Arma virumque cano

April 13, 2009 4:56 PM

I'm a college senior who's minoring in Classical Humanities. How can I stay up-to-date in this field after graduation?

I usually skim through Arethusa and the American Journal of Philology from time to time, reading individual articles as they pique my interest. However, I'm uncertain about my access to these after graduating, so I'm looking for other sources of classics news.

Ideally, I'd like a few well-written and informative websites about classical studies that will help me stay current. Something like ArmsControlWonk would be perfect if it was about Nero instead of nukes. Is there an OvidWonk blog somewhere out there?

posted by aheckler to grab bag (4 comments total)

Not exactly what you're looking for, but Mary Beard's A Don's Life is fun and often classical.
posted by IndigoJones at 5:25 PM on April 13

I know it sounds goofy, but maybe try putting a daily google filter for "classical humanities" and you'll be emailed a daily run down of new posts that pop on Google with your keywords. Keeps me up to date with Early British Literature.
posted by banannafish at 5:58 PM on April 13

IINAC, but...

1. a google search for "classics blog" brought up a bunch of hits.

2. This lists classics journals with a substantial online presence, at least a few of which will make at least some content available to non-subscribers.

3. Go ahead and subscribe to whichever classics journal you like best. Many academic journals have individual subscriptions at rates far lower than what they charge libraries. For example, you can get a year of the American Journal of Philology -- either electronic or print -- for $47. Pricing info here.

4. If, after graduation, you wind up in a college town, you might be able to occasionally sit in on classes/seminars. Some schools have official programs whereby community members can sit in, some don't -- in either case, though, you need to get in touch with the professor. If you make it clear that you just have an ongoing interest in the subject, won't be a pest, and aren't expecting to get any feedback on written work, almost any professor will let you sit in.
posted by kestrel251 at 6:30 PM on April 13

Subscribe to the electronic BMCR (Bryn Mawr Classical Review) list. That'll get you regular reviews of current books in Classics, which is a not-bad indication of what's going on in the field. I like to use it to find books I might be interested in reading.

Classics-L, the big email list for Classicists, can be a good place to follow the 'feel' of the field (but it can also degenerate into horrible political arguments, frequently; caveat lector!).

I like David Meadows' Rogue Classicism for a great blog aggregating news articles of interest to Classicists, conference announcements, mentions of Classics in popular culture, etc.

Conference attendance (if you're into that sort of thing) is a great way to participate occasionally, too: CAAS and CAMWS are good regional ones and a bit more fun that the APA, IMO.
posted by lysimache at 6:56 PM on April 13