Center Staging Connection: A Cross-Disciplinary Exploration of Philoctetes and Political Reconciliation

Can you work with those who have deeply harmed you for the greater good?

The faculty and students of the Tragedy of Democracy and the Politics of Compromise — a cross-disciplinary pop-up course — grappled with this question as they worked to put together a “plecture” for the University of San Diego’s 2024 Pearson-Chambers Lecture Series last fall. The plecture — a play and a lecture — is the brainchild of Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations Tim McCarty, PhD. 

Last summer, McCarty approached the USD Humanities Center and Department of Theatre with an idea to collaborate on a pop-up course focused on Philoctetes — a play by the ancient Greek dramatist Sophocles. The final project of the course would consist of a performance of key scenes from the play embedded within a lecture. Assistant Professor of Theatre Jersten Seraile, MFA, joined forces with McCarty to co-instruct the six-week course. 

“We created a real ensemble, even if folks weren't acting in the scenes, everyone contributed so much of their time and energy to this,” explains Seraile. McCarty and Seraile functioned more like facilitators than instructors throughout the process.

Read the full article on page 6 of Arts & Sciences magazine (Fall 2025 issue).

— Gabriela Ortiz Flores

The USD College of Arts and Sciences released its third annual Arts & Sciences magazine this fall. In the pages of this magazine, you will explore the impact of the liberal arts, discover current faculty research, and be inspired by student, faculty and alumni spotlights.