REL5111S: READING RELIGIOUS TEXT
Convener and Lecturer: Dr Ala Alhourani
Course entry requirements: Acceptance for a master’s programme.
Course outline:
This course is designed to give students exposure to religious texts and their commentarial literature in the religious traditions studied in the department. It will introduce hermeneutical and analytical tools for reading these texts in translation or, skills permitting, in their original languages. With these tools, students will undertake a close reading of selected texts in light of their social and religious contexts. They will also develop the skills to address relevant issues about canon, authenticity, orality and writing, intertextuality and interpretation. This course will prepare masters students for the critical contextual reading essential to undertake new research in these traditions.
DP requirements: Regular attendance and participation in all seminars, and submission of all prescribed assignments by due dates.
Assessment:
- You will be required to submit seminar response papers and a final essay focused on each of the books listed in the course outline.
- The seminar papers will include a participation component as indicated in the DP requirements.
- Weightings for submissions are as follows:
Response papers (1500 words) – 15%
Participation – 5%
Final essay (6000 words) – 50%