*Near Eastern Civilizations 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 1132
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Tutorial supervision of research in subjects not treated in regular courses.
*Near Eastern Civilizations 97r. Group Tutorial—Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 0167
James R. Russell and members of the Department
Half course (fall term). W., 4–6.
An introduction to the cultures and literatures of the Near East in ancient, classical, and modern times, emphasizing major themes and problems that cut across individual cultures and historical periods.
*Near Eastern Civilizations 98r. Tutorial — Junior Year
Catalog Number: 2612
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Designed for juniors concentrating in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
*Near Eastern Civilizations 99r. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 6623
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Designed for seniors concentrating in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
Ancient Near East 101. Introduction to Mesopotamian Archaeology
Catalog Number: 1245
James Alan Armstrong
Half course (spring term). W., F., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Surveys the archaeology of ancient Mesopotamia (geographically defined as the territory of modern Iraq plus immediately adjacent areas) from the Neolithic Period until the conquest of Alexander the Great. While theoretical issues and approaches will not be neglected, the emphasis in this class will be on the archaeological data that are used in reconstructions of Mesopotamia’s history and its ancient social systems.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
[Ancient Near East 102. Introduction to Mesopotamian Religion]
Catalog Number: 0486
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 14
A survey of the sources, data, and principal concerns. A selection of texts are read in translation.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3661.
[Ancient Near East 105. History of the Ancient Near East: Syria-Palestine (up to Alexander the Great)]
Catalog Number: 0711
Lawrence E. Stager
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
The civilization and cultural traditions of the peoples of Syria-Palestine from the third millennium to the time of Alexander the Great.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1118.
[Ancient Near East 107. History and Historiography in the Ancient Near East]
Catalog Number: 0665
Peter Machinist
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Conceptions of history and the practice of historical writing in the ancient Near East. Discussion based on a comparative study of texts from a variety of cultural traditions, such as the Hittites, Mesopotamia, ancient Israel/Hebrew Bible, and Second Temple Judaism.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1427.
[Ancient Near East 109r. History and Archaeology: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 1822
Lawrence E. Stager, Peter Machinist, and Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Topic for 2000-2001: TBA
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1822.
[Ancient Near East 115. Archaeology of the Levant (Syria-Palestine)]
Catalog Number: 2813
Lawrence E. Stager and Ofer Bar-Yosef
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A chronological survey of the archaeology of the Levant in which material culture provides a window on human evolution, society, economy, and religion from the Lower Palaeolithic to Hellenistic times. Special topics include the earliest colonization of Homo erectus, the origin of modern humans, the emergence of farming and pastoral societies, the formation and dissolution of Bronze Age city-states, and the rise and fall of Iron Age kingdoms such as Israel, Moab, and Edom. This course will have a lab section.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1420.
Ancient Near East 117. Biblical Archaeology
Catalog Number: 1371
Lawrence E. Stager
Half course (fall term). F., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Archaeology and texts, such as the Bible, used to reconstruct aspects of social, economic, and religious life (from courtier to commoner) in ancient Israel during the Iron Age.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1422. This course will have a lab session TBA.
Ancient Near East 118. Syro-Palestinian Pottery
Catalog Number: 1368
Lawrence E. Stager
Half course (fall term). F., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
A basic introduction to the pottery sequence of Palestine and Syria from Neolithic through Roman times, with emphasis on typological attributes having chronological significance. Conducted in the Harvard Semitic Museum laboratory.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1862. This course will have a lab session TBA.
Ancient Near East 120. Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures
Catalog Number: 6544
Gary Anderson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 9. One additional hour TBA. EXAM GROUP: 2
A survey of the Hebrew Scriptures as viewed in their historical and cultural setting in the ancient Near East and as interpreted by modern scholarship, with attention to this literature as an expression of the religious thought of Israel and one of the formative influences on Western civilization.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1101.
Ancient Near East 121. History of the Study of the Hebrew Bible: From the Renaissance to the Present: Seminar
Catalog Number: 8086
Peter Machinist
Half course (fall term). W., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Within the framework of a broad survey of Hebrew biblical scholarship since the Renaissance, the course focuses on particular scholars and their representative and seminal works. The central theme is the emergence of a historical-critical understanding of the Bible and the elaborations of and reactions to this.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1425.
[Ancient Near East 122. Biblical Interpretation]
Catalog Number: 4289
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Topic for 2000–01: To be announced.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1413.
[Ancient Near East 124. Myth and Mythmaking in the Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern World]
Catalog Number: 6475
Peter Machinist
Half course (spring term). W., F., at 11. One additional hour TBA. EXAM GROUP: 4
An exploration of the nature and function of myth in the context of the ancient Near East. Focuses on selected mythic texts from various Near Eastern cultures and considers them in the light of general approaches to myth developed in Western scholarship. Particular attention given to the issue of myth in the Hebrew Bible.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. No knowledge of the ancient languages involved is assumed. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1128/3410.
Ancient Near East 126. History of the Religion of Israel
Catalog Number: 1672
Peter Machinist
Half course (spring term). W., F., at 3. One additional hour TBA. EXAM GROUP: 8
The study of ancient Israelite religion and culture in comparative historical context. Topics examined include conceptions of divinity, prophecy, law, kingship, and cult. Through such topics the aim is to see how Israel related to other cultures of the ancient Near East and, thus, of what value the study of the other cultures has in understanding the character of Israelite religion itself.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1110.
[Ancient Near East 127. Prophecy in Ancient Israel]
Catalog Number: 6739
Peter Machinist
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A study of the phenomenon and history of Israelite prophecy, as recorded in the Hebrew Bible, in the light of prophecy elsewhere in the ancient Near East and in other cultures. Pertinent sociological, literary, and religious issues are explored.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1125.
[Ancient Near East 128. Jewish Apocalypticism]
Catalog Number: 6332
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
A study of Jewish apocalyptic movements, from origins in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.E. down to their flowering in Hellenistic and Roman times. A variety of texts are examined in English translation. Special attention is given to the traditions found in these texts, the origins of those traditions in biblical and extrabiblical sources, and the use of those traditions in the literature under study. Attention also given to comparable phenomena in other ancient cultures. Questions of contemporary theological significance are also raised.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1460.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or equivalent.
[Ancient Near East 129. Selected Literature of Second Temple Judaism]
Catalog Number: 2077
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A close critical reading in English of a selection of narrative and wisdom compositions of the late Second Temple period, such as Esther, Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes), Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus), Daniel, Judith, Tobit 3 and 4 Maccabees, Joseph and Aseneth, and the Wisdom of Solomon. Emphasis on literary and theological analysis.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1426.
