101. Elementary Biblical Hebrew I. (3). (LR).
The purpose of this and the complementary course, 102 Elementary Biblical Hebrew II (Winter Term), is to equip the beginning student with the tools necessary for reading the Hebrew Bible. The course will introduce the student to the grammar of biblical Hebrew; its phonology (the study of speech sounds), morphology (the study of word formation), and syntax (the study of phrase and sentence formation). In addition to mastering the grammar, the student will need to acquire a sizable working vocabulary of the language, for competency in grammar and lexicon best facilitates the goal of reading the biblical text. The grading will be based on corrected daily assignments (i.e., the exercises), 13-14 announced quizzes (one class day advance notice), a final comprehensive exam, as well as attendance and participation. The daily assignments will comprise 25% of the grade, the ten-best quizzes 25%, the final exam 25%, and attendance and participation 25%.
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121/Rel. 121. Introduction to the Tanakh/Old Testament. (4). (HU).
ACABS 121 is designed to introduce the student to the modern study of the Old Testament or Tanakh (no prerequisites). Lectures and readings will focus on ancient Israel's religion, literature, and history and their contribution to modern Western civilization. The approach will be literary, historical, and critical, using methods employed by scholars of different religious persuasions. ACABS 121 is designed to challenge the student with a series of questions and issues often ignored or neglected in spite of the widespread use of the Bible today. The course grade will be based upon daily assignments, attendance, and quizzes (20%), two major examinations (a midterm 30%, and a final, 30%; the exams are NOT cumulative), and an introductory essay (8-10 pages) on a topic of choice in consultation with the instructor (20%). The required texts are the "Revised Standard Version" of the Old Testament or the Jewish Publication Society's "Tanakh," and a course pack. Cost:2 WL:1 (Schmidt)
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200/Rel. 201/APTIS 200/HJCS 200. Introduction to World Religions: Near Eastern. (4). (HU).
See Religion 201. (Williams)
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221/Rel. 280. Jesus and the Gospels. (4). (HU).
The course will probe the gospels, including some non-canonical versions (e.g., the Gospel of Thomas), as sources to the life and teaching of Jesus. How reliable are the portraits of Jesus in the gospels, the oldest of which having been written some forty-five years after his execution? Through an acquirement of the different critical methods applied to the gospel texts by New Testament scholars, the students will be enabled to form a defensible answer to this question. Conjointly with the methodological instruction and exercises, there will be an impartation of the necessary knowledge about the religious, historical, and social world of Jesus, so that a correct interpretation of the texts can be obtained. The format of the course will consist of lectures by the instructor and mandatory discussion sessions conducted by a GSI. There will be two or three exams and one paper. Cost:3 WL:3 (Fossum)
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266. Before the Bible: Religion and Culture of Ancient Phoenicia and Palestine. (3). (Excl).
Introduction to the religion of the Canaanites (Phoenicians) and their culture, the ancestral religion and culture of Biblical Israel. Topics: the mythology of the Phoenicians and the Bible; the invention and spread of the alphabet; the "the peculiar institution" of child sacrifice; and others. (Krahmalkov)
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281. Ancient Egypt and its World. (4). (HU).
What was the world of the ancient Egyptians? The course is an undergraduate survey of ancient Egyptian culture and history. Through lectures, films, and demonstrations, the student will gain an overview of the main periods and trends in Egyptian political history and material culture, as well as an understanding of Egyptian society, religion, and literature. Other topics will include notions of kingship; the status of women; attitudes towards death and strategies for denying it; contacts and relationships with the outer world; principal types of archaeological sites; and hieroglyphs, the ancient Egyptian culture firsthand. Midterm and final exam; two textbooks and a course pack are required. Cost:2 WL:1
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101. Elementary Modern Standard Arabic, I. (4). (LR). Laboratory fee ($12) required.
This is the first course of a two-term sequence in elementary Arabic. It is designed for non-concentrators and those who need Arabic to satisfy the language requirement. It provides an introduction to the phonology and script of Modern Standard Arabic and its basic vocabulary and fundamental structures. It offers combined training in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. There will be a focus on simple interactive communicative tasks involving teacher-student, student-student, and group interactions. Reading and cultural skills are developed through simple short texts and situational dialogues. There will be daily written assignments involving supplying answers to certain drills and questions on reading comprehension passages, filling out forms, and writing short messages and paragraphs. Evaluation will be based on class participation, weekly achievement tests, monthly comprehensive tests, and a final exam. Regular use of the language laboratory or recorded tapes for home use is required to reinforce class work and also to do the recorded assignments. Textbooks: (1) A Programmed Course in Modern Standard Arabic Phonology and Script by McCarus-Rammuny, (2) Elementary Modern Standard Arabic, Part One by Abboud et al. (Lessons 1-10), (3) Supplementary Enrichment Vocabulary to accompany EMSA by R. Rammuny, and (4) Standard Achievement Tests to accompany EMSA by R. Rammuny. Cost:2 WL:3
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103. Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic, I. (6). (LR). Laboratory fee ($16) required.
