SCAN 3501W is also offered in Fall 2024
SCAN 3501W is also offered in Fall 2022
Fall 2017 | SCAN 3501W Section 001: Scandinavian Culture Past and Present (34548)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- Student Option
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Class Attributes:
UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
- Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
Mon,
Wed,
Fri 12:20PM - 01:10PM
UMTC, East Bank
Kolthoff Hall 139
Mon,
Wed,
Fri 12:20PM - 01:10PM
UMTC, East Bank
Kolthoff Hall 140
Mon,
Wed,
Fri 12:20PM - 01:10PM
UMTC, East Bank
Kolthoff Hall 139
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- Cultural, social, and political developments; principal views and core values; major cultural figures; Scandinavian mentality. Readings in translation for nonmajors. Invited lectures on central topics within selected areas of study.
- Class Notes:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?SCAN3501W+Fall2017
- Class Description:
Today the Nordic region is known abroad for its commitment to social democracy and gender equality, its sleek modern architecture and design, its dramatic northern landscapes, its long summer days and long winter nights, as well as its countries' consistently high rankings on the UN's World Happiness Report. But how did Scandinavia's regional identity and global reputation get to where it is today?
This course will examine the cultural symbols, traditions, and concepts that have contributed to the construction of a cohesive regional identity, as well as the historical circumstances and developments that gave rise to the sense of "Scandinavian culture" that exists today. Learning about the role of the Vikings and other Nordic explorers, the history of architecture and design, the collection of folk tales and rural dialects, the evolving understanding of the natural landscape, as well as the representation of ethnic and gender identity in film and television in recent years, we will encounter some of the most important genres, trends, concepts, and works in Scandinavian cultural history. Reading assignments will include works by major authors such as Kierkegaard, Andersen, Ibsen, Hamsun, Tranströmer, and Sjón. Additionally, we will screen a number of silent and sound films, as well as selections from contemporary television series. Through informal and formal written assignments,writing and research workshops, as well as active in-class discussions and lectures, students will learn how to think critically about how national and regional cultural myths arise, what basis they might have in empirical reality, and how and why the idea of a national or regional "culture" is invoked in various contexts.- Grading:
- 30% lecture; 25% film and video; 25% discussion; 20% small group activities and workshops
- Workload:
- 50 - 75 reading pages per week; 3 papers; 1 research presentation
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/34548/1179
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 5 May 2017
ClassInfo Links - Fall 2017 Scandinavian Classes