Fall 2009

SCA 335 • Creating Scandinavia

Course Description

In this course we will examine national building and nationalism in Scandinavia in a historical and contemporary context. We will discuss how writers and artists interpret nationalism and national identity. We will look at how the different Scandinavian countries created a national history in the 19th and how this history is used in contemporary Scandinavia. This will lead us to a discussion of Scandinavia and WW2, and current issues such as globalization, colonization, minorities, immigration, gender, and nationalism.

Grading Policy

Participation: 10% Three one-page argument/response papers: 15% Quizzes 10% Midterm: 15% Two essays (one of which must be substantially revised) 30% Final research paper: 20%

Texts

Primary: Asbjørnson & Moe: Norwegian Folk Tales. Hans Christian Andersen: Fairytales & National Hymns Icelandic Saga Peter Høeg: Smilla's Sense of Snow Rolf Jakobsen: Poetry Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House Secondary: Benedict Andersen: From: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism Homi K. Bhabha: Introduction: Narrating the Nation The Econonomist: A Survey of the Nordic Countries Byron Nordstrom (from Scandinavia Since 1500): Nationalism, Scandinavia and WW2, The Contemporary Era: Norden Since 1945 Ulla V. Bondesen: An Introduction to the Nordic Countries Nordic Landscape Painting: Introduction Thomas Hylland Eriksen: Globalization and Goat Cheese: Defining the Norwegian Identity Jørgen Goul Andersen and Jens Hoff: Immigrants, Refugees and Citizenship in Scandinavia Newpaper articles etc. Films: Jalla Jalla 101 Reykjavik

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