Selina Stewart, PhD (Cornell University), BA Hons (Concordia University, Montreal)
Contact
Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts - History, Classics, & Religion Dept
- selinas@ualberta.ca
- Phone
- (780) 492-0857
- Address
-
2-80 Tory (H.M.) Building
11211 Saskatchewan Drive NWEdmonton ABT6G 2H4
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Greek Poetry Hellenistic Poetry History of Science Homer Aratus Argonautica
About
I work primarily on Ancient Greek poetic and scientific texts and teach all levels of Greek and Latin language and literature. I have published articles on ancient epic, lyric and Hellenistic poetry, ancient astronomy, astrology and divination and have a book manuscript in preparation. I am past member of the board for the Classical Association of Canada and the journal Phoenix; received the "Cécile E. Mactaggart Travel Award for Narrative Writing" in 2014, and the Faculty of Arts "Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentorship and Teaching" in 2020.
My work as a translator has included the translation of Nicole Loraux's Né de la terre: Mythe et politique à Athènes published by Cornell University Press as Born of the Earth in 2000, translation for past members of the CNRS (Centre de recherche nationale) and the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris and the Centre de recherche philologique, Université de Lille III. Other translations appear in Brunschwig and Lloyd's Greek Thought ("Physics" and "Technology"), published in 2000. I also taught a course in the history of translation for many years in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Alberta, and began my working life as a computer clerk at McGill in the late 1970s.
Research
My research is primarily focused on various intersections of poetry and science in the ancient world. Current projects include a book in preparation on Ancient Greek colour terms and chapter contributions and articles on Hellenistic poetics, ancient astronomy, decipherment and ancient optics and theories of visual perception. I have published articles on ancient and Hellenistic epic, lyric, epigram and elegiac poetry, the poetics of colour terminology, acrostics, divination and astrology in Rome, and poetry and astronomy. Beyond specialization in Greek and Latin I have a background in Indo-European Historical Linguistics (Hittite, Vedic and Classical Sanskrit, early Germanic, Celtic and Slavic languages, historical phonology) and have researched and taught in Linguistics as well as Classics departments in Canada and the U.S.
Teaching
I teach Greek and Latin language and literature courses at all levels (especially GREEK 201, 481, 482 and 505, LATIN 102, 406, 475 and 506) as well CLASS 303: "Greco-Roman Religion" at the 3rd year level, Greek and Roman literature in translation (CLASS 221, 321 and 322), CLASS 103: "Introduction to Ancient Greece" and CLASS 400 and 500 ("Topics in the Culture and Society of Greco-Roman Antiquity"). In 2014 I developed and taught a 4th year seminar entitled Sappho to Wilde on homosexuality in Greco-Roman texts and its reception in Western literature, based on Greek and Roman poetic texts and their reception in poetry and art from the Renaissance through Victorian England and the early 20th C.; the course is taught largely from a literary perspective.
Courses
CLASS 303 - Religion in Greco-Roman Antiquity
Examination of the nature of pre-Christian religious practices in antiquity.
GREEK 482 - Topics in Greek Poetry
GREEK 505 - Topics in Greek Poetry
LATIN 102 - Beginners' Latin II
A continuation of LATIN 101. Prerequisite: LATIN 101 or consent of Department. Not open to students with credit in LATIN 103.
Scholarly Activities
Other - Cécile E. Mactaggart Travel Award for Narrative Writing (“A Hallowe’en Meditation”), 2014
Winning essay for the Cécile E. Mactaggart Travel Award for Narrative Writing (“A Hallowe’en Meditation”), 2014. A Halloween Meditation: Gay family life in Canada in the early and mid-20th C. Personal memoir.
A Halloween Meditation