William Harris

Doing well in this class has nothing to do with going to the lectures. I went to one lecture, saw how absurdly boring it was, and never went back. I got an A. How? Well, the exams are essays, for which he gives the prompts well in advance (a FREAKING MONTH in advance in the case of the final). So, you just take the textbook, pick a prompt, and just write an outline of the essay you're going to write based straight off of the textbook. Oh yeah, the people who grade the test will pretty much ace you if you stick some information about primary source authors in there, so memorize that stuff as well. I'd say I put a good 3 - 4 hours of work (2 hours before each exam) into this class. Oh yeah, the discussion sessions are required. They're weekly, and aren't so much discussion. They're 50 minutes long, and half of it is the TA presenting a powerpoint to teach us what Harris was supposed to but didn't. The rest is meak discussion which no one was interested in, not really even the TA. Take this class if you have to for your major/minor. Not otherwise. You get nothing out of it but 3 credits and probably an A if you know how to troll the exams.

Here's the deal: this is not, in any way, an introductory course to Roman history. In that context this is a horrible, awful course. But if you already know Roman history this class would probably be enjoyable. Prof. Harris: as a person, good. As a professor: atrocious. I do not say this because he rambles, and drones on endlessly. That could be acceptable in some cases. But he conveys absolutely no useful information in his lectures. His lectures are and hour and a half of him nitpicking whether this publisher of Roman history or that publisher of Roman history meets his expectations, and whether this writer or that was as exacting as they should have been. Newsflash: I DON'T CARE. I came here for a Roman history course, not to hear someone's very personal opinions on the state of Roman historiography in contemporary times. It was wildly inappropriate. And in the end the class was a complete waste of time. Every single person I spoke with hated it, even alumni, but the history department is obviously not going to do anything about it. They're idiots. Professor Harris is funny and likable. But this course serves no purpose. Half the class stopped showing up a week or two in and just watched Roman documentaries because even the books weren't very good. But again, to be sure: you will get nothing from Harris' lectures. Nothing.

Ok so there's definitely validity to what the previous reviewers have been saying: he rambles and it's very hard to pay attention. That being said, he does have a pompous British humor that, when used appropriately, was entertaining. But really, the guy is so sweet. I chatted with him at office hours once and he's really friendly and understanding. But most importantly the class isn't that hard. The quizzes are pretty straightforward if you've been to class or at least looked up the people/places on his slides. But yes, it is difficult to condense what could theoretically be an essay into a short paragraph. The midterm and final are research based and if you put effort into preparing for it you'll do well. Only the primary sources are actually necessary to read. He even told us before the final which secondary sources would be on the exam. So overall I think people have exaggerated. Yes, he's not a great lecturer by any stretch of the imagination but if you're interested in the material take the class.

How I wish I had skipped this class. I love Roman History and this class sounded like a dream come true. a) Professor Harris might just be the smartest person alive when it comes to Roman History. The problem is that his lecturing style is boring. His presentations are circular and you can expect to take side trips into other things that you are never sure of how important it is. b) He sent his lecture notes when our class was unable to meet. They were unreal. If his lectures would somehow transfer that information to you - it would all be worth it. Unfortunately, it does not. You sit in lecture waiting to die - or for the class to end - with either being joyfully release from the torture.. c) His tests are interesting. He gives you the question two weeks in advance and ample time to come up with answers. The trick is that some questions can't be answered as offered - and if you attempt to answer them without the answer being about the problematic parts of the question - expect a poor grade. d) Term Paper is painful. The assigned topics were vague in many respects and expect to spend plenty of time trying to narrow down what the topic really is and finding the information to make it work. e) Kills trees. Expect to end up with at least 20 handouts for bibliographies that he hands out to give you additional information on a given topic. I counted up the books/articles in these -…

Who are you people calling him arrogant, pompous, and only concerned with himself? It's unlikely you went to class much and quite clear you never went to office hours. Professor Harris may seem aloof just because he is so well-read and the upper-class English accent doesn't help. I have, however, found him to be one of the most approachable professors I've had at Columbia. He's always willing to make time in his busy schedule to meet with you, and when you do meet, he doesn't try to rush you out like some professors. He'll talk with you as long as you want. He is funny and personable, helpful, always available via email, and caring. He even helped me with a paper for another class!

