Prospectus

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Oral Literature: Research in Living Traditions

Course
2014-2015

Description

The course offers theories and methods of analysis for oral texts in the comparison of case studies from Africa, Asia, and Amerindian America. Students have the opportunity to understand and interpret oral performances not only by learning and discussing methodologies of analysis but also by looking at performers and by performing oral genres themselves under the supervision of lecturers and storytellers.

With the knowledge acquired during the course, ATC students will write their paper when they are in Africa in the second semester (see “Werkstuk Afrika”). All the other students write their paper and submit it three weeks after the course. The required length of the paper is 10 pages.

Remarks

Voertaal: Engels.

Course Objectives

  1. Acquire critical knowledge of theories and methods of analysis of oral performances.
  2. Acquire and practice techniques of text transcription and translation.
  3. Acquire and practice techniques of ‘visual’ description of the performance and the context of performance.
  4. Understand oral performances by performing oral genres under the supervision of lecturers and storytellers.
  5. Develop critical thinking and communication skills in presentations and essays.

Timetable

Zie rooster op website Afrikaanse talen en culturen Collegerooster

Mode of Instruction

Seminar

Course load

  • Total: 140 hrs (5 EC)

  • Lectures: 26 hrs

  • Literature: 110 hrs

  • Take home-exam: 4 hrs

Assessment Method

  • take home exam 15%

  • research practice 20%

  • oral presentation 5%

  • paper 60%

Blackboard

Blackboard wordt gebruikt voor het ter beschikking stellen van programma, studiemateriaal, power point presentaties van de docent, announcements.

Blackboard

Literature

The students read the articles before the lectures (a file with materials is in the hall of ATC department, building 1166, first floor). Example:

  • Finnegan, R., The Oral and Beyond, Currey: Oxford, U of Chicago Press: Chicago, U of KwaZule-Natal Press: Pietermaritzburg, 2007

  • Finnegan, R., Oral Tradition and the Verbal Arts, Routledge: London and New York, 1992, chap. 9 (Texts in process), pp. 186-213.

  • Merolla, D., Dangerous Love in Mythical Narratives and Formula Tales, Religion, Volume 39, Issue 3, September 2009, pp. 283-288.

  • Mous, M., Ka babäy kabäbiyo: Riddling in Iraqw, AAP 62 (2000): 39-69

  • van Engelenhoven, A., Ktunu: clues in the quest of the Sailfish: Linguistic insights in Southwest Malukan narratives (East-Indonesia), In: Lander, Y.A. & Ogloblin, A.K. (Eds.), Language and Text in the Austronesian World. Studies in Honour of Ülo Sirk (LINCOM Studies in Austronesian Linguistics), 06. , pp. 311-325. München: Lincom GmbH.

Registration

Aanmelden als student via uSis

Aanmelding voor A la carte en contractonderwijs

Aanmelden A la Carte.
Aanmelden Contractonderwijs.

Contact

Dr. Daniela Merolla