Biography
Adam Barker is a PhD Candidate who specializes in the non-narrative hexametric poetry of the Roman Empire, as well as its Hellenistic and Republic predecessors. He earned his Honours BA in Classics (Latin & Greek Philology) at the University of British Columbia in 2012, and his Master’s in Classics at the University of Toronto in 2013. Though he has a strong academic interest in Pastoral poetry, his dissertation focuses on Didactic epic, and its intersection in Rome with Hellenistic and Pre-Socratic philosophy. Adam is chiefly interested in the ways in which the “Hesiodic tradition” developed through time, and how it was utilized by Roman poets and “scientists”. His work is methodologically based in Author and Reader-Reception theories, and examines the ways in which even modern texts create physical models of the world.
As an instructor, Adam’s primary concerns are the relationship between authors, texts, and culture; the misappropriation and misinterpretation of Classical data throughout the 19th and 20th centuries; and establishing a decolonized, equitable environment for his students. As a scholar who requires medical and accessibility services, he is committed to advancing Accessibility in the classroom.
In the past, Adam has been a recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship award, and was a Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Scholar for the duration of his Master’s degree. Throughout his career, he has assisted in numerous research projects for Canadian classicists. He is also a fan of dogs, and will gladly point one out to you, if you happen to be walking with him on the street.
Research Interests: Hellenistic and Roman didactic epic, Hellenistic philosophy at Rome, pastoral poetry