Prerequisite: An introductory course in the historical critical study of the Hebrew Bible.
Ancient Near East 131. Readings in the Septuagint
Catalog Number: 3661
Richard James Saley
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 14
Aims to increase facility with Septuagint Greek by reading representative portions (predominantly prose) of the Septuagint and studying the pecularities of the grammar inductively. The fundamentals of Koine Greek will be reviewed as necessary.
Prerequisite: One year of Greek.
[Ancient Near East 134. Genesis: Narrative Artistry and Theological Meanings]
Catalog Number: 3291
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A close critical reading in English of the book of Genesis with an eye both to the storytellers’ techniques and to the moral and theological dimensions of the text. Emphasis on literary and religious rather than historical and editorial issues.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1417.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120.
Ancient Near East 135. Biblical Theology: Hebrew Bible
Catalog Number: 4476
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
The theology of the Hebrew Bible studied by explicating major biblical themes (e.g., creation, liberation, war and peace, economic justice, social reform) and then relating them to issues in the contemporary world. Attention also given to background questions such as concepts of biblical authority and hermeneutical theory.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2001–02. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1150/2470.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or equivalent.
[Ancient Near East 138. The Bible and Politics]
Catalog Number: 8073
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Political models found in the Hebrew Bible; the role of biblical traditions in the development of church-state relations in the history of the U.S.; the possibility of a suitable political theology within the context of contemporary religion and politics.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1465/2529.
Ancient Near East 236. Biblical Theology: Seminar
Catalog Number: 7022
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
An examination of resources within the Bible for the construction of contemporary political theology.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1801/2471.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or equivalent.
*Ancient Near East 320. Reading and Research in Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization
Catalog Number: 5678
John Huehnergard 7697, Peter Machinist 2812, and Piotr Steinkeller 7337 (on leave 1999-00)
*Ancient Near East 330. Reading and Research in Biblical Studies
Catalog Number: 1524
Gary Anderson (Divinity School) 1771, Jo Ann Hackett 2389, Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School) 1394, James L. Kugel 7575 (on leave spring term), Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School) 2264 (on leave 1999-00), Peter Machinist 2812, and Lawrence E. Stager 1468
Jewish Studies 111. Modern Jewish Thought
Catalog Number: 5461
Jay M. Harris
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A study of significant Jewish thinkers in the modern period and their reflections on the past and present meaning of Judaism. All thinkers studied against the background of premodern Jewish thought and the challenges posed by modern Western philosophical systems.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3682.
Jewish Studies 113. Pre-State Israel, 1933-1948, vis-à-vis the British Mandate and Germany’s Rule in Europe: Problems of Structure, Leadership, and Zionist Self-Images
Catalog Number: 5735
Dina Porat (Tel Aviv University)
Half course (fall term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
This course introduces the student to the 15 formative years of pre-state Israel, 1933-1948: from the rise of the Nazi party to power which had an immediate impact on European Jewry and the Yishuv, the Hebrew community in then Palestine, to the establishment of the state of Israel.
Jewish Studies 114. Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation
Catalog Number: 0343
Marcus Moseley
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 13
Traces the development of modern Hebrew literature from the period of the Jewish enlightenment (Haskalah), through the period of cultural “renaissance” in Jewish Eastern Europe (Tehiyyah) in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, to the literature of contemporary Israel. Where appropriate, reading of the English translations will be accompanied by study of the Hebrew text. Authors include Mendele the Bookseller (S. Y. Abramovich), H. N. Bialik, Saul Tschernichowsky, Amos Oz, A. B. Yehoshua.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3685.
Jewish Studies 116. Messianism, Mysticism and Magic in Modern Jewish Literature
Catalog Number: 5229
Marcus Moseley
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 13
The aim of the present course is to trace the transmigrations of Jewish mystical and messianic motifs within the modern literary context. Literature by Jews in non-Jewish languages and in Hebrew and Yiddish will be considered. Authors to be studied include Sholem Aleichem, Isaac Beshevis Singer, Sh. Ansky, Jacob Wasserman, Walter Benjamin. All texts will be in English translation.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3687.
[Jewish Studies 117. Religious Elements in Modern Jewish Poetry]
Catalog Number: 5465
Marcus Moseley
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 16
This course will examine aspects of continuity and discontinuity between modern Jewish poetry and the texts of traditional Judaism. We shall focus upon texts written in Hebrew and Yiddish and English. All foreign-language texts will be taught in English translation. Poets to be included in this survey: H.N. Bialik, H. Tchernikowsky, Uri Zvi Greenberg, Yankev Glatstein, Allen Ginsberg, and Leonard Cohen.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3689.
Early Iranian Civilizations 103. Manicheism
Catalog Number: 2604
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (fall term). F., 12–2. EXAM GROUP: 5, 6
Introduction to and readings in Iranian Manicheism (on the basis of translated texts).
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3580.
[Early Iranian Civilizations 104. The Zoroastrian Religion]
Catalog Number: 2996
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A survey of the pre-Islamic religion of the Iranian and Armenian peoples, based upon the Gathaas of Zarathustra, the Old Persian inscriptions, Pahlavi texts, and materials of surrounding countries. The survival of the Faith amongst the Parsis of India.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3585.
[Islamic Civilizations 121. North Africa, 1500 to the Present]
Catalog Number: 6224
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
An initiation to North African (Maghribi) history, surveying the evolution of relations between state and society from the late medieval period to the present and emphasizing the specificity of the North African experience. Topics include: Maghribi space and society in the medieval literature; saint worship and sultanic authority; society viewed through the literature of captivity; the 19th century encounter with the West; race and caste in the colonial era; the Algerian revolution in essay, film and fiction; post-colonial political change.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Islamic Civilizations 124. Central Asian Culture and Society
Catalog Number: 3927 Enrollment: Limited.
John S. Schoeberlein-Engel
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4, and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
The course explores the diversity and continuity in contemporary Central Asian culture and society and their historical roots. After building a basis of knowledge of the pre- and early-modern history of the region and of its contemporary political context and institutions, the course will approach Central Asian culture, social structure and everyday life from a variety of angles. These will include perspectives available in various types of literature on the region, including the travel accounts of travelers to the region from pre-modern to recent time, indigenous literary folklore traditions, 19th-century orientalist scholarship, and contemporary scholarly approaches. The course will draw on ethnographic accounts to develop a rich picture of the social meaning and cultural context of ways of life (from the historical caravan trade and pastoral nomadism to contemporary collective farm and urban life), community rituals, social institutions, religious practices, moral sensibilities and aesthetic traditions.
Note: Intended primarily for advanced undergraduates and graduate students; some background in the Near East and/or the former Soviet Union desirable.
