Modern Greek Program

The Modern Greek Program is an interdisciplinary program housed in the Institute for European Studies. We offer courses in Greek language, culture, and history to both undergraduate and graduate students.  As part of our mission, we also organize lectures, conferences, film screenings, and concerts for students, faculty, and the community.

IU's Modern Greek Program offers a study abroad course, W406: Food Cultures of Greece, through the Office of Overseas Study. The course invites students to explore Greek culture through historical and anthropological encounters with its food cultures. Beginning historically, the course explores the dietary habits of Classical antiquity and the Byzantine Empire. It then examines how the discovery of the Americas and the Turkish conquest of Byzantium influenced the Mediterranean diet. With this historical foundation in place, the course then investigates how more recent events—the Nazi occupation of Greece during WW II, globalization, EU membership and the economic crisis—have affected Greece’s food culture. The topics explored include: the Mediterranean diet, health, longevity, and modernity; Greece, the graveyard of American fast food restaurants; the curious story of Scotch whiskey, a Greek national passion; feta and the European Union; and food, protest, survival, and the crisis. The course will feature field trips to restaurants, farmers’ markets, museums, wineries, olive oil producers, and food cooperatives.

IU’s Office of Overseas Study also offers IU-affiliated programs during the summer and academic year at the College Year in Athens, an organization that specializes in offering courses in the classics, history, and social sciences. Students can study for one or two summer terms, for a semester, or for an entire. Additionally, the Kelley School offers an exciting study abroad opportunity for business majors, Business X-272 Global Business Immersion, Business Culture in Greece.