14160
Basic Course
Narrating the Self: Autobiographical Writing in Classical Arabic Literature.
Isabel Toral-Niehoff
Additional information / Pre-requisites
"Good English skills are necessary for reading academic literature.
- Basic knowledge of Arabic literary history is an advantage.
- Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage but not necessary, as the texts will (also) be read in translation.
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Comments
In this course, we will examine autobiographical texts from the Arab world with a focus on the pre-modern period. The focus will be on intellectual self-portrayals and spiritual crisis narratives, as well as literary memoirs of rulers. Among other things, we will ask how individuals expressed themselves during this period and whether contemporary (Western) concepts of autobiography can be applied to these texts. This raises questions about the functions of autobiographical texts (e.g., religious, didactic, apologetic), narrative strategies and literary forms, and the expression of emotions. The role of education, religion, politics, and society in the construction of the self will also be discussed. close
Suggested reading
"Reynolds, Dwight F., ed. 2001. Interpreting the Self: Autobiography in the Arabic Literary Tradition. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press.
Enderwitz, Susanne, 2019. “The Arab World”. In Handbook of Autobiography / Autofiction, 807-897. De Gruyter.
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16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Tue, 2025-10-14 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-10-21 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-10-28 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-11-04 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-11-11 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-11-18 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-11-25 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-12-02 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-12-09 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2025-12-16 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-01-06 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-01-13 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-01-20 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-01-27 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-02-03 14:00 - 16:00
Tue, 2026-02-10 14:00 - 16:00