[Islamic Civilizations 125. History and Culture of Islamic Peoples of the Former Soviet Union]
Catalog Number: 0646 Enrollment: Limited.
John S. Schoeberlein-Engel
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Themes in the history of cultural change, from prior to Russian expansion into Muslim lands until the post-Soviet period. The course encompasses territories falling under Russian dominion by the 19th century that are inhabited by peoples which are culturally more akin to Asia and the Islamic Middle East than to Europe: Central Asia, the Caucasus, and southern Russia. Themes include the background of Iranian, Turkic and Islamic culture, problems of induced cultural change (Russification/Europeanization/modernization), social transformation under the establishment and dissolution of Russian rule and the Communist system, the institutionalization of national identities, and changing family and community organization.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Intended primarily for graduates and advanced undergraduates; some background in the Near East and/or the Soviet Union desirable.
[Islamic Civilizations 145 (formerly Arabic 145). Islamic Philosophy and Theology]
Catalog Number: 0292
Robert Wisnovsky
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
An introduction to some of the philosophical and theological problems that have preoccupied Muslim intellectuals from the 8th century AD to the present. Topics to be covered include theodicy and God’s attributes, politics and prophecy, psychology and epistemology, natural philosophy and metaphysics. Points of conflict between philosophers and theologians will be examined in detail.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
*Islamic Civilizations 241r. Approaches to Studying Indo-Muslim Culture and South Asian Islam
Catalog Number: 7515
Ali S. Asani
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A seminar for graduate students focusing on current scholarship on Islamic civilization in South Asia.
Note: Open to qualified undergraduates.
Prerequisite: Introductory coursework on Islam, Religion 1585 or equivalent.
*Islamic Civilizations 350. Reading and Research in Ottoman History and Literature
Catalog Number: 4084
Sinasi Tekin 2353
Armenian Studies 102. Armenian Civilization
Catalog Number: 6070
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
An introduction to the history, traditions, religion, and literature of the Armenian people from the earliest times to the Middle Ages.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. No knowledge of Armenian is required.
Armenian Studies 200r. Guided Readings in Armenian Studies
Catalog Number: 8105
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Akkadian 120. Intermediate Akkadian
Catalog Number: 3724
John Huehnergard (fall term) and Peter Machinist (spring term)
Full course (indivisible). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
Akkadian 140a. Akkadian Historical Texts
Catalog Number: 3737
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (fall term). M., 1–4. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7, 8
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
Akkadian 140b. Akkadian Historical Texts
Catalog Number: 4748
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (spring term). M., 2–5. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8, 9
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 141r. Akkadian Myths and Epics]
Catalog Number: 6930
Peter Machinist
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Akkadian 142. Akkadian Hymns and Prayers]
Catalog Number: 6387
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16, 17
Readings from the various genres of Akkadian hymns and prayers, with particular emphasis on the genre of shuilla prayers. In the course of the semester students are expected to master the style and vocabulary of these texts, as well as to learn how to reconstruct a text from several manuscripts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 143. Neo-Babylonian Archival Texts]
Catalog Number: 7434
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8, 9
Readings from letters and legal and administrative documents dated to Neo- and Late Babylonian periods (c. 750–100 B.C.). The goal of the course is to learn how to use these documents as sources for the culture and social and economic history of Babylonia in that period.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 144. Akkadian Divination Texts]
Catalog Number: 6734
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Akkadian 145. Akkadian Incantations and Rituals]
Catalog Number: 6533
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 148. Akkadian Letters]
Catalog Number: 0975
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian A.
[Akkadian 149. Akkadian Legal and Economic Texts]
Catalog Number: 6703
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 150. Akkadian Historiographic Texts]
Catalog Number: 2417
Peter Machinist
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 153. Old Akkadian]
Catalog Number: 8334
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Readings in representative historical, epistolary, literary, and economic texts with emphasis on the grammar.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Akkadian grammar, basic vocabulary, knowledge of cuneiform script.
[Akkadian 154a. Peripheral Akkadian]
Catalog Number: 2416
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8, 9
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Prerequisite: Two full courses in Akkadian.
[Akkadian 155r. Akkadian Historical Grammar and Dialectology]
Catalog Number: 0232
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Topic for 2000–01: To be announced.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Prerequisite: Two full courses in Akkadian.
[Akkadian 210ar (formerly Near Eastern Languages 294a). Mesopotamian History: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 8072
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Akkadian 210br. Mesopotamian History: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 6737
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Sumerian 120. Intermediate Sumerian
Catalog Number: 2573
Paul-Alain Beaulieu and assistant
Full course. M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Prerequisite: Knowledge of basic Sumerian grammar, vocabulary, and cuneiform script.
[Sumerian 140. Sumerian Historical Texts]
Catalog Number: 2956
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Sumerian 141. Sumerian Myths and Epics]
Catalog Number: 3736
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
[Sumerian 145. Sumerian Incantations and Rituals]
Catalog Number: 5259
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Sumerian 146. Sumerian Religious Literature]
Catalog Number: 2605
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Sumerian 149. Sumerian Legal and Economic Texts]
Catalog Number: 8820
Piotr Steinkeller
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Sumerian 160. Sumerian and Akkadian Bilingual Texts]
Catalog Number: 5027
Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–5. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17, 18
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Arabic 110. Colloquial Levantine Arabic
Catalog Number: 6732
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
A basic course in the spoken Arabic of the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Palestine). Principles of grammar and syntax and foundation for conversation.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Some knowledge of Arabic helpful but not required.
Arabic 120a. Intermediate Classical Arabic
Catalog Number: 1106
William E. Granara and assistant
Half course (fall term). M. through F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3, 12
A thorough review of classical Arabic grammar with emphasis on reading and writing, with some discussion in Arabic in class for vocabulary and structure reinforcement. Readings will focus on medieval Arabic historiography: biographical dictionaries, chronicles, and geography/“travel” literature. Contemporary texts dealing with “classical” themes will form part of the syllabus to help students develop better reading fluency.
Prerequisite: Arabic A or equivalent.
Arabic 120b. Intermediate Classical Arabic
Catalog Number: 0597
William E. Granara and assistant
Half course (spring term). M., through F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3, 12
Continuation of Arabic 120a.
Arabic 121a. Intermediate Modern Arabic
Catalog Number: 0973
Ayman A. El-Desouky and assistant
Half course (fall term). M., through F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4, 13
A continuation of Elementary Arabic with equal emphasis on speaking, reading, oral and aural skills. Selections from contemporary Arabic media will be introduced and will serve as bases for reading and conversation.