The sequence of Arabic 103 and 104 is designed for students concentrating in Arabic or those who expect to use Arabic at an accelerated rate. It is primarily intended for highly-motivated students who want to study Arabic for academic purposes. Arabic 103 starts with an intensive introduction to Arabic phonology and script combined with oral basic communication practice. This is followed by short reading selections and situational dialogues including basic vocabulary and fundamental grammatical structures. The course offers combined training in the four language skills, plus practice in using the Arabic dictionary. Course requirements include daily preparation of the basic texts and grammatical explanations, extensive oral and written practice utilizing newly learned vocabulary and structures, and written assignments. These assignments involve answers to certain drills and reading comprehension questions, filling out short forms, and supplying short messages and biographical information. Course evaluation is based on class participation, daily written assignments, weekly achievement tests, monthly comprehensive tests, and a final examination. Textbooks: (1) Programmed Course in Modern Standard Arabic Phonology and Script by McCarus-Rammuny, (2) Elementary Modern Standard Arabic, Part One by Abboud et al. (Lessons 1-15), (3) Supplementary Enrichment Vocabulary to Accompany EMSA, and (4) Standard Achievement Tests to Accompany EMSA. Cost:2 WL:3 (Farghaly)
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141. Elementary Persian, I. (4). (LR).
Persian has been called the French of the Near/Middle East. Certainly, Persia/Iran has been in the news. Persian is an Indo-European language, related to English, etc. Its literature, as in other arts, is a major part of Near/Middle Eastern and Muslim tradition. Persian 141 is the first term of a four-term sequence. It takes the student through to the basic mastery of the skills of reading and writing, and of comprehension and speaking. Cultural as well as communicative skills are emphasized. By the end of the term the student should be well versed in these skills. Individual students work with the instructor to polish and improve the student's Persian language skills. The objective is language use. Students who have special needs, such as those acquiring the knowledge of Persian for reading purposes only, or for communicative skills only, will be given special attention, and special sessions. Similarly, students of Iranian heritage, who may know some Persian in its colloquial form, will find the linguistic and cultural content of this course stimulating.
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151. Elementary Turkish, I. (4). (LR).
Part of the departmental sequence in modern Turkish Language, this course aims at introducing and providing the opportunity to practice the basic structures of Turkish. Although it specifically focuses on enhancing spoken proficiency, reading and writing skills are taught and practiced through special readings and written assignments. Students are evaluated in accordance with the provisional Proficiency Guidelines prepared by the American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages, class participation, achievements in weekly quizzes, a midterm, and a final examination.
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200/Rel. 201/ACABS 200/HJCS 200. Introduction to World Religions: Near Eastern. (4). (HU).
See Religion 201. (Williams)
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101. Elementary Modern Hebrew, I. (5). (LR).
The focus of instruction is on the development of basic communication skills in standard modern Hebrew. Speaking, writing, reading, and listening comprehension are emphasized in classroom activities in an appropriate cultural context. Class discussions and activities are exclusively in Hebrew.
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200/Rel. 201/ACABS 200/APTIS 200. Introduction to World Religions: Near Eastern. (4). (HU).
See Religion 201. (Williams)
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201. Intermediate Modern Hebrew, I. HJCS 102. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Hebrew 311. (5). (LR).
The focus of instruction is on the four basic communication skills, with a continued emphasis on oral work and writing. A greater emphasis is put on the acquisition of a rich vocabulary in several language domains. In addition to reading texts, there is an extensive use of authentic video materials. Class discussions and activities are exclusively in Hebrew. (Sacerdoti)
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296/Judaic Studies 296/Rel. 296. Perspectives on the Holocaust. (4). (HU).
A study of the Holocaust as a historical event and its impact on Jewish thought and culture. We first survey the historical context: the European Jewish community on the eve of the destruction, and the events leading up to and culminating in that destruction. We will then focus on inner Jewish (and Gentile) reactions to the Holocaust, and broader philosophical and ethical implications. We ask: What are the problems (moral, emotional, conceptual) in reading and writing about the Holocaust? What are its implications for those of us who come "after"? The course is also a meditation on visions of the Other, on ethnic-religious hatred, tolerance, and healing. Memoirs, poetry, fiction, psychological literature, as well as theology, music, film, and architecture will be explored; as well as conversations with survivors. Take-home midterm; final exam; 5-8 page paper; journal option. Cost:3-4 WL:1 (Ginsburg)
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301. Advanced Hebrew, I. HJCS 202. (3). (Excl).
This is the third-year course within the Hebrew language sequence at the University of Michigan. As such, it constitutes a transitional stage from the lower levels - in which the concern is with learning the introductory grammar and acquisition of functional vocabulary - to the more advanced levels in which we will focus on the more complex linguistic structures. At this level we will treat original texts which will serve as the jumping-off point for in-class discussion and the basis for composition of essays at home. The goal is to expose the student to a wide range of texts as a window unto "the Israeli Experience." The course will incorporate other communications media, e.g., material recorded on audio tape, video clips, and multi-media. (Bernstein)
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401. Hebrew of the Communications Media, I. HJCS 202. (3). (Excl).
The social genre of the communications media (newspaper and television) serve as the basis for discussion of current events, readings and writing tasks. Unedited newspaper selections are read and television news broadcasts will be used in the classroom. Students' special projects, in the form of debates and individual papers, constitute an important part of the course assignments. Class discussions and activities are exclusively in Hebrew. (Coffin)
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