constantinakatsari | Love of History

Academic Pensions

constantinakatsari July 9, 2010

Why do you work (or you want to work) in the Academia? Is it the long hours (around 60 per week)? Is it the lack of holidays (Probably less than a week per year)? Is it the busy weekends (doing research or going to conferences)? Is it the low pay (with our qualifications we could earn double our current salary outside the Ivory Tower)? Is it the pension scheme?…. Well, the pension scheme was probably the one benefit we could get out of being academics. And I say WAS because everything is a... »

The moral right to distribute your own publications online

constantinakatsari July 7, 2010

A few days ago several academics commented (on facebook) on the state of our publication rights. It seems that the author comes up with an innovative idea for an article or a book, puts together a number of applications for funding or funds his/her own research, s/he struggles to find the evidence usually in distant countries, catalogues the available material, writes several drafts of the article, presents several papers in conferences. All in the space of five to ten years. Eventually, a publi... »

Quotation of the Week 23

constantinakatsari July 6, 2010

I was not unpopular (at school)…It is Oxford that has made me insufferable. (Max Beerbohm, More, 1899. ‘Going back to School’) »

Ancient History Competition 29

constantinakatsari July 5, 2010

In one of Eurpides’ tragedies, Agamemnon says: “We are the slaves of the masses” Which 5th-century Athenian politician is reported to have used this line when he talked about himself? »

Academia.edu : Another Review

constantinakatsari July 3, 2010

When I am wrong, I do not hesitate to admit it. And this is the case with my views on the excellent site of Academia.edu . A few months ago I wrote a not so positive article on its operation. I was in Greece back then and the speed of the connection with the site was so low that I have not even managed to inspect its innermost pages. When I complained about it, some researchers answered that they never used it anyway and that they only checked out PHD Comics. At about the same time, the Academia... »

Radiotaxi for Ancient Historians, Archaeologists and Anthropologists

constantinakatsari June 30, 2010

Due to the current economic crisis, some Greeks decided to promote a new Radio taxi service in Athens. It is cheap, ethical and environmental friendly. When you visit the city, do not hesitate to take a ride! Citation: Enet (eleutherotypia), Maria Mystakidou, ‘De tha pethanoume pote… Koufala DNT’ http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.ellada&id=178311 »

Ancient History Competition 28

constantinakatsari June 29, 2010

Which Roman author describes in detail the sexual encounter of Aphrodite’s statue with a homosexual man? »

Quotation of the Week 22

constantinakatsari June 27, 2010

MRS CHEVELEY: The higher education of men is what I should like to see. Men need it so sadly. LADY MARKBY: They do, dear. But I am afraid such a scheme would be quite unpractical. I don’t think man has much capacity for development. He has got as far as he can, and that is not far, is it? (Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband, 1895) »

Teaching Ancient Coins: A Ray of Hope

constantinakatsari June 25, 2010

Following my latest post on the problems of teaching numismatics, I thought I should offer also some hope. The first solution that springs to mind is to “Teach the Teachers”. Most ancient Historians and Classicists refrain from using coins in the classroom for paedagogical purposes. There are several reasons for this: 1) They have never been formally taught numismatists; therefore they do not know the potential of such a study, 2) They do not understand the theory of monetary economics, 3) They ... »

Teaching Ancient Coins: Identifying the Problems

constantinakatsari June 23, 2010

Back in the old days, in order to master the discipline, the students had to have a strong background in a) Classical Archaeology, specifically Greco-roman sculpture and architecture, b) Basic knowledge of statistical analysis, c) Theory of Economic History and d) Political Theory. As far as I know, none of our British students have such a background. This is not a typically British characteristic. In fact, our colleagues in Frankfurt, where the subject is taught regularly, informed me that thes... »

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