Curriculum Vitae
Elizabeth G. A. Fagan
egafagan@uchicago.edu
http://egafagan.com/
Education
2004-present
Ph.D. candidate, Anthropology and History Departments (joint), University of Chicago
Dissertation: Narratives in the landscape: political discourses of authority and identity in
the Armenian Highland, ca. 200 B.C.E. – 200 C.E. Ph.D. to be granted August 28, 2015.
Committee: Dr. Jonathan M. Hall (co-chair), Departments of History and Classics,
University of Chicago; Dr. Adam T. Smith (co-chair), Department of Anthropology,
Cornell University; Dr. Alain Bresson, Department of Classics, University of Chicago;
Dr. Michael Dietler, Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago.
2003
M.A., University of Chicago
M.A. thesis: Philosophic resonance: A nonHobbesian interpretation of Thucydides’ view
of human nature.
1999
B.A., St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM
Research Projects
Dissertation research on the epigraphy, coinage, and built landscapes of Armenia from ca. 200 B.C.E. –
200 C.E. as strategies of legitimation and communications of power, supported by:
2013, 2011
Overseas Dissertation Research Grant, Social Sciences Division, University of Chicago
2010
Fulbright Hays Dissertation Development Research Award
2010
Fulbright IIE Award (declined)
2010
Visiting Researcher, Institute for Archaeology and Ethnography, Yerevan, Armenia
Fellowships and Grants
2014-2015
Watkins Fellow, University of Chicago
2008
Provost’s Summer Fellowship, University of Chicago
2008, 2006
History Department Travel Grant, University of Chicago
2007
Edward L. Ryerson Fellowship in Archaeology
2007
Boyer Fellowship, for the study of monuments and inscriptions
Areas of Research Interest
History and archaeology of the ancient
Mediterranean world
Archaeology of authority
Roman Empire in the East
Epigraphy
Numismatics
Frontiers and boundaries
Landscapes and commemoration
Ancient and modern historiography
Anthropology of time
The Caucasus
Fagan CV 2
Publications
Submitted
“Coinage and authority in the Armenian Highland: the cases of Armenia and Rome,” in
Proceedings of the 12th Conference of Young Scientists, Institute of Archaeology and
Ethnography, Yerevan.
In prep
“Monumental temporalities: the case of Armenia.”
In prep
“Not quite Nero’s legion: Evidence of the I Italica in the South Caucasus.”
Employment
Spring 2013present
Teaching Consultant, Chicago Center for Teaching.
One of only 20 graduate students recruited to act as trainers and consultants in pedagogy
across disciplines. Train new graduate student instructors through in-class observation
and one-on-one consultation, and by leading pedagogical workshops.
Spring 2014,
2012
Instructor, “Power, identity, and resistance: Liberalism and violence.” University of
Chicago, Social Sciences Core course.
Led class of 16-21 students through readings on the role and place of violence in liberal
thought and the 20th and 21st centuries. Readings included works by Kant, Nietzsche,
Freud, Fanon, Marcuse, Arendt, Foucault, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Evaluations
available.
Winter 2014,
2013, 2012
and 2011
Instructor, “Power, identity, and resistance: Liberalism and its critics.” University of
Chicago, Social Sciences Core course.
Led class of 16-21 students through readings on issues of individuality, liberty, equality,
politics. Authors included Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Mill, Marx,
and Hegel. Evaluations available.
Autumn 2011, Instructor, “Power, identity, and resistance: Politics, economy, and society.” University
2009
of Chicago, Social Sciences Core course.
Led class of 16-21 students through discussions of the economic process and its relation
to social and political institutions. Primary authors are Smith, Marx, and Durkheim.
Evaluations available.
Winter 2009
Intern, “Power, identity, and resistance: Liberalism and its critics.” University of
Chicago, Social Sciences Core course.
Autumn 2008
Intern, “Power, identity, and resistance: Politics, economy, and society.” University of
Chicago, Social Sciences Core course.
Winter 2006
Course assistant, “Ancient Mediterranean world 2: Ancient Rome.” University of
Chicago, Civilizations Core course.
Taught source evaluation to discussion section of 20 students through analysis of ancient
Roman historiography, epigraphy, coins, and other literary texts.
Autumn 2005
Course assistant, “Ancient Mediterranean world 1: Ancient Greece.” University of
Chicago, Civilizations Core course.
