SLL4093F/S HEBREW AS MINORITY LITERATURE
Convener: Dr A Reisenberger
Course entry requirements: Acceptance for an honours programme.
Course outline:
The course aims to familiarise student with the terminology concerning research of Minority literature in general and Hebrew literature in the Diaspora in particular.
Minority literature is discussed in social context as well as a literary genre, and the students have to distinguish between research methodologies in the different field of research.
The course emphasises the importance of Minority literature in celebrating diversity and in curbing cultural reductionism, which is an essential aspect in twenty-first century South Africa. It highlights the difference in literary merit on the one hand and attitude towards Hebrew literature in Israel and in the Diaspora on the other.
The students are required to compare Hebrew literature in the USA, Germany and in SA through a sample of texts.
DP requirements: Students must attend all sessions and complete all assignments by the due date.
Assessment: Weekly seminar submission 25% (5% each); 3 seminar presentations 45% (15% each); essay 30%.
SLL4094F/S THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE
Convener: Dr A Reisenberger
Course entry requirements: Acceptance for an honours programme
Course outline:
The course deals with the Bible as a literary text; it highlights the divide between religious dogmas emanating from the biblical texts, pseudo anthropology research and reading the text as a representation of ancient literature as well as the earliest evidence of Hebrew literature.
After getting familiar with the composition of the Bible and mastering the difference between the Hebrew Bible and what is known as ‘The Old Testament’, the students deal with the issue of authorship and authority and the impact of biblical text on the Extra Biblical World on one hand and Liberation Theology on the other.
Under the literary analysis the students have to master PPP genres (Prose, Poetry and Prophecy), characterisation, time and space, and above all - the typical rhetorical means of persuasion in the Bible, such as: allusion, intertextuality: key-words, type scenes etc.
The course finishes with understanding the importance of the Bible as “The Great Code”.
DP requirements: Students must attend all sessions and complete all assignments by the due date.
Assessment: Weekly seminar submission 25% (5% each); 3 seminar presentations 45% (15% each); essay 30%.
SLL4095F/S TOPICS IN HEBREW LITERATURE
Convener: Dr A Reisenberger
Course entry requirements: Acceptance for an honours programme.
Course outline:
This course introduces the students to modern Hebrew literature and the methodologies that govern its academic research.
It allows students to develop their reading proficiency to such a level that they can deal with voluminous literary works in Hebrew. It also gives them the skill to distinguish between the various registers and linguistic streams; and above all, they learn to deal with papers and academic research which is published in Hebrew.
DP requirements: Students must attend all sessions and complete all assignments by the due date.
Assessment: Weekly seminar submission 25% (5% each); 3 seminar presentations 45% (15% each); essay 30%.
SLL4096F/S ADVANCED HEBREW LINGUISTICS
Convener: Dr A Reisenberger
Course entry requirements: Acceptance for an honours programme.
Course outline:
Although it is assumed that students are familiar with the basic verb forms in Hebrew, some time will be devoted to widen and deepen this knowledge. The course presents students with great variety of texts, provides them with skills to write, listen, conduct discussions and present complex criticism in Hebrew, thereby preparing them to research at MA and PhD level in Hebrew.
DP requirements: Students must attend all sessions and complete all assignments by the due date.
Assessment: Weekly seminar submission 25% (5% each); 3 seminar presentations 45% (15% each); essay 30%.