Arabic 121b. Intermediate Modern Arabic
Catalog Number: 0685
Ayman A. El-Desouky and assistant.
Half course (spring term). M., through F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4, 13
A continuation of Arabic 121a.
Arabic 130a. Advanced Classical Arabic
Catalog Number: 4591
William E. Granara
Half course (fall term). Tu. & Th. 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Concentration on readings from classical Islamic texts, with emphasis on Qur’an, hadith, sira, and tafsir literature; directed readings and textual analysis; review of classical Arabic morphology and syntax.
Arabic 130b. Advanced Classical Arabic
Catalog Number: 2964
Robert Wisnovsky
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Continuation of Arabic 130a or may be taken separately with permission of the instructor. Readings from corpus of “Adab” (Belles-Lettres) literature, as well as various pieces of classical Arabic secular prose and poetry.
Arabic 131a. Advanced Modern Arabic
Catalog Number: 0739
Ayman A. El-Desouky and assistant.
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 6
Reading and discussion of selections from Arabic newspapers and journals on contemporary political, social, religious, and cultural issues in the Arab world. Emphasis on developing advanced reading and speaking skills, with some attention to writing and listening comprehension.
Arabic 131b. Advanced Modern Arabic
Catalog Number: 0697
Ayman A. El-Desouky and assistant.
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 1, and two additional hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 7
A continuation of Arabic 131a or may be taken separately with permission of the instructor. Continued emphasis on advanced reading and speaking skills, and introduction to contemporary Arabic fiction, with emphasis on short stories and novellas.
Arabic 140. The Qur’an
Catalog Number: 6021
William A. Graham, Jr.
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to and selected readings from the Qur’an and Arabic exegesis.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Arabic 120b or equivalent.
[Arabic 141. Introduction to the Hadith]
Catalog Number: 0705
William A. Graham, Jr.
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to and selected readings in the Hadith literature.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Arabic 120b or permission of instructor.
[Arabic 144. Sources for the Study of Islamic History]
Catalog Number: 3450
Roy Mottahedeh
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Elementary knowledge of Arabic.
[Arabic 146r. History of the Arabic Languages]
Catalog Number: 8526
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A presentation of the linguistic and cultural history of the various forms of Arabic, including Old North Arabic, Early Classical Arabic (pre-Islamic poetry and Koran), medieval Islamic Arabic, Middle Arabic (with Judeo-Arabic) and the dialects.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Two years of Arabic or equivalent.
Arabic 150r. History of Arabic Literature
Catalog Number: 7759
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Overview of Classical Arabic literature, including reading and discussion of selected texts.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Knowledge of Arabic an advantage, but not required.
[Arabic 155. Society and Culture in Modern Arabic Fiction]
Catalog Number: 2102
William E. Granara
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A study of cultural and social issues in contemporary Arab society as reflected in modern fiction. Attention to the development of the novel and short story as literary media that treat themes such as the conflict between tradition and modernity, anti-colonialism, nationalism, civil war, poverty, alienation, religion and gender roles. Readings will include works by Tayeb Salih, Nagib Mahfouz, Muhammad Choukri, Hanan Al-Shaikh, and Sahar Khalifeh.
Note: No knowledge of Arabic required.
Arabic 160r. Readings in Arabic Historians, Geographers and Biographers
Catalog Number: 5617
Roy Mottahedeh
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Arabic 241a. Modern Arabic Literature
Catalog Number: 3309
William E. Granara
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
This constitutes the final year of Modern Arabic track. Representative readings from contemporary literature and culture will form bases of discussions on major themes in contemporary Arab society.
Note: Conducted in Arabic.
Prerequisite: Advanced proficiency in Arabic.
Arabic 241b. Modern Arabic Literature
Catalog Number: 6399
Ayman A. El-Desouky
Half course (spring term). Th., 2:30–5. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A continuation of Arabic 241a.
Arabic 245r. Classical Arabic Literature: Seminar
Catalog Number: 4854
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Topic for 1999–00: Kitab al-Aghani of Abu ’l-Faraj al-Isbahani.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
[Arabic 248r. Medieval Arabic Writings on Grammar and Literary Theory: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 1440
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to the study of the medieval Arabic disciplines dealing with language (or with literature, depending on the interests of those who wish to take the course). Discussion of selected topics on the basis of text readings and recent secondary literature.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Arabic.
Arabic 249r. Arabic Philosophical Texts: Seminar
Catalog Number: 3572
Robert Wisnovsky
Half course (spring term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Selected readings from falsafa literature. Topic for 1999–00: To be announced.
Prerequisite: Two years of Arabic or equivalent.
[Arabic 250r. Arabic Theological Texts: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 7849
Robert Wisnovsky
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Selected readings from kalam literature. Topic for 2000–01:To be announced.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Two years of Arabic or equivalent.
Aramaic C (formerly Aramaic Ca/Cb). Elementary Syriac
Catalog Number: 3494
J. F. Coakley
Full course. M., W., F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
Basic Syriac grammar and syntax, with selected readings from the Syriac Bible and other early texts.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4109.
[Aramaic 124a. Readings in Syriac I]
Catalog Number: 5557
J. F. Coakley
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Historical and theological texts, and early poetry.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4112.
Prerequisite: Aramaic C or equivalent.
[Aramaic 124b. Readings in Syriac II]
Catalog Number: 0103
J. F. Coakley
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Special attention to exegetical texts and to reading manuscripts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4113.
Prerequisite: Aramaic C or equivalent.
Aramaic 128. Introduction to Turoyo
Catalog Number: 3747
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs
Half course (spring term). To be arranged.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Some knowledge of Syriac or any other classical Aramaic language.
[Armenian B. Elementary Modern Eastern Armenian]
Catalog Number: 7168
James R. Russell
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to the spoken and literary language of the Republic of Armenia.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Armenian 120a. Intermediate Modern Eastern Armenian
Catalog Number: 4892
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Armenian B or equivalent.
Armenian 121a. Intermediate Classical Armenian
Catalog Number: 0626
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Armenian A or equivalent
[Armenian 130. Advanced Classical Armenian]
Catalog Number: 4926
James R. Russell
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
The text of St. Grigor Narekats’i Matean olbergut’ean, with other mystical texts from Armenian and Eastern Christian traditions.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Armenian A.
Armenian 241r. Readings in Modern Armenian Literature
Catalog Number: 8746
James R. Russell
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Ethiopic 120ar. Readings in Classical Ethiopic (Ge‘ez) Texts I
Catalog Number: 0231
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Ethiopic A.
[Ethiopic 120br. Readings in Classical Ethiopic (Ge‘ez) Texts II]
Catalog Number: 0390
John Huehnergard
Half course (spring term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Ethiopic A.
