Scandinavian Studies

The course focuses on the Scandinavian colonial expansion from 1600 to the early 20th century. Based on a number of case studies (e.g. resource colonialism in Sápmi and Greenland, plantations in the Danish West Indies, trade and consumption of colonial products), the course examines colonial discourses and practice and notice relationships between colonialism and resources/environment, economics, power, resistance and science and colonial inheritance. The course also explores the different cultural processes, such as creolisation, othering and ambivalence that takes place in colonial environments and manifests itself in material culture. The course introduces theoretical procedures for historical-archaeological studies of colonialism and presents different sources, methods and perspectives and central research questions.

This course provides basic knowledge of the culture of the Viking Age, such as it is presented in contemporary sources and in interpretations and applications from the past two centuries with a special focus on how this culture has gained considerable importance then and in modern times, in the Viking homelands, and the surrounding world. The course provides skills in interpreting, understanding and discussing certain contemporary sources both written (Old Norse literature, rune inscriptions, chronicles) and archaeological, and to analyze the nature of Viking culture's depiction in high and popular culture in fiction, film, media, monuments and cultural-political contexts with a certain emphasis on its relationship with the romantic tradition. The course highlights how the modern spread of Viking culture has been marked by academic and political disagreements.

The course extends the student's Swedish vocabulary and ability to adapt their Swedish to different communication situations and to provide an opportunity to develop the ability to express themselves in a grammatically correct and varied manner. In addition to the skills training, the course also covers the typical features of Swedish grammar and phonetics. Written proficiency is practiced through written assignments of various kinds as well as summaries and presentations based on texts they have read or listened to an active vocabulary is built up through the reading of primarily newspaper articles and contemporary Swedish literature. Current societal issues are discussed and summarized. The pronunciation exercises have a particular focus on phonemic quality and prosody. To be admitted to the course, students must meet the general entry requirements for higher education in Sweden (with the exception of proficiency in Swedish) and have knowledge equivalent to SVEH15 Swedish for Students with a Foreign Background: Level 5, 7.5 credits

This is a higher level course (CEFR B2 - C1) for international students. The course is based on different types of non-fiction texts, fiction texts, radio and TV programs, and other types of written and oral presentations. Students learn to give oral presentations and to use language flexibly and appropriately for both social and academic purposes. Students are expected to contribute actively to discussions and debates, for example, by asking questions, justifying and arguing for their own opinions. Students are also expected to give feedback to each other. The learning objectives for written production in the curriculum Norwegian for immigrants - level C1 form the basis of the teaching, and the course is therefore useful for students who wish to take the Norwegian language test at level C1. This is a proficiency course with a final examination. 

This course is designed to introduce incoming exchange students to the history of Denmark from the Viking Age to the present day. The course introduces some of the main events and central themes in Danish history. The focus is on political history, but the course also includes important developments in economic, social, and cultural history. The course equips students to engage in discussions of questions such as: what is "Denmark" and what is "Danish" about Danish history? What are the boundaries of Denmark and how have these changed over time? How is Danish history periodized and what have been the key turning points? How should we understand the impact of events and developments such as the Black Death, the Reformation, absolutism, agriculture or the welfare state? The course also considers Danish history in its different transnational (Scandinavian, European, and global) contexts, with reference to themes such as trade, war, colonialism, European integration, and globalization.

This is a higher level course (CEFR B2 - C1) for international students. Students will learn about the genre features of non-fiction texts such as reader’s comments, opinion pieces, and job applications. Through writing summaries, students learn how to extract information from complex texts. Other relevant topics include the writing process, response/feedback groups, and the ideals of plain language. Students are expected to participate in response/feedback groups and actively give feedback to their peers. The learning objectives for written production in the curriculum Norwegian for immigrants - level C1 form the basis of the teaching, and the course is therefore useful for students who wish to take the Norwegian language test at level C1. This is a proficiency course with a final portfolio assessment.

The course extends the student’s Swedish vocabulary and to provide students with the opportunity to practice oral and written proficiency. The skills training also includes a presentation of the typical features of Swedish grammar and phonetics. The course also provides information on Swedish social life and institutions and glimpses of modern Swedish literature. The students extend their productive and receptive vocabulary through reading. It also includes pronunciation exercises with a particular focus on prosodic features.

The course provides an orientation on the history of Swedish music in contemporary culture. Social and historical contexts are of central importance in this course. Emphasis is placed on popular music traditions (music production and technology) from the twentieth century, such as jazz and rock. The course considers both Sweden's historical and recent musical contributions to a wealth of national and international genres and cultural trends.

The Nordic countries have often been regarded as model societies, famous for their high levels of economic prosperity, social equality, and political stability. Students discuss the historical roots of this distinctive Nordic experience and how it has changed since the end of the Cold War, as the Nordic countries have needed to adopt to new regional, Europewide, and global developments. The historical introduction is followed by a thematic examination of contemporary Nordic societies in a comparative perspective, looking at the varied legacies of the Nordic model. Topics include Nordic foreign and security policy, domestic politics and the rise of the populist right, immigration and integration, crime and justice, gender equality, environmentalism and Nordic co-operation. It should be noted that a focus on the Nordic countries also provides a new perspective on some of the most important developments affecting the whole of Europe over the last 30 years. 

During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.

The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.