Norway

This course introduces the microsociology of small groups and subcultures and reviews the sociological theories and research methods used to understand them. It examines how small groups and subcultures structure social life, as well as how they form and change over time. The course discusses key social aspects of group and subcultures such as norms, social structures, leadership, conformity, power, inequality, conflict, and cooperation. It identifies the different social roles that exist in small groups and subcultures and considers how small groups and subcultures affect identity, deviance, emotions, and creativity. The course highlights the significance of small groups and subcultures for social life and individual biographies, and provides an understanding of the complex interplay between micro and macro forms of social interaction.

This course provides an introduction to the literature of the English Renaissance, studied in a variety of historical contexts—poetic, intellectual, religious, and political. It offers a broad understanding of the most important literary trends in Renaissance England, analyzes the trends as connected with the ideas and socio-political development of the period, and develops critical reading and writing skills in English.

The course gives an overview of physiological functions in humans and other mammals. It provides an understanding of how the human body functions, and forms the foundation of our understanding of biomedical disciplines.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to video games’ technological and aesthetic forms of expression, and industrial and cultural contexts. It examines how games are similar to and different from other media, what the most important developments are in game history, and what their impact is on games, game development, and society. The course considers how games can be analyzed, interpreted, and understood; how games explore, reflect, and challenge culture through representations of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ethics, politics, and ideology; and what the central possibilities and challenges are for contemporary game industry and game culture. It discusses theories, terms, concepts, and models from game studies and game design literature. It analyzes and interprets structure, content, meaning, and interaction in different types of video games and discusses critically the game industry and game culture. The course provides an opportunity to practice the ability to convey academic and professional knowledge about video games in discussions, presentations, and in writing. The course is well suited for those who want in-depth academic and professional insights into video games as a phenomenon and field of research and wish to work with or research games further.

This course provides a theoretical overview of the key historical developments and on-going contemporary debates in Norwegian architecture and design. The interplay between architecture, city planning and design, and the specific Norwegian cultural, economic, and political environment in which they are practiced as applied design disciplines, is a central focus for exploration and discussion in the course. Norway’s role within overlapping Scandinavian, European, and increasingly global, contexts is also explored through the study of key international developments and the impact of these upon Norwegian architectural, city planning, and design discourse. The City of Oslo especially (considered in terms of its key historic and contemporary buildings, cultural institutions, public space and contrasting urban environments) is actively used as a "living classroom" for exploration of these issues and the wider questions that the issues subsequently raise. 

This seminar covers Norwegian history, political system, welfare state, economy, environmental issues, gender issues and family, minority and immigration, media, education, literature, visual arts, music, religion, and identity. It provides an overview and understanding of Norwegian culture and society in a historical and contemporary perspective.

This course surveys the history and culture of Norway during the Viking Era (ca. 750-1030) and the Medieval Era (ca. 1030-1536), including mutual influences and interactions with neighboring regions and peoples. The course includes a focus on Norse mythology and covers the social and political contexts of Viking expeditions, national unification, and conversion to Christianity. It covers the medieval Kingdom of Norway’s period of relative peace and prosperity in the 1200s, and then the Black Death and Kalmar Union. Reading focuses on skaldic and saga literature (especially Icelandic and Norwegian) and other historical primary sources. Also included in this course is consideration of how the memory of the Vikings and Medieval Norway have influenced political and cultural trends in Norway over the past few centuries.

This course offers an introduction to the academic study of international politics. It begins with a basic introduction to international relations theories, in order to provide the theoretical framework for understanding and debating global topics. The course then moves on to discussing main subjects in contemporary international relations by focusing on the interaction between state actors, non-state actors, and international institutions. It looks specifically at the role of small states like Norway in the international system and how they interact with international institutions and major powers. The final section of the course utilizes the empirical and analytical knowledge gathered to analyze important topics on the global agenda, like the future of globalization and geopolitical conflicts. The class encourages lively discussion, a goal easily met by the students' contribution of their opinions based on their diverse cultural and academic backgrounds.

This course presents the historical background, development, and present-day challenges of the Norwegian welfare state. It examines the role of values and norms in shaping the services offered by the welfare state, as well as how the structure of the state in turn shapes societal norms and values. The course follows how political debates concerning the country's welfare programs have shifted in response to accelerated immigration, changing gender roles, and shifting employment patterns. It pays special attention to universal welfare services, work-family balance, and the Introduction Programme (Norway’s integration package), as these are some of the distinctive features of the Norwegian welfare state. Additional modules on education, healthcare, childcare, corrections, and labor market policy demonstrate values and norms in practice, as well as highlight the challenges that increased globalization presents to a state welfare system. The course puts emphasis on classroom discussion and student participation with the aim of enabling students to make a comparative analysis of social structures and institutions in their own and other countries.

Students work with texts and exercises relating to daily life (family, home, work, shopping, food). The course includes extensive practice in communicative speech functions, such as greetings, asking for and providing information, and expressing opinions and feelings. Work with the main features of Norwegian phonetics and grammar is also central to this course. By the end of the course students are able to understand clearly spoken Norwegian; read textbooks and similar texts; and talk about subjects relating to everyday life; pronounce Norwegian in a way that does not interfere with communication; write about topics dealt with in the course; express thoughts and opinions, albeit simply; and know the basic rules of Norwegian grammar.