[Classical Hebrew C. Introduction to Rabbinic Hebrew]
Catalog Number: 0301
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A survey of the grammar of the Hebrew of the Mishnah and other works of rabbinic Judaism combined with exercises in reading and interpreting texts, with the goal of building vocabulary, the ability to read unpointed materials, and familiarity with rabbinic modes of expression.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4036.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A or Modern Hebrew B.
Classical Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Classical Hebrew I
Catalog Number: 5545
Jo Ann Hackett and assistant
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 7
Review of grammar; readings in prose books.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4020.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A or equivalent.
Classical Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
Catalog Number: 8494
Jo Ann Hackett and assistant
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 7
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4021.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 120a or equivalent.
Classical Hebrew 130ar. Rapid Reading (Classical Hebrew) I
Catalog Number: 7895
Jo Ann Hackett
Half course (fall term). W., at 11, F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 4, 6
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1625/4030.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A, 120a, and 120b, or equivalent.
Classical Hebrew 130br. Rapid Reading (Classical Hebrew) II
Catalog Number: 7896
John Huehnergard
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 15
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1626/4031.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130a or equivalent.
[Classical Hebrew 138. Historical Grammar of Biblical Hebrew ]
Catalog Number: 4415
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130, or equivalent.
Classical Hebrew 238r. Advanced Study of Historical Hebrew Grammar
Catalog Number: 9997
Jo Ann Hackett and John Huehnergard
Half course (spring term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Reading of major sections of the Biblical corpus with emphasis on historical linguistic issues.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130b and either Classical Hebrew 138 or Semitic Philology 140.
Modern Hebrew B. Elementary Modern Hebrew
Catalog Number: 4810
Miri Kubovy and Rina Winkelman
Full course (indivisible). Section I: M. through F., at 9; Section II: M. through F., at 12; Section III: M. through F., at 3. EXAM GROUP: Fall: 2, 11; Spring: 2
For students with no previous instruction in Hebrew and for those who have had some unsystematic exposure to the language. Emphasis on developing skills necessary for fluent reading, speaking, and writing basic sentences in all tenses. Grammar is taught through the Israeli “Top 40.”
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4015.
Modern Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
Catalog Number: 1711
Miri Kubovy and assistant
Half course (fall term). Section I: M. through F., at 1. Section II: M. through F., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 6, 15
For students with basic understanding of modern Hebrew grammar and some experience in reading. Emphasis on rapid reading of contemporary newspapers, magazines, short stories, and poetry.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4040.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew B or passing of special departmental placement test.
*Modern Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
Catalog Number: 2563
Miri Kubovy and assistant
Half course (spring term). Section I: M. through F., at 1. Section II: M. through F., at 2 . EXAM GROUP: 6, 15
Continuation of Modern Hebrew 120a. Selected readings from 20th-century Hebrew literature prose, poetry, and drama. The linguistic analysis of the texts is followed by a literary discussion as well as an examination of the individual works in relation to various trends in modern Hebrew culture.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4041.
Modern Hebrew 130r (formerly Modern Hebrew 130a). Advanced Modern Hebrew: Contemporary Israeli Culture
Catalog Number: 8127
Miri Kubovy and assistant
Half course (fall term). W., 7–9 p.m.
Surveys typical examples of contemporary Israeli culture: novels, short stories, poetry, feminist literature, Holocaust literature, literary and political journals and magazines, theater and films, rock music from the Top 40, all representing current cultural trends and expressing attitudes toward social and political issues.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew. All texts will be read in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4045.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a, 120b or equivalent.
Modern Hebrew 131r. Advanced Modern Hebrew: Hebrew of the Media: Press, TV, and Radio
Catalog Number: 1940
Rina Winkelman
Half course (spring term). M., W., 2:30–4.
Will introduce students of Hebrew language and literature courses to a central aspect of the language as practiced in the media, both orally and in writing, on radio and television broadcasts and in newspapers and magazines. In Hebrew, more than in other languages, the language of the media differs considerably: it uses terminology, vocabulary and syntactic structures which are unique to these fields, which both express and influence meaningful trends in culture and society. Samples will be presented from Israeli TV, radio and daily newspapers.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4047.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a, 120b, or equivalent.
Hebrew 150a (formerly Hebrew 150). Introduction to Rabbinic Literature
Catalog Number: 7629
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4.
Designed to introduce students with a basic reading knowledge of Hebrew to Mishnah, Tosefta, Midrash and Talmud through a close study of representative texts in the original. Texts are mostly non-legal and in Hebrew (rather than Aramaic). Attention to questions of language, exegetical method, literary and intellectual history.
Prerequisite: Intermediate biblical or modern Hebrew, or permission of instructor.
[Hebrew 150b. Introduction to Rabbinic Literature]
Catalog Number: 7878
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
This course is a continuation of Hebrew 150a, although it can be taken independently. The readings are slightly more difficult, and include legal texts and texts that use Aramaic as well as Hebrew. No prior knowledge of Aramaic is assumed.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Hebrew 150a or permission of the instructor.
[Hebrew 153. Midrash Seminar]
Catalog Number: 3397
James L. Kugel
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
An examination of rabbinic interpretations of the Bible and their relationship to other early exegetical traditions. Focuses on a series of specific midrashic themes and motifs found in a variety of rabbinic texts and seeks to understand their original exegetical function as well as their development and history of transmission.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1840.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Mishnaic Hebrew.
Hebrew 156. Readings in Medieval Judeo-Arabic
Catalog Number: 1363
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew.
[Hebrew 165. Maimonides’ Book of Knowledge and its Medieval Critics]
Catalog Number: 3393
Bernard Septimus
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
The interplay of law and philosophy in the first book of Maimonides’ Code. Topics include: language; organization; legal theory; use of sources; theology; curricular ideals; historical thought; ethics; eschatology; the relationship of the Book of Knowledge to other works by Maimonides; the role of the Book of Knowledge in the Maimonidean Controversy of the 13th century.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Hebrew.
[Hebrew 168. Medieval Hebrew Poetry]
Catalog Number: 2715
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Close reading of selected classics of late-antique piyyut and of the Spanish “golden age.” In addition to literary analysis, focuses on: the relationship of early piyyut to the classical liturgy and to midrashic culture; the social and religious functions of Hispano-Hebrew poetry and its intellectual context.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Hebrew.
