Spring 2020 Seminars
Afghanistan: Legend, History, Memory
Matthew Semanoff- MWF 1:00-1:50 pm
Ancient sources document Alexander the Great's military campaigns into present-day Afghanistan in pursuit of the Great King of Persia. Here, traversing seemingly impossible mountain passes, encountering terrorism, warlords, insurgencies and developing counter-insurgency strategies, Alexander established his legend. These same ancient sources inspired military campaigns of the 19th and 20th centuries and remain a mirror to the 21st century's Operation Enduring Freedom. In this class students will use ancient sources as a foundation to the study of contemporary conflict in Afghanistan. Students will curate history and preserve the memories of recent events in this region by interviewing UM's student veterans. Combining literary studies and social science research, incorporating history, anthropology, and geography, and introducing the new and growing field of Veterans' Studies, we will engage in the process of preserving historical memories.