Prof. Joseph Chetrit, University of Haifa
* Born in 1941 in Tarudant, Morocco. Immigrated to Israel in 1963.
Academic Studies
* French Civilization and Political Science at the The Hebrew University in Jerusalem for the B.A. (1964-1967)
* French and General Linguistics at La Sorbonne and at Paris III – La Sorbonne Nouvelle for the Maitrise diploma (1968-1969)
* Has written a research thesis on “the synatx of temporal clauses in contemporary French” at Paris III – La Sorbonne Nouvelle for the Ph.D. (1969-1971).
Academic Teaching
* Taught Hebrew and Hebrew grammar at l’INALCO – Institut National des Langues et Littיratures Orientales in Paris (1969-1971).
* Taught technical and scientific French and led the French studies at the Technion, Haifa (1971-1973).
* Since October 1972 has taught at the Department of French Language and Literature of the University of Haifa French Grammar and Linguistics, Phonetics, Pragmatics and Socio-Pragmatics.
* Since October 1979 has taught at the Department of Hebrew Language of the University of Haifa Sociolinguistics and Socio-Pragmatics of Contemporary Hebrew and of North African Judeo-Arabic.
Acdemic Functions
* Was head of the Department of French Language and Literature (1981-1984, 1987-1990), head of the Pre-Academic Unit (Mechinot) (1991-1995; 1996-1997), Dean of the Faculty of Humanities (1997-2000), Vice Rector of the University of Haifa (2000-2004).
* Was member of several academic committees and commissions, including the committee of Nominations, the Permanent Commission, the Senate, the Executive Committee and the Administration of the University.
Research Interests
* General Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Socio-Pragmatics, Semiotics, Discourse Analysis
* Analysis of the Jewish Discourse in North Africa
* Hebrew Haskala and Modernization in North African Jewry
* Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic Poetry in North Africa
* Jewish languages and Judeo-Arabic dialects in Morocco
* Paremic traditions and uses of proverbs in Morocco
* Written and Oral creation in North Africa
* The relations between music and poetry in North Africa
Research institutions and groups
* Has lead the studies of Oriental Jewries at the University of Haifa since 1977.
* Chair of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture in Spain and in Muslim Lands at the Research Authority. See here about the Centre.
* Has initiated the foundation of the research group about Mediterranean Civilizations.
* Has initiated the foundation of the research group about the Jewish community, its structures and its evolution.
Prizes and honors
* Abraham Kariv Prize of the City of Haifa for the book The Written Judeo-Arabic Poetry in North Africa. Poetic, Linguistic and Cultural Studies (Hebrew), Jerusalem, Misgav Yerushalayim Press, 1994 (may 1998).
* Nissim Gaon Prize for the study of Jewish North African heritage for the book Piyyut and Hebrew Poetry in Morocco. A collection of Studies on Poems and Poets (Hebrew), Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1999 (May 2001).
* The Medal of the city of Paris for research achievements (April 2004).
* Decorated by the French Government as ‘Officier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques’ (May 2004) for academic and Mediterranean activities.