[Hebrew 169. The Bavli and the Yerushalmi]
Catalog Number: 2226
Jay M. Harris
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A comparative study of the Babylonian and “Jerusalem” Talmuds. Emphasis on comparing their relationship to antecedent sources, their use of midrash, and their rhetorical patterns. Also studied is the historical destiny of these two works in the medieval and modern periods.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Hebrew 171. The Problem of Language in Medieval Jewish Thought
Catalog Number: 7205
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
The status and significance of language generally and Hebrew, in particular , viewed from a variety of perspectives in texts from several genres (exegetical, linguistic, literary, legal, philosophical and mystical) ranging chronologically from late antiquity through the Renaissance.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2001–02.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Hebrew.
Hebrew 174. Political Thought: Late Antiquity through the Middle Ages
Catalog Number: 8693
Bernard Septimus
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Explores the following interrelated topics: the debate over monarchy; divine providence and political rationality; the theological significance of political defeat; the foundations of communal government. Legal exegetical, philosophical, and literary texts treating these topics will be read against their historical backdrop.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Hebrew.
[Hebrew 176. Aristotle’s Ethics in Medieval Jewish Thought]
Catalog Number: 0805
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of Hebrew.
[Hebrew 184. Jewish Bible Commentary in the Modern Period]
Catalog Number: 5236
Jay M. Harris
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A study of Jewish Bible commentaries in the late 18th and 19th centuries that seeks to introduce the student to the wide range of Jewish Bible commentary in this period. Commentators to be studied include the Gaon of Vilna, Moses Mendelssohn, Moses Sofer, Meir Leibush Malbim, Samuel David Luzatto, and Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin, each studied within the appropriate cultural context.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3688.
[Hebrew 194. Literature and Ideology in Jewish Eastern Europe]
Catalog Number: 2015
Marcus Moseley
Half course (fall term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
An examination of the nexus of ideology and literary aesthetics in the secular discourse of Eastern European Jews. Starting with the poetics of the early ideologues of the Haskalah in late 18th-century Berlin, varying formulations of the role and nature of literature will be studied against the background of the changing socio-cultural circumstances of the Jews in Eastern Europe, culminating in consideration of the echoes of these literary debates in contemporary Israel. Readings will be in Hebrew and Yiddish, including D. Sadan, A. Kovner, Bal-makhshoves (Eliashev), M. Y. Berdichevsky, Y. Ratosh.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Hebrew 195. The Literature of the Modern Hebrew Renaissance (Tehiyyah)]
Catalog Number: 2298
Marcus Moseley
Half course (spring term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
An introduction to the leading prose writers and poets of the “Renaissance” period of modern Hebrew literature. The origins and validity of the notion that the period from the 1890’s to the 1917 revolution marked a Hebraic cultural renaissance in Jewish Eastern Europe will also be examined. Equal attention will be paid to belletristic prose, poetry and publicistic writings. Writers include H. N. Bialik, S. Tschernikowsky, Y. H. Brenner, D. Frishman, U. N. Gnessin.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Primary readings are in Hebrew; lectures are in English.
Hebrew 209r. Literature of Israel: Seminar
Catalog Number: 1326
James L. Kugel
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3.
Topic for 1999–00: The Book of Psalms
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1824.
Prerequisite: Good reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew.
Hebrew 210r. Literature of Israel: Seminar
Catalog Number: 6322 Enrollment: Limited to 10
Paul D. Hanson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Topic for 1999-00: Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Close exegetical study, utilizing text-, literary-, and form-criticism, with attention to the location of these books in their Judean and Persian historical settings and their place in the development of the history of Israelite religion.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2001–02. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1820.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew.
[Hebrew 215r. Readings in the Book of Biblical Antiquities and Other Second Temple Texts: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 4083
James L. Kugel
Half course (fall term). M., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 9
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of biblical Hebrew required; Latin appreciated but not required.
[Hebrew 216. Hebrew Language and Texts of the Post-Exilic Period]
Catalog Number: 2137
James L. Kugel
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Examines a series of Hebrew texts extending from the Babylonian exile to early rabbinic writings, with attention both to the linguistic character of the texts surveyed and to the world of ideas exhibited therein. Texts include parts of Ezekiel; Chronicles; Ecclesiastes; Ben Sira; Qumran documents; Mishnah. Latter part of the course specifically designed to articulate transition to Mishnaic Hebrew.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1823.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew.
[Hebrew 217. The Medieval Torah Commentary: A Practical Introduction: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 5883
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Introduction to the use of medieval Jewish biblical commentaries as a resource for the modern exegete. Primary readings include a Torah chapter with the comments of several of the following figures: Rashi, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Radaq, Chizquni, Ramban, Bachya ben Asher, Seforno, and Abarbanel. Discusses relationship of the hermeneutical presuppositions of these figures to modern forms of biblical study.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1836.
Prerequisite: Three years of college-level Hebrew (any period) and a strong control of Hebrew grammar.
[Hebrew 218. Joseph and Esther: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 0880
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A close critical reading of Genesis 37-50 and the Book of Esther in Hebrew. Emphasis on the literary design and religious message of each work and on the influence of the story of Joseph upon the Book of Esther.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1802.
Prerequisite: Three years of Hebrew or the equivalent.
[Hebrew 223. The Book of Jubilees and Ancient Biblical Interpretation]
Catalog Number: 1813
James L. Kugel
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
An in-depth examination of one of the most important texts of the post-exilic period.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1432.
Prerequisite: A reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew. (Also, welcome but not required: reading knowledge of Ge’ez and Aramaic.)
Hebrew 224. Readings in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs and Other Second Temple Texts.
Catalog Number: 4565
James L. Kugel
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
A study centering on one mysterious document of the Second Temple period and the light it can shed on Jewish religious piety and practice toward the end of the biblical period.
Prerequisite: A reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew. (Also, welcomed but not required: reading knowledge of Greek and Aramaic.)
[Hebrew 225. Books of Leviticus and Numbers]
Catalog Number: 8843
Gary Anderson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Th., 8–10. EXAM GROUP: 10, 11
This course will cover issues of sacrifice, purity, and food laws in the priestly source.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1806.
Prerequisite: Three years of Hebrew
[Hebrew 230. Midrash: The Figure of Abraham: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 0203
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
A close reading in Hebrew of some rabbinic midrashim centering on the figure of Abraham. Emphasis on the aquisition of the textual skills necessary for studying midrash and on the role of Abraham in rabbinic theology. Comparison with other primary sources about Abraham from Second Temple Judaism and the New Testament, presented in English.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1803/3871.
Prerequisite: Sound reading knowledge of Hebrew (any period).
[Hebrew 231. Genesis 12-23: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 1109
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15
A close critical reading of Genesis 12-23 in Hebrew. Emphasis on literary design and religious message of this section of the story of Abraham and his family. Students will make presentations about historical, literary, and theological aspects of the material.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1809.