Taught source evaluation to discussion section of 20 students through analysis of ancient
Greek historiography, epigraphy, coins, and other literary texts.
Fagan CV 3
Areas of Teaching Competence
Archaeology:
Archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean,
Bronze and Iron Ages
Archaeological theory and method
Ceramic analysis
Classical archaeology
History and archaeology of Armenia, Bronze
Age to the present
Archaeology of Eurasia
History:
History of the ancient Mediterranean and Near
Eastern worlds
Social and economic history of the Roman
Empire
Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman epigraphy
Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman numismatics
Historiography (ancient Roman, Greek, and
modern)
General social sciences:
History of development of social theory
Development of political economic theory
Anthropology:
Development of sociocultural theory
History of anthropology as a discipline
Conference and Workshop Presentations
2015
“Defining space and time: Artashes I of Armenia,” to be presented at the annual meeting
of the American Schools of Oriental Research in November, Atlanta, GA.
2015
“The debate about Garni, Armenia: a tale of cultural identity in archaeology,” presented
at a joint meeting of the Interdisciplinary Archaeology and Ancient Societies Workshops,
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
2015
“The subtlety of temporality: Time, control, and the Roman Empire,” presented at the
annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America/Society for Classical Studies
in January, New Orleans, LA.
2015, 2014
Co-chair and organizer, “Black Sea and Caucasus” session, American Schools of Oriental
Research annual meetings in November.
2014
“Family matters: dynastic boundaries in Armenia in the first centuries B.C.E. and C.E.,”
to be presented at the American Schools of Oriental Research annual meeting in
November, San Diego, CA.
2014
“Claims of space and time: the boundary stones of Artashes I of Armenia,” presented at
the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America/American Philological
Association, Chicago, IL.
2013
“Romans on the move, and inscribed on stone: The material evidence of Roman military
involvement in Armenia in the first and second centuries AD,” presented at the annual
meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research, Baltimore, MD.
2013
“Disciplinary divisions of a dedication: perspectives from epigraphy and archaeology,”
presented at the annual meeting for the Theoretical Archaeology Group, Chicago, IL.
2013
“Disciplinary DiVisions,” panel organizer and co-chair, for the annual meeting of the
Theoretical Archaeology Group, Chicago, IL.
Fagan CV 4
2012
“Time flies (crawls/stutters/oozes/flows): temporalities, historiography, and
interpretations of the past in Roman-period Armenia,” presented at the 4th Eurasian
Archaeology Conference, Cornell University.
2012
“Political marginalization between Rome and Parthia: a problem of centrality,” presented
at the annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Memphis, TN.
2010
“Coinage and authority in the Armenian Highland,” presented at the12th Conference of
Young Scientists, Yerevan, Armenia.
Pedagogical Presentations
Feb. 2015
Co-leader, seminar on “Course Design.” Co-led a seminar designed to introduce new
instructors to concepts of course design, including course objectives, learning maps, and
backwards design.
Sept. 2014
Organizer, “Hot moments in teaching.” Organized and facilitated 80-person workshop
and discussion on how to prevent conflict in the classroom, and how to manage conflict
when it arises. Organized for annual conference on undergraduate instruction sponsored
by the Chicago Center for Teaching.
Sept. 2014
Organizer and workshop leader, “Key challenges in teaching social sciences.” Led 60person workshop and discussion on the challenges specific to teaching in the social
sciences at the annual conference on undergraduate instruction sponsored by the Chicago
Center for Teaching.
Oct. 2013
Discussion leader, “The leaderless discussion.” Led 20 fellow teaching consultants
through a demonstration and discussion of the leaderless discussion as a pedagogical
technique. Conducted at bi-quarterly meeting of Chicago Center for Teaching staff and
consultants.
Sept. 2013
Panelist, “Mid-course adjustments: planning for flexibility and responsiveness,” at the
annual workshop on undergraduate instruction sponsored by the Chicago Center for
Teaching.
May 2013
“Mazur’s ‘peer instruction’ and discussion classes: students learn better when they
teach.” Presented at “Eat, teach, talk, run” series organized by the Chicago Center for
Teaching.
Sept. 2009
Panelist, “The role and duties of the teaching assistant,” at the annual workshop on
undergraduate instruction sponsored by the Chicago Center for Teaching.
