"My research rests at the intersection of ancient literature and political theory. To define my work in the narrowest sense, I try to sort out how Athenian authors of the fourth century BCE were influenced by trends in Athenian government and vice versa. But in a broader sense, I am interested in how literary works reflect and attempt to overcome the tensions that inevitably arise when humans get together in large groups.
"That means that, in my courses, you are likely to find yourself pondering ethical questions that pertain just as much to the modern world as to the ancient. To give a few examples: How can we reconcile the democratic ideals of ancient Athens with the fact that their democracy was predicated on the exclusivity of citizen rights, i.e., on extreme misogyny, nationalism, and slave-owning? How can we enjoy ancient myths and historical narratives while recognizing the ways they have been manipulated and abused in support of oppressive ideologies from antiquity to today? And how have works such as the Harry Potter series displaced the likes of the Oresteia and Aeneid as guides for moral and civic education, and is that a good thing?"
Education
Ph.D., Classics, 2014, Brown University
B.A., Classics, 2008, Grinnell College
Teaching Interests
Citizenship, law, and civic values in the ancient world; ancient democracy; epic poetry; historical linguistics; Greek and Roman myth and its reception in modern literature.