Research focus
The Basel subject area of Greek Philology has a long tradition of research and a worldwide reputation. It is characterized by a distinctive profile in the following areas:
- Homeric epic
- Early Greek poetry
- Attic tragedy and comedy
- Greek romance
- Hellenistic poetry
- Greek religion, myth, and ritual, esp. Dionysus
- Literary criticism
- Pre-Socratic philosophy
On the basis of its particular tradition (Nietzsche, Meuli), it advocates an opening to modern cultural studies, integrating anthropological, comparative cultural studies, and literary theory issues (including metatheatricality, orality, performativity, rituality, intertextuality, narrative theory). In this context, she also investigates the interdependence of Greek literature and religion. In addition, she focuses on the history of reception and scholarship, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries; an important subject is the study of modern productions of ancient drama.
Its flagship with worldwide impact is the Basel Commentary on Homer. Other renowned research areas are the choral and song culture of the archaic and classical periods, with the leading function (core membership) in the cooperation with the Network for the Study of Archaic and Class ical Greek Song, in addition to mytho-ritual poetics, Greek drama and its reception, and the ancient novel.