Join us for an immersive four-day teacher professional development seminar, Republic to Ruin: Shakespeare, and Rome, held Friday through Monday, that deepen educators’ understanding of the Roman Republic’s rise, transformation into an empire, and its enduring influence on the American Founding Fathers. This engaging program explores these themes through the lens of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and Julius Caesar, alongside Plutarch’s Lives and the writings of Cicero, creating an interdisciplinary approach to history, literature, and political philosophy.
Participants will attend engaging lectures with leading scholars on Roman politics, philosophy, and Shakespeare’s portrayals of republican ideals. Together we will analyze Coriolanus and Julius Caesar to uncover Shakespeare’s portrayal of civic duty, leadership, and societal tensions. Plutarch’s Lives will provide historical context, illuminating the lives of key figures like Caesar and Coriolanus, while Cicero’s works will highlight republican virtues and their relevance to modern governance. The program traces the Roman Republic’s evolution, its shift to imperial rule, and how its principles shaped the American founders’ vision of liberty, governance, and civic duty.
Designed for educators, this program includes workshops on integrating these texts into curricula, fostering critical thinking and civic engagement in students. Attendees will receive resources, including lesson plans and primary source excerpts. Held in a collegial setting, the program encourages discussion and collaboration. Join us to as we explore Rome’s legacy and its impact on Western political thought.
Please note: For the field study day, participants should be prepared to walk significant distances, including up to one mile at a time, as part of the program. Some historic sites and other locations included in the itinerary may not be fully ADA compliant due to the age of the buildings and may lack elevators or other accessibility features.
Speaker:
Dr. Joseph Fornieri
Dr. Joseph R. Fornieri is Professor of Political Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Director of the Center for Statecraft, Law, and Liberty, a non-partisan organization that seeks to enhance the study of political greatness and responsible citizenship at the secondary and college levels. An award-winning instructor, Fornieri teaches classes in American political thought and leadership, rhetoric, political philosophy, and the First Amendment. He was a member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, 1809-2009. The same year he was awarded a Fulbright as a Lecturer at Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic. He is an expert on the political thought and statesmanship of Abraham Lincoln and the author-editor of nine books, including: Abraham Lincoln’s Political Faith and Abraham Lincoln, Philosopher Statesman. His most recent books include Free Speech: Core Court Cases; Abraham Lincoln: Core Documents and American Statesmanship, Principles and Practices of Leadership from Notre Dame University Press. A former High School teacher, Fornieri’s mission includes outreach to secondary teachers and students throughout the country. He is on the board and collaborates with several High School teaching organizations such as TAH (Teaching American History) and is a regular contributor/consultant to Prager University. His videos are used for curricula in select school districts throughout the country, receiving as many as a million views each. He is now working on a book comparing the political thought and leadership of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. On the side, he enjoys cigars and plays in a blues band with his brother Peter and his nephew Joseph.
This four-day seminar includes historic interpreters, a content-lecture from a scholarly expert, a faculty-led discussion of relevant primary sources, and an appropriate field study of historic sites, archives, and museums.
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