Invited Presentations
2013
“Rome in 50 minutes or less,” guest lecture at Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL.
2012
“Modern techniques, ancient materials: contemporary archaeology in Armenia,” public
lecture at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Chicago, IL.
Fagan CV 5
2012
“Fits and starts, but constant progress: a look back at the history of archaeology in
Armenia, and a peek forward into its future,” public lecture at St. Sahag Armenian
Church, St. Paul, MN.
2011
“Of shoes and sherds: excavations and archaeology in Armenia,” public lecture
sponsored by the Armenian Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn,
Dearborn, MI.
2008
“A Hellenistic- and Roman-period sanctuary in the Shirak Plain,” lecture at the Armenian
Circle of the University of Chicago.
2006
“Bronze-Age Gegharot and archaeology in Armenia,” lecture at the Armenian Circle of
the University of Chicago.
Archaeological Field Experience
2013
Site supervisor, Project ArAGATS (joint Armenian-American project for the
Archaeology and Geography of Ancient Transcaucasian Societies), Iron III site at
Tsaghkahovit, Armenia.
2011
Assistant excavator, Hellenistic- and medieval-period site at Armavir, Armenia.
2010
Assistant site supervisor, Project ArAGATS, Iron III site at Tsaghkahovit, Armenia.
2008
Assistant excavator, Hellenistic- and Roman-period site at Hoghmik, Armenia.
2008, 2006
Trench supervisor, Project ArAGATS, Early and Late Bronze Age site at Gegharot,
Armenia.
2006
Trench supervisor, Project ArAGATS, Iron III site at Tsaghkahovit, Armenia.
Service
2010-present
Member, Editorial Board, Aramazd: Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies.
2014
Co-coordinator, Infrastructural and Despotic Power in Ancient States. Conference
sponsored by the Center for the Study of Ancient Religions and the Franke Institute at the
University of Chicago.
2012
Mentor, Chicago Careers in Higher Education, University of Chicago.
2008
Co-coordinator, 3rd Eurasian Archaeology Conference at the University of Chicago.
2007-08
Student representative, Roman History job search, History Department, University of
Chicago.
2007
Co-coordinator, “Text envy and artifact allure” conference on the disjunctions and
connections between history and archaeology, University of Chicago.
2006-07
Coordinator, Ancient Societies Workshop.
Fagan CV 6
2006
Co-coordinator, History Department Graduate Student Conference, University of
Chicago.
2005-06
History Department Graduate Student Association Representative, University of Chicago.
2005-06
Coordinator, Professional Issues Workshop, History Department, University of Chicago.
Selected Weblog Entries
Sept. 25, 2014 “Reflections on a teaching conference.” Posted to www.egafagan.com.
Mar. 14, 2014 “Should we crowdfund archaeology? Regarding U.S. Ambassador Heffern’s exhortation
to develop archaeology and tourism in Armenia.” Posted to www.egafagan.com.
Oct. 17, 2013
“Discussion leading: an art, regardless of whether you use it for science.” Posted to
www.egafagan.com.
Sept. 13, 2013 “A treasure hunt, of sorts.” Posted to https://socialscience.uchicago.edu/blog/student.
Nov. 1, 2012
“The Socratic method: or, how to avoid drinking hemlock.” Posted to
www.egafagan.com.
Sept. 11, 2012 “Knowledge, learning, and cognition, oh my: techniques for achieving better
comprehension.” Posted to www.egafagan.com.
Unpublished Reports
2013
Tsaghkahovit site report, trenches WSDB, WSDE, WSS1&2. Submitted to Project
ArAGATS at conclusion of field season.
2010
Tsaghkahovit trench report, WSI2. Submitted to Project ArAGATS at conclusion of field
season.
2008
Gegharot trench report, trenches T20, T22. Submitted to Project ArAGATS at conclusion
of field season.
2006
Tsaghkahovit trench report, trench WSD. Submitted to Project ArAGATS at conclusion
of field season.
2006
Gegharot trench report, trench T19. Submitted to Project ArAGATS at conclusion of
field season.
Foreign Languages
Armenian
Reading, writing, speaking
French
Reading
Russian
Reading
Memberships
American Historical Association
Latin
Reading
Ancient Greek Reading
Italian
Reading
Fagan CV 7
Archaeological Institute of America
American Schools of Oriental Research
American Anthropological Association
Society for American Archaeology