Laser Swords and Sandals: Star Wars and Rome
| Date/Time: | Tuesday, 27 Mar 2012 at 6:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Location: | Sun Room, Memorial Union |
| Cost: | Free |
| Contact: | |
| Phone: | 515-294-9934 |
| Channel: | Lecture Series |
| Categories: | Lectures |
| Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
Ralph Covino will also discuss the influence of so-called sword-and-sandals films like Ben Hur and Spartacus on the series.
Ralph Covino's academic life has been bracketed by the Star Wars saga: his treat for completing his first day of pre-kindergarten was a visit to the cinema to see the original film and, similarly, his reward (to himself) for completing his PhD was seeing Revenge of the Sith on opening night (the last bits of the PhD, he notes, were rushed so as to make this happen . . . ). In the period in between, he somehow acquired expertise in the field of ancient history - and, yet, the only time he's ever been on national radio (in New Zealand of all places) was to discuss Star Wars!
At the University of Tennessee -Chattanooga, he teaches at all levels, including World Civilizations I, the University Honors course Classical and Medieval Political and Social Thought, and specialized upper-division course in Greek and Roman history. He's currently working on two book chapters based on his Star Wars and the Roman Empire course, one for a volume on disability in Science Fiction and the other for a volume on evil in American pop culture.
Ralph Covino earned his PhD in Ancient History from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and taught both there and at Queen's University of Belfast before joining the faculty at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He has won several awards, including the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Advisor Award and the Echo "Dean's List" Funniest Professor Award and the 2012 University of Tennessee National Alumni Association's Outstanding Teacher Award.