Foremothers: Bringing it All Back Home

This week, I shall be working on my talk for the annual meeting of the Women’s Classical Committee – UK. I’m delivering the public lecture at the end, which will conclude what’s been discussed during the day, while also being geared to people who have come just for my talk. So: I shall be rounding off the AGM’s topic, and also saying something stand-alone. The topic is ‘foremothers,’ and I’ll discuss various kinds of academic ‘mothers’ who have shaped me. The abstract is here.

Here’s why I am mentioning this on the blog - it’s because I’m planning, briefly at least, to mention my work on autism and classical myth, and how this has grown out of my experiences engaging with foremothers. This will include women I have personally known, but more key I expect to be those academic mothers who have reached me through their writing.

I've said previously that all paths lead to Athena. The talk takes place in my hometown, and this hometown is one of many cities whose public art includes the goddess. The photo that heads the current posting shows this Athena. I shall be going on an academic pilgrimage to this Athena before the AGM. Also, I plan to use this Athena to frame my discussion of going home and being mothered.

More to follow…

Hercules, autism and classical myth: a meeting over time

Prof Katarzyna Marciniak has a new book out on ancient Greek and Roman myth - and it includes a section that mentions my autism and myth resources.  I'm including the text here - it's in Polish, and I think that the title might be translated as Greek and Roman Mythology: Meetings over Time.

It comes with a photo that captured a key moment in the development of my project - and a meeting at an apt time (apologies for the pun...).

This was in May 2017. The picture shows me engaged in enthusiastic conversation in with Dr Edoardo Pecchini over our shared interest in Hercules and autism. We had earlier that day both presented papers on Hercules and autism at the conference Our Mythical Hope: Edoardo as a psychiatrist who uses classical myth with his patients to promote their mental health, and myself as a classicist aiming to work with practitioners.

Our papers were given in the Ballroom of the Tyszkiewicz-Potocki Palace at the University of Warsaw. The conversation that got snapped here was on the staircase of the Palace, beneath 'Hercules.'

I look forward to seeing Edoardo again next month, in May 2019, to discuss our ongoing projects and the potential for collaboration.


  

 

Looking back on what Hercules did in Nebraska - including multi-sensory possibilities

Although I wasn't able to get to Nebraska in person for CAMWS last week, thanks to Shannon DuBois, I was able to follow live-tweeting. The thread is below. I hope I've caught everything. I understand that quite a bit of colouring-in went on! If anyone present who reads this would like to send me (s.deacy@roehampton.ac.uk) a photo of their work, I'd love to see it. I've included a live-tweet about my fellow panellist Krishni's reference, in her paper, to the multi-sensory potential of my research. Since the conference, I've had a fruitful initial discussion about multi-sensory studies and autism with another panellist, John Coetzee from Stanford Medical School who spoke on 'putting dyslexia into context'. While I was at a conference in London - in person this time... - on Tuesday, I also briefly sounded out members of the Sensory Studies in Antiquity Network. So one outcome of the panel, an unexpected one, is the possibility of research into sensory aspects pertinent to my autism and myth project.



I'm sorry that the formatting isn't perfect - this is the best I've able to manage...

 

 

 You Retweeted

Amy Pistone‏ @apistone Apr 6

Amy Pistone Retweeted Roehampton Classics

Come to this #CAMWS2019 paper and panel!! I'm reading Susan's paper in her absence and I can assure y'all it is as great as it sounds -- "What Would Hercules Do? Turning Classical Myth into a Learning Opportunity for Autistic Children"

Amy Pistone added,

Roehampton Classics @UoRClassics

What would Hercules do? Susan's paper for different learners panel up later today at #CAMWS2019, Lincoln, Nebraska @thaumatic @OMChildhood - also blog post here for World #Autism Awareness Week Day 6: …

2 replies5 retweets14 likes

 

  

shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ 

@ala_Camillae

@apistone will read the next paper, written by Susan Deacy (who couldn't be here today), called "What Would Hercules Do? Turning Classical Myth into a Learning Opportunity for Autistic Children." Susan Deacy provided multi-sensory aids (coloring sheets + colored pencils!!!!)

11:47 AM - 6 Apr 2019

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1. New conversation
   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   The handout is front and back, which audience is encouraged to fill in while listening to the talk. (@i_nurmi is very excited, and I am sad that I can't join in.) Editorial aside by @apistone: Check out Susan's blog! SD: Where Classical myth sits in autistic children's culture
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   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   SD: Why did Susan opt for Hercules? The potential for Hercules to speak to the difficulties autistic children face, considering the many difficult labors he has to complete. On the image SD selected: 1st side, Hercules flanked by two women, one carrying a sword while the other
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   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   sits down and looks up at him; the environment includes a rock behind Hercules, a stream, fruit, and trees. SD: The figures have genitals and breasts covered, since some autistic people may have trouble looking at pictures of nudity. The exercise is meant to help autistic
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   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   students work through potentially confusing gestures, facial expressions, interactions, etc. SD: So why Hercules? He's at home in the wild and needs to learn the rules of each new situation. In the wild he overcomes obstacles; in "civilization," something goes terribly wrong
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   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   SD recounts a story of someone who thought Hercules sounded like a person with autism. SD has tried out this activity w 7-11yos - as well as UGs, as a way to get them to think about new ways of interpreting the myth and thinking outside their own experiences.
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   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae Apr 6
   
   Audience is welcome to send pictures of the coloring sheet :) [Pic to be added later]
   
   
   shannon dubois is saying goodbye to lincoln  🌽 💔‏ @ala_Camillae
   
   exam, instructor gathered essay prompts through class discussion. Krishni follows up by pointing out Susan Deacy's excellent example of a multi-sensory activity, which helps with memory. Audience member mentions recording answers for class to put online as an add'l resource
   12:46 PM - 6 Apr 2019
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