Original Web Document: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Outline36501W98.html
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Religious Studies 365.01 |
Course Outline, Winter 1998 |
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Medieval Judaism |
Class time: MWF 11:00-11:50 | |
Instructor: |
E. Segal | |
Office: |
Social Sciences 1330 | |
Office hours: |
W 10:-10:50 or by request | |
Telephone: |
220-5886 | |
Internet: |
E-mail: |
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World-Wide Web:Material related to this course, including class notes, will be posted at: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/RelS_365/365_Index.html |
This course will explore the principal streams of Jewish religious thought and activity from the end of the Talmudic era until the European Emancipation. Emphasis will be placed upon the three dominant religious trends:
In addition to familiarizing the student with the important facts, documents and religious movements of Medieval Judaism, this course will also provide an introduction to the scholarly methodologies that are necessary for the historical study of religion.
Attention will be paid to identifying and characterizing the literary sources that are the basis for our knowledge of medieval religious practices, institutions and ideas. The critical reading of representative primary texts (in translation) will play a central role in the class. Students will learn how to approach the these texts from a variety of methodological perspectives, in order to utilize them for a reconstruction of the multifaceted religious lives of medieval Jews.
Students will be expected to submit two short reports and a major research paper, one for each of the three areas covered in the course. See instructions below.
A more detailed bibliography and "suggested topics" list will be distributed in class
The paper requirement will consist of the equivalent of approximately ten
(double-spaced) typewritten pages on a topic related to one of the three areas covered in
the course (see "Course Description" above).
The reports will consist of five pages (possibly a book review or summary of an article)
on the two areas not dealt with in the major paper.
Please consult with the insturctors with regard to selection of topics.
Letter grades will be asigned on the basis of the following scheme:
A | 100 - 90 | A- | 89 - 85 | ||
B+ | 84 - 80 | B | 79 - 75 | B- | 74 - 70 |
C+ | 69 - 65 | C | 64 - 60 | C- | 59 - 55 |
D+ | 54 - 50 | D | 49 - 45 | B- | 44 or less |
Plagiarism is a serious offense, the penalty for which is an F on the assignment and
possibly also an F on the course, academic probation, or requirement to withdraw. The
University Calendar states that "plagiarism exists when:
While it is recognized that scholarly work often involves references to the ideas, data
and conclusions of other scholars, intellectual honesty requires that such references be
explicitly and clearly noted.
Plagiarism occurs not only when direct quotations are taken from a source without specific
acknowledgment, but also when original ideas or data from the source are not acknowledged.
A bibliography is insufficient to establish which portions of the student's work are taken
from external sources; footnotes or other recognized forms of citation must be used for
this purpose.