Prerequisite: An introductory course in critical biblical studies and three years of Hebrew or the equivalent.
[Hebrew 245. Early Biblical Interpretation: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 6731
James L. Kugel
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Biblical interpretation from its beginnings within the Hebrew Bible itself to evidence of its continuing development as found in ancient Bible translations, biblical apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, commentaries, sermons, liturgical poetry, and other Jewish and Christian writings of late antiquity.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1804.
Prerequisite: A good reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew.
[Hebrew 250. Jewish Autobiography]
Catalog Number: 4097
Marcus Moseley
Half course (spring term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
Jewish autobiographical texts from the Renaissance to the late 20th century will be examined in the light of contemporary theoretical and critical perspectives. Authors include Y. A. Modena, Y. Emden, M. L. Lilienblum, M. A. Gunzberg, Y. L. Peretz, Mendele Mokher Sefarim (S. Y. Abramovich), S. Y. Agnon. All primary readings will be in Hebrew and Yiddish; lectures are in English.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
*Hebrew 350. Postbiblical Hebrew Language and Literature
Catalog Number: 4408
Jay M. Harris 2266 (on leave fall term), James L. Kugel 7575 (on leave spring term), and Bernard Septimus 7160
[Iranian B. Introduction to Avestan]
Catalog Number: 3936
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Full course (indivisible). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Iranian Cb. Middle Persian II]
Catalog Number: 1696
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Readings in Middle Persian (Pahlavi or Manichean Middle Persian/Parthian).
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Iranian 120. Sorani Kurdish]
Catalog Number: 4915
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to Sorani Kurdish.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Iranian 121r. Readings in Sorani Kurdish]
Catalog Number: 3037
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Iranian 122. Luri]
Catalog Number: 2664
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to the language of Luristan.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Iranian 142br. Avestan III
Catalog Number: 7835
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (fall term). W., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Introduction to Old Avestan.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Iranian 143a. Middle Persian III
Catalog Number: 9136
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Advanced readings in Middle Persian (Pahlavi or Manichean Middle Persian/Parthian).
Iranian 144a. Eastern Middle Iranian I
Catalog Number: 1542
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (fall term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Introduction to Sogdian.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of at least one Iranian language.
Iranian 144b. Eastern Middle Iranian II
Catalog Number: 7834
P. Oktor Skjaervo
Half course (spring term). Tu., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Readings in Sogdian.
Persian 120a. Intermediate Persian I
Catalog Number: 2206
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 9. EXAM GROUP: 2
Readings in modern prose literature. Introduction to classical metrics and prosody. Readings in classical prose and poetry.
Persian 120b. Intermediate Persian II
Catalog Number: 3712
P. Oktor Skjaervo and assistant
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 9. EXAM GROUP: 2
Continuation of Persian 120a.
Persian 140ar. Selected Readings in Classical Persian Literature
Catalog Number: 0814
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (fall term). M., W., 2–3:30. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
Selected topics in Classical Persian literature for the advanced student. Readings from historical and belletristic texts, the classics of Sufism, and the poets of Iran and India.
Prerequisite: Persian 120b or equivalent.
Persian 140br. Selected Readings in Classical Persian Literature
Catalog Number: 0258
Mohammad Reza Shafi-Kadkani (Tehran University)
Half course (spring term). M., W., 2–3:30. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
A continuation of Persian 140ar.
[Persian 150r. Readings in Persian Historians, Geographers and Biographers]
Catalog Number: 6538
Roy Mottahedeh
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Persian 151. Persian Mystical Poetry
Catalog Number: 6664
Mohammad Reza Shafi-Kadkani (Tehran University)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
The topic of this course is the origin and development of Persian mystical poetry. The historical developmentof this subject will be considered ranging from the 4th century C.E. to the age of Rumi.
Prerequisite: Advanced level of reading in Persian.
Semitic Philology 151. Introduction to Northwest Semitic Epigraphy
Catalog Number: 2858
Jo Ann Hackett
Half course (fall term). Th., 10–12. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Readings in Hebrew and Phoenician inscriptions with an introduction to methods and techniques of Northwest Semitic palaeography, and attention to problems of historical grammar.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 138 or Semitic Philology 140.
[Semitic Philology 152. Introduction to Ugaritic]
Catalog Number: 2777
Jo Ann Hackett
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to Ugaritic grammar, with readings in mythological, epistolary, and administrative texts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Semitic Philology 140 or equivalent.
Semitic Philology 170. Old South Arabian
Catalog Number: 8199
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Grammar and readings in Old South Arabian inscriptions.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Semitic Philology 140 and knowledge of either Classical Ethiopic or Classical Arabic.
Semitic Philology 220r. Northwest Semitic Epigraphy: Seminar
Catalog Number: 2948
Jo Ann Hackett
Half course (spring term). W., 11–1. EXAM GROUP: 4, 5
Topic for 1999–00: Phoenician and Punic Texts.
Prerequisite: Semitic Philology 151.
[Semitic Philology 230. The Early History of Northwest Semitic]
Catalog Number: 3959
John Huehnergard
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Readings in the Canaanizing Akkadian tablets from el-Amarna; review of so-called “Amorite” sources, as well as early alphabetic, Egyptian, and other evidence for Northwest Semitic in the second millennium BCE.
Prerequisite: Akkadian A and Classical Hebrew 138 or Semitic Philology 151.
Swahili 120ar. Readings in Swahili
Catalog Number: 5026
Ali S. Asani and assistant
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Swahili Aab or equivalent.
Swahili 120br. Readings in Swahili
Catalog Number: 4270
Ali S. Asani and assistant
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Swahili 120ar or equivalent.
Turkish 120a. Intermediate Turkish I
Catalog Number: 4009
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (fall term). M., through F., at 9. EXAM GROUP: 2, 11
Emphasis on complex sentence structure and building communicative competence in describing events and expressing ideas through exercises in reading, writing, and speaking.
Note: Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Turkish A or equivalent.
Turkish 120b. Intermediate Turkish II
Catalog Number: 1394
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (spring term). M., through F., at 9. EXAM GROUP: 2, 11
Studies in argumentative and literary prose.
Note: Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Turkish 120a or equivalent.
Turkish 121a (formerly Turkish 121). Elementary Uzbek
Catalog Number: 3006
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr. and assistant
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged; four meetings per week.
Introduction to conversational and literary Uzbek. Overview of the grammar, intensive practice of the spoken language, and reading of contemporary texts.
Note: Some knowledge of Modern Turkish or other Turkic language helpful but not required.
