“At Gettysburg College, our perspective on diversity and inclusion is grounded in our core values. We believe in the worth and dignity of all people and the limitless value of their intellectual potential” (College Diversity Statement). The Classics Department warmly welcomes all students and conscientiously seeks to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all. We deplore all violence, harassment, and inequities suffered historically and now, arising from the range of racial, cultural, and other prejudices manifest in our society and our institutions.
The Classics Department recognizes and deplores the exclusionary history of the discipline of Classics and the destructive role that the field of Classics—and specifically the adulation of ancient Greco-Roman culture—has often played in colonialism, racism, white supremacy, elitism, and class exploitation. We in the department believe that the study of Classics is enriched by the perspectives and knowledge brought by people of different identities and experiences; we affirm the value of all cultures and identities across space and time; and we eschew any attempt to portray the Greeks or Romans as superior among the diverse array of cultures and peoples who inhabited the ancient Mediterranean world. Furthermore, we strongly endorse the relevant statements of our professional organization, the Society for Classical Studies (SCS) and other affiliated organizations (see references below).
The Classics Department encourages students and colleagues to participate in current conversations and scholarship within and outside the field of Classics that are approaching with critical perspectives the ancient Mediterranean world as well as the history of our discipline, and that are supporting the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups in the study of Classics. In addition to the longer listing of affiliated groups on the SCS webpage, see the community page curated by Lambda Classical Caucus: A Coalition of Queer Classicists and Allies.
Professional Organization Statements:
- Statement on condemning the use of the texts, ideals, and images of the Greek and Roman world to promote hateful ideology. (SCS, 11/28/16)
- Statement on Police Brutality, Systemic Racism, and the Death of George Floyd (SCS, 6/3/20)
- Letter of Support and Solidarity for Black Classicists (Cosigned by Classics and Social Justice and the Women’s Classical Caucus, 6/4/20)
- Statement in support of transgender rights (SCS, 4/30/21)