Summer Session II Wrap-Up!

MS325 The Anthropology of Food in Greece: the Mediterranean Diet and More (Athens, Koroni)

Exploring the Mediterranean diet doesn't get any better than this. This immersive 4-week course, taught by Prof. Aimee Placas, saw students venture beyond the classroom to farms, vineyards, groves, restaurants, markets, museums, kitchens, sweet shops, cooperatives, NGOs, and festivals on a quest to experientially study food in Greece on all levels. Students had the opportunity to learn directly from the source, meeting with farmers, merchants, food scientists, nutritionists, chefs, winemakers, politicians, cheese makers, nuns, and everyday people who cook and eat. Along the way, students were able to understand the history and social context in which the Mediterranean diet developed in Greece and the many different meanings that the production, preparation, consumption, and contemplation of food has in contemporary Greek society.

Read more about their food adventures on our blog!

MS347 When Egypt meets the Aegean: Interconnections in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean (Thera [Santorini], Crete, Athens)

Prof. Angelos Papadopoulos took his students on an in-depth exploration of the wonders of ancient Egyptian civilization and its interaction with the cultures of Greece during the Bronze Age. The course’s emphasis on hands-on, on-site learning experiences involved travel to numerous museums and sites in Athens, mainland Greece and the Islands of Santorini and Crete. Students were able to go behind the scenes and better comprehend the material culture through actual contact with prehistoric artefacts. Site visits included the Akrotiri, on the magnificent island of Thera (Santorini), the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the majestic sites of Knossos and Phaistos (Crete), the citadel of Mycenae and Tiryns, and the modern city of Thebes (under which a major Late Bronze Age town thrived). The class also had the extremely rare opportunity to be involved in hands-on metal and fresco workshops here at CYA, led by experts in the field.

See students in action in the metals and fresco workshops!

MS385 Europe’s Multi-Dimensional Crisis: Migration, Economy and Security

CYA takes students on a complex, multi-layered exploration of the issues that impact the fabric and the very future of Europe. This summer session II course saw professors Ritsa Panagiotou, Angeliki Dimitriadi and Thanos Dokos introduce students to the challenge of irregular migration and recent refugee crisis, the ongoing financial/ economic crises in Greece and Europe, and the multiple security challenges both inside Europe and within its Eastern and Southern neighborhoods. The class journeyed to Brussels – the heart of European politics – in order to get an insider’s look at various EU institutions and engage in discussion with high-ranking officials.

See more about their journey on our blog!