Turkish 121b. Elementary Uzbek
Catalog Number: 7303
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs and assistant
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged; four meetings per week.
Continuation of Turkish 121a.
Note: Some knowledge of Modern Turkish or other Turkic language helpful but not required.
Turkish 130a. Advanced Turkish I
Catalog Number: 6964
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (fall term). M., through F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4, 13
Gaining and improving advanced language skills in Modern Turkish through reading, writing, listening, and speaking with special emphasis on the proper usage of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
Note: Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Turkish 120b or equivalent.
Turkish 130b. Advanced Turkish II
Catalog Number: 4354
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies in literary and idiomatic prose through readings, discussions, and writing of short analytical papers.
Note: Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Turkish 130a or equivalent.
Turkish 140. Introduction to Ottoman
Catalog Number: 1906
Sinasi Tekin
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Introduction to basic orthographic conventions and grammatical characteristics of Ottoman Turkish through readings in printed selections from the 19th and 20th centuries, and exercises on techniques.
Prerequisite: Turkish A; and one year of Arabic or Persian desirable.
Turkish 142. Introduction to Ottoman Palaeography and Diplomatic Correspondence
Catalog Number: 0239
Sinasi Tekin
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Calligraphic, orthographic, and stylistic characteristics of Ottoman legal and diplomatic correspondence through reading and analysis of primary sources.
Prerequisite: Turkish 140 or equivalent.
Turkish 146. Old Turkish
Catalog Number: 2929
Sinasi Tekin
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Writing and structure of Old Turkish through readings in Orkhon inscriptions and Old Uyghur Buddhist and Manichaean texts.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of one Turkish language.
Turkish 147a. Advanced Uzbek
Catalog Number: 3846
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr. and assistant
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Turkish 147b. Advanced Uzbek
Catalog Number: 4820
Wolfhart P. Heinrichs and assistant.
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Continuation of Turkish 147a.
[Turkish 148a. Chaghatay: Readings in Literary Sources]
Catalog Number: 1712
Wheeler M. Thackston, Jr.
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Readings in literary and historical sources from the 15th and 16th centuries, including Mir Ali-Sher Navai and the Baburnama.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of elementary Turkish and/or Persian.
Turkish 148b. Chaghatay: Poetry
Catalog Number: 6843
Sinasi Tekin and assistant
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Language and style of Chagatay poetry through selected readings from the post-Karakhanid period until the 16th century.
Prerequisite: Turkish A, Persian A, or equivalents.
[Turkish 149. Introduction to Modern Turkish Literature]
Catalog Number: 2156
F. Engin Sezer and assistant
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 14
A survey of 20th-century Modern Turkish poetry and prose through selected readings of novels, short stories and poetry in Turkish and/or in translation. Emphasis on both literary appreciation and themes such as the impact of modernization and social change on new forms and content.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Some knowledge of Turkish is helpful but not necessary.
Turkish 150. Turkic Languages
Catalog Number: 9106
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (fall term). Th., at 2, Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
General and specific linguistic properties and the interrelationship of Turkic languages, old and new. The nature of linguistic evidence provided by the historical written sources.
Note: Not open to Auditors.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of one Turkic language and at least one half-course in historical linguistics is desirable, which may be taken concurrently.
Turkish 151. Issues in Turkic Linguistics
Catalog Number: 2046
F. Engin Sezer
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A critical analysis of the (Ural-) Altaic theory and the claims that relate Turkic to various other languages. The sound changes such as lambdacism and rhotacism, the Volga shift, shortening of long vowels, etc., with extensive specific reference to sound systems of the relevant languages.
Note: Not Open to Auditors.
Prerequisite: Turkish 150 or equivalent
Yiddish B. Intermediate Yiddish
Catalog Number: 6147
Hanan M. Bordin
Full course (indivisible). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Further develops the four basic communication skills. Includes selected readings from modern Yiddish literature.
Prerequisite: Yiddish A or equivalent.
Yiddish Ca. Advanced Yiddish I
Catalog Number: 8331
Hanan M. Bordin
Half course (fall term). M., W., 4–5:30. EXAM GROUP: 9
[Yiddish Cb. Advanced Yiddish II]
Catalog Number: 8968
Hanan M. Bordin
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ca or equivalent.
[Yiddish 102r. Modern Yiddish Literature I]
Catalog Number: 4013
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
Topic for 2000-01: TBA
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Readings will be available in Yiddish and English. Lectures will be in English. Extra weekly section (one hour) in Yiddish.
Yiddish 103r. Modern Yiddish Literature II
Catalog Number: 8269
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. There will be an additional one-hour section for students who wish to read works in the original. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Topic for 1999-2000: Imagining Self and Nation. Studies some of the most influential and controversial Yiddish works of the inter-war period that tried to fashion a new, autonomous modern Jewish culture. Authors include H. Leivick, Israel Rabon, the three Singers -- Israel Joshua, Isaac Beshevis, and Esther Kreitman; Jacob Glatstein; genres include drama, fiction, poetry, and film. The course welcomes students with no prior exposure to Yiddish, and offers additional hours to those who will be reading works in the original. This is the second part of a survey of Yiddish masterworks, the first half of which will be given in 2000-2001.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2000–01.
[Yiddish 105. Yiddish Language and Linguistic Theory]
Catalog Number: 7146
David Braun
Half course (spring term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
Yiddish, spoken among Ashkenazic Jews (i.e., Jews of Western and Central European and, later, Eastern European origin) for the past millenium, belongs to the Germanic language family, although its contacts with Slavic and Semitic (Hebrew, Aramaic) have made lasting impressions. Facts of Yiddish phonology, morphology, syntax, and the syntax-semantics-pragmatics interface pose interesting problems for linguistic theory, many of which are not common to other Germanic languages. We will look at a wide range of Yiddish data and will read and discuss some of the more recent analytical attempts to understand these phenomena.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
[Yiddish 202r. Yiddish Literature: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 3854
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (fall term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Topic for 2000–01: To be announced.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Yiddish.
[Yiddish 204. An Introduction to Yiddish Literary Criticism]
Catalog Number: 7662
Marcus Moseley
Half course (spring term). Th., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
Traces the development of modern Yiddish literary criticism from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The focus will be upon varying, and often quite opposing, critical responses to the three “classic” writers of modern Yiddish literature: Mendele Moykher Sforim, Sholem Aleichem and Y. L. Peretz. Critics to be studied include Bal Makshoves, Sh. Niger, M. Weinreich, M. Erik, M. Viner, Y. Y. Trunk, N. Oyslender, M. Litvakov.
Note: Expected to be given in 2000–01. Primary readings are in Yiddish; lectures are in English.