Who am I? This is one of the most essential questions that we ask about ourselves. What is identity and the self? Where does my identity come from and how is it formed? To what extent is it innate and to what extent is it shaped by my environment, my experiences, and my interactions with others? How does my identity change and what does it mean to live authentically? In this multidisciplinary and discussion-based course, we will explore these perennial questions by tracing the development of ideas about the self and identity in the western intellectual tradition. We will approach these questions with insights and methods drawn from multiple disciplines, including art history, history, literary studies, philosophy, and religious studies. Covering the long period from antiquity to the dawn of modernity, we will engage with multiple perspectives on these questions by analyzing philosophical works; Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religious texts; literary sources like poems, plays, and novels; historical documents like essays, autobiographies, etiquette manuals, and journals; and works of visual art.
