Freshman Seminar 36x

Money Matters
Evridiki Georganteli
Thursday, 1-3:30pm
Money matters aims to engage first-year students with the economics, politics and aesthetics of one of the most fascinating and enduring aspects in human history. The seminar is a study of money in all its manifestations from the early agrarian societies to the first financial crisis of the 21st-century global market. How have individuals and societies reacted to and used money in business, politics and religion? What are the factors that shaped the metallic content and iconography of coins from the 7th-century BC to the end of the Gold Standard in the 20th century? Why are early modern American and European banknotes so important for the study of social history? What are the links between art, literature, theatre, cinema and money? Seminars will take place at the Harvard College, the Harvard Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts and the Harvard Art Museums, introducing students to the world-class Harvard Coin Collection and offering them the opportunity to handle, research and discuss priceless artefacts. Money matters is intended for students with an interest in history, art history, archaeology, political science, economics and the study of world religions. Handling sessions, group discussions and a short essay on a choice coin from the Harvard Coin Collections will offer students a sense of immediacy and accessibility of Harvard’s splendid numismatic holdings and the opportunity to understand why money makes indeed the world go round.