Zugl.: Oslo, Theol. Gemeindefakultät, veränd. Diss. 2006

Mwanadamu amejaribu kwa vyovyote vile kuvumbua na kunyumbua mambo mapya ambayo yataleta mvuto na kupimia akili yake kiubunifu katika hali ya kutaka kutangamana zaidi na binadamu mwenzake au kutaka kuelewa zaidi ulimwengu wake. Ndiposa washairi wengi wa kisasa wanashikilia kwamba ulimwengu unabadilika na hivyo utamaduni wa ushairi lazima ubadilike. Katika wasilisho hili tunajadili mabadiliko haya ya kimaumbo na athari zake katika ushairi wa Kiswahili. Si lengo letu kushawishi msomaji kujiunga na kikundi fulani cha ushairi bali kuangazia hoja mwafaka zinazotokana na mivutano na mikinzano katika mabadiliko haya, na namna mitazamo hii inavyofanikisha maendeleo ya ushairi.

Stuttgart, FH, Diplomarb., 1999.

Contemporary Swahili poetry is developing according to three main trends. The followers of the first trend - the so called "traditionalists" - stick to classic forms of old Swahili poetry. Following the Swahili canon of versification, traditionalists continue to be within the limits of two main genres of old Swahili literature - tendi (long poems) and mashairi (moderate lyrics and philosophical verses). In Swahili poetry foregoing sudden changes were marked by the appearance of a group of young authors on the poetic stage in the 1970s, who gave a dare to tradition. Their venture radically changed the character of Swahili literature, marking the appearance of the second trend of Swahili poetry, the \\\"new\\\" or \\\"modernistic\\\" poetry. But along with traditional and \\\"modernistic\\\" schools there exists a third trend of Swahili poetry - it is that sort of versification, which one may call \\\"transitional\\\". In general it looks lile pure \\\"modernism\\\", where at first sight one cannot see even the faintest resemblance with the traditional canon, but the more careful search makes it obvious that there is a true continuity between traditional and contemporary art. The best examples of such transformation are the poems of two prominent figures of contemporary Swahili poetry, the Tanzanians Theobald Mvungi and Said Ahmed Mohamed.

Sanaa ya ushairi inajisawiri kama nyenzo muhimu katika maendeleo na ukuaji wa binadamu ulimwenguni. Ujenzi wa taswira zinazowasilisha mada nyeti za kijamii ni changamoto ya kiusanii inayoibua maswala tata. Ndiposa wasilisho hili linachunguza mjadala wa usawiri wa mwanamke katika ushairi wa kisasa. Mada nyingi zinazohakiki matini za kishairi hulenga miuundo, mitindo na maswala mengineyo ya kijamii bila kuangazia swala la utata wa mwanamke. Uzingatifu wa vipengee hivi umefifisha uangafu wa taswira ya mwanamke katika ushairi wa Kiswahili kana kwamba ushairi umempuuza mwanamke kama mhusika mkuu. Tunachukulia kwamba matini za kishairi za kisasa zinahusisha mbinu na nyenzo mpya ambazo zimebadilisha sura na taswira ya mwanamke. Maswali yanayoibuka ni; Je, Mwanamke angali tata katika ushairi wa kisasa kwenye enzi ya karne ya ishirini na moja? Je, umbo jipya la mwanamke ni lipi katika ushairi wa kisasa?

Sanaa ya ushairi inajisawiri kama nyenzo muhimu katika maendeleo na ukuaji wa binadamu ulimwenguni. Ujenzi wa taswira zinazowasilisha mada nyeti za kijamii ni changamoto ya kiusanii inayoibua maswala tata. Ndiposa wasilisho hili linachunguza mjadala wa usawiri wa mwanamke katika ushairi wa kisasa. Mada nyingi zinazohakiki matini za kishairi hulenga miuundo, mitindo na maswala mengineyo ya kijamii bila kuangazia swala la utata wa mwanamke. Uzingatifu wa vipengee hivi umefifisha uangafu wa taswira ya mwanamke katika ushairi wa Kiswahili kana kwamba ushairi umempuuza mwanamke kama mhusika mkuu. Tunachukulia kwamba matini za kishairi za kisasa zinahusisha mbinu na nyenzo mpya ambazo zimebadilisha sura na taswira ya mwanamke. Maswali yanayoibuka ni; Je, Mwanamke angali tata katika ushairi wa kisasa kwenye enzi ya karne ya ishirini na moja? Je, umbo jipya la mwanamke ni lipi katika ushairi wa kisasa?

Mwanadamu amejaribu kwa vyovyote vile kuvumbua na kunyumbua mambo mapya ambayo yataleta mvuto na kupimia akili yake kiubunifu katika hali ya kutaka kutangamana zaidi na binadamu mwenzake au kutaka kuelewa zaidi ulimwengu wake. Ndiposa washairi wengi wa kisasa wanashikilia kwamba ulimwengu unabadilika na hivyo utamaduni wa ushairi lazima ubadilike. Katika wasilisho hili tunajadili mabadiliko haya ya kimaumbo na athari zake katika ushairi wa Kiswahili. Si lengo letu kushawishi msomaji kujiunga na kikundi fulani cha ushairi bali kuangazia hoja mwafaka zinazotokana na mivutano na mikinzano katika mabadiliko haya, na namna mitazamo hii inavyofanikisha maendeleo ya ushairi.

Zugl.: Princeton, New Jersey, Univ., Diss., 2006 u.d.T.: Marga, Amy: Partners in gospel

St. Gallen, Univ., Diss., 2007. / Diss.Nr. 3319.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Graz, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-346).