Comparative Approaches Flashcards
What is the aim of the comparative approach in history?
identify underlying mechanisms of causation for specific phenomena
What do academics do in order to avoid problems with generalisations?
group cases together based on shared characteristics meaning their contexts are comparable
In what way is the concept of hegemonic masculinity an historical phenomenon?
it has the potential to change and reformulate in different contexts over time
What adds complications to the basic hierarchy of masculinities? (3)
local, regional, and global arenas of masculinity;
tensions within a form of masc;
overall gender dynamics involving women/diverse ethnic groups/diff social classes
How should bodies be understood in the formulation of heg masc?
manifestations of ideals but also agents in the formulation of masc
What are the basic ideas within the concept of hegemonic masc?
plurality of masculinities arranged in a hierarchy with a hegemonic form, rep by a minority of men, with men who do not embody this masc but benefit from it being subordinate
In terms of dealing with material that spans across Greek and Roman contexts, what should be avoided? How should one approach differing contexts?
Building a simplified master historical narrative.
Treat different contexts as distinct with comparisons and contrasts across the chronology and cultures
When understanding the relationship between material evidence and social norms, what are two crucial factors in how normal people interacted with the materials we now have?
Where they were displayed and who was engaging with them
In what ways were depictions of nudity in antiquity greatly varied?
Meaning & interpretation
Context (e.g. public or private) and Audience (e.g. male, female etc.)
Expense
Subject
In both Greece and Rome, what is an indicator of sexual threat?
unintentional nudity, often half undressed
often shown for women, especially with their breasts uncovered
Why was the contextual Aphrodite nude accepted in Greece when depictions of women were expected to be clothed?
her RELIGIOUS role in sex and desire
it wasn’t a sexual gaze necessarily but rather one of religious veneration
How does Bonfante argue nudity is costume in classical G?
it conveys charcteritsics about a subject like their social class, age, ethnicity, gender,
What do the Greek sources say on the Greekness of nude depictions?
it is a respectable tradition that distinguishes Gs from barbarians
In Homeric era, what meaning did nudity carry?
an indication of weakness, shame, and vulnerability
How was pre-historic nudity often depicted?
not fully, usually with the subject wearing a loin cloth