Basically everything that the previous reviews have said is accurate (just take the average of them all or something). The points I want to emphasize are these: He's smart. He definitely knows his stuff. He rambles a lot. Not necessarily that he gets off topic, but his speech is very very circular and he skips back and forth between points of the lecture. But yeah, not the good kind of rambling that's interesting; the kind that's confusing. He's generous. Taking this class P/D/F as a junior and it's pretty easy; he gives us the questions to most everything ahead of time and is pretty clear about what he's looking for. He's boring. Sorry, it's mean, but I have to caution that this class is difficult for me to attend (or at least, attend consciously). I NEVER fall asleep in my classes, but Harris with his lullaby British accent, circuitous lectures, and charming old demeanor (and the stuffy, hot room in Hamilton) brings me VERY close. I'd rather just not attend than go and fall asleep, which I know is bad on my part, but I'm just sayin' that I can go in there wired on coffee and be straight up down for the count and knocked out 30 minutes in.

OK, so people have been pretty nasty about Prof Harris. Although he does exude a certain English pomp, he is quite endearing and personable at the same time. If you appreciate dry English humor, he's great-my friend and I were constantly giggling at his snarky comments on other historians, ancient Romans, etc. He is clearly extremely knowledgeable and is respected in his field, but doesn't generally advertise his work unless its an area he is particularly knowledgeable about. It does seem as though he's always contradicting the readings, of which there are many, but he makes it clear that he is stating an opinion which cannot be proven one way or the other. He takes an active part in the class, attends sections, grades tests, and while he kind of ignores questions during lecture, is very open to talking afterward, by e-mail, or in office hours. I wouldn't say I'm an expert now, but I learned quite a bit about Roman history. He and my TA, James Tan (who had encyclopedic knowledge on most subjects), were very resourceful and it was a fairly pleasant experience. One caveat: Beware the history tools, for there are many--and I'm a history major so I can say that. And you will be jealous of the elderly GS couples who sit in class just listening to Harris as you try to keep up with his kind of hoppy lectures.

Professor Harris's class on Roman Imperialism was fantastic. Unlike the previous reviewer, I truly enjoyed Professor Harris and his lectures. Professor Harris is always open to meeting with students and sat down with me for half and hour just to talk politics after we were done discussing his class. If you are indeed interested in the subject matter as I was, you will find this class extremely interesting. His lectures are well prepared and he hands out a list of important names, dates and a lecture outline at the beginning of each class. His lectures are informative and he is funny at times. Overall, this class was wonderful and fair.Do the readings and prepare for the exams!

I take issue with the reviewers who described listening to lectures as pointless. Personally, I regretted the times I missed class, since it meant missing Harris' very effective presentation. The problem is that this class is not about a narrative: he's trying to paint a picture of Roman society, rather than tell its story. The lectures did jump around, and it was often difficult to predict which ideas would be lightly touched on and which delved into. However, everything he said was valuable for the class. As one reviewer noted , the subject is highly debated, and Harris does an excellent job of moderating the debate (even if he does push his own opinions, but what professor doesn't?). I didn't have much background in Roman History, and I could follow well enough; much of the material occurs outside of what you'd hear in a survey. If something interests you, ask Harris about it after class, as long as you don't have anyplace to be. It's like opening a flood gate, except good.

Harris is fantastic! A jewel in Columbia's crown. Yes, you may not like his class, but not because of him, but because of the two of you -- if he 'aint your style (which you'll be able to tell if you show up for the first session and 'shop'). The fact is, Roman history is not at all static and received. It is highly debated and fluid, and it is truly a gift to be in such knowledgeable and even hands as Harris'. Be prepared for 80% of the class to be totally oblivious to his incredible wit that only a Brit could summon -- if you're in on it, though, it will be completely hilarious. A true master of the subject. Go to his office hours. Take notes. Don't skip class.