Norway

This course covers the tumultuous history of the Soviet Union, as seen through the eyes of those who experienced it first-hand. Through English-language translations of primary sources, the course introduces students to the perspectives of the visionary actors who called for the creation of a revolutionary new society, following them into their participation in projects of vision and of violence, the perspectives of the many victims of revolutionary upheaval and their forms of opposition, and the ambivalent voices of the many who were caught in between. Our discussions address many of the prominent themes in the historiography of the Soviet Union: the relationship between state and society and center and periphery; forces of change and continuity in political, intellectual, scientific, social, and cultural life; the development of Soviet nationalities policy; revolutionary politics and the cultural revolution; Stalinism; mass mobilization during World War II; the development of Soviet influence in East-Central Europe and of the Communist world; the re-launch of the Soviet project under Khrushchev; stagnation and the rise of Russian nationalism in the late Soviet period; and the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

This advanced introductory course in Norwegian language for international students at UiO takes place both online and in class. This is the second introductory Norwegian language course for international students taught in English in a series; though both Norwegian and English language is used in class. The students follow a MOOC online course (Introduction to Norwegian 2) for four weeks, and then four meetings are held on campus. In addition to getting an introduction to Norwegian language, the students become familiar with the student life and everyday life at UiO. After taking this course students are able to express themselves comprehensively on familiar topics, both written and oral; understand oral Norwegian about familiar topics when the interlocutor speaks clearly and slowly; understand written Norwegian about familiar topics; master Norwegian morphology and syntax reviewed during the course; and master basic Norwegian pronunciation reviewed on the course. The course requires students to have completed NORINT0105M - Introduction to Norwegian at UiO as a prerequisite.

The course provides a basis for understanding development in childhood and adolescence from a biopsychosocial perspective. The course focuses on interactions and associations between children’s genetic dispositions, neurocognitive, and psychological factors. Psychosocial development is understood as a complex interplay between the individual and the environment. Of particular interests is the focus on early adversity, family risks, and social relationship. The syllabus and lectures address topics such as contextualized and dynamic developmental models, gene x environment interactions, risk and resilience factors for emerging mental health problems, social influences on brain and psychological development, and development of risk-taking. A general theme through the course is on developmental mechanisms and transactional processes.

Problems in philosophical aesthetics, both historical and contemporary, are treated in this course. They may be approached as purely philosophical questions or as questions that arise in the meeting of philosophy with the arts. For example: What is beauty and what is its place among other things in the world? What is art and what is its place among other things and other activities? How is aesthetic quality judged? Texts and focus in the course vary.

This course studies how economic globalization and technological change interact in shaping development at the level of regions and countries. Peter Dicken's GLOBAL SHIFT is the main text used. The first part of the course defines economic globalization as growing functional interdependencies between countries and regions in the world economy. It proceeds to map contemporary trends, including the entry of countries such as China and India as major players. Current debates over "slowbalization" and "deglobalization" are also introduced. The second part is more theoretical, discussing specifically the role of multinational companies and more generally the question of industry localization in light of modern space-shrinking transportation and communication technologies. The role of the state in regulating and facilitating economic globalization is thoroughly discussed. Critical questions concerning who are the winners and losers in ongoing global shifts are reflected upon, with emphasis on how the policies, industrial structures, and institutional conditions of regions and countries determine whether they benefit or not. Finally, economic globalization is discussed in the context of social and environmental sustainability challenges.