Norwegian Courses Fall 2022
Courses that may be of interest to first year students are in italics.
Norwegian 111: Beginning Norwegian I
Section B – Prof. Tanya Thresher, MWF 9:05-10:00
Section C – Prof. Michael Knudson, MWF 11:50-12:45
Proficiency in a second language opens the door to another culture and another way of viewing the world. This course starts students on the road to achieving such a proficiency. Students begin learning to speak, understand, read, and write Norwegian and learn about Norwegian culture through the language. Offered fall semester and interim 2023 this academic year.
Norwegian 231: Intermediate Norwegian I
GE: FOL-N, Core: WLC
Section A – Prof. Michael Knudson, MWF 10:45-11:40
Section B – Prof. Jenna Coughlin, MWF 11:50-12:45
Students improve proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with an emphasis on communication as well as improved grammatical accuracy. Reading and discussion of authentic literary and cultural texts allow students to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of the Norwegian way of life. Offered annually in the fall semester.
Prerequisite: NORW 112 or by placement test.
Norwegian 253: Social Debates in Historical Context
GE: FOL-N, ORC; Core: GHS, WLC
Prof. Jenna Coughlin, T 8:00-9:25 / Th 8:00-9:20
In this course students work to develop competence in Norwegian culture, history and society through a survey of the state and politics and the Norwegian population. Through these topics, students learn about important moments in Norwegian history. They explore some of the most important debates that are taking place in Norway now, and learn to formulate themselves in several oral and written contexts, including informative presentations and discussion and argumentative texts.
Prerequisite: NORW 232 or by placement test.
Nordic Studies 219: Ethics of Print.
Prof. Troy Wellington Smith, T 11:45-1:10 / Th 12:45-2:05
GE: EIN, WRI; