greek culture and perhaps the more Eastern cultures. The main story of the Aeneid borrows heavily from the Homeric epics the Iliad and Odyssey. In Book Six of the Aeneid, The Kingdom of the Dead, […]
From Sjaelland to Saxon Britain: The Origins of Beowulf
By Candice Kettell
There are many myths and stories surrounding the epic poem, Beowulf, but what is really known about its origins? Beowulf is, without a doubt, one of the most important works of English literature. Written sometime between 700 and 1000 AD by an unknown poet, it is an epic heroic story and the […]
Xenia: The Origins and Challenges of Greek Hospitality in the Odyssey
By Paul Hope
In my younger years, I found it difficult to make my landlords happy. So, in an effort to appease them, I regularly found myself seeking the assistance of a fellow renter. The ideal roommate would be someone looking for a place to call home. […]
The Origins of Change: The Age of Enlightenment
By Justine Murray
The Age of Reason was a period in history that affected the world. During the Eighteenth Century, established ways of thinking were changing for everyone. People were converting to a more reasoned rather than traditional way […]
A Common Thread: Chivalry in Medieval English Culture and Literature
By Michael Garrett
The long idealized interpretations of medieval chivalry in England originated with the Norman invasion and conquest of Britain in 1066 A.D. The invaders’ social ways and customs permeated the whole of English culture, reaching a crescendo […]
On Origins: Cosmology in Ovid’s Metamorphoses
By J. Malachi Corrao
We are creatures driven by self- awareness. Therefore, it is difficult for us not to imagine the origins of the world into which we were born. Coaxed by the silent days of infancy, do we not, as toddlers, conjure up theories that […]
Ars Longa, Vita Brevis: The Political Origins of Dante’s Inferno
By Tara Meyer
Dante’s Inferno reveals his distaste for the political state of Italy in the 14th Century. The dark wood where his pilgrim’s journey begins is a metaphor for the political turmoil (and “worldly life of sin”) in Italy during the High Renaissance. Dante believes in […]
The Origins of American Literature: Early Colonialism
By Erik Durneika
Contrary to the fact that there were multiple, previous attempts of colonization in Greenland by the Norse Vikings, it can be arguably stated that Christopher Columbus, an “Italian-born” sailor for Castilian Spain, was the pioneer of […]