Arabic: Children‘s Literature

On completion of the course, students will, in Arabic, be able to:

• explain historical developments within Arabic children‘s and young adult literature, with particular focus on the 20th and 21st centuries.
• describe the most common themes in Arabic children‘s and young adult literature
• compare Arabic children‘s and young adult literature with European and Swedish children‘s and young adult literature
• discuss different reading techniques and how these affect reading
• discuss problems and opportunities that are presented by children‘s literature that has been translated
• analyse the advantages and disadvantages of children‘s literature written in standard Arabic or the different dialects.

The course provides an introduction to Arabic children‘s and young adult literature and focuses on developments in the genre in the 20th and 21st centuries, while also including poetry and songs. The course involves the reading and discussion of literature written in standard Arabic and various dialects, with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of different choices. The course places Arabic children‘s and young adult literature in relation to Swedish and European children‘s and young adult literature with a focus on style and theme, and also addresses the problems and opportunities that translated literature presents. During the course, different reading styles are presented that can be used when the texts are being read with children and young adults.

Continuous examination by way of assessment of students‘ active participation in seminars, written assignments and a final written examination.

The course is taught through lectures and seminars in which students must actively participate. The language of instruction is Arabic.

The Swedish grades U–VG.

Students require good knowledge of Arabic to be able to complete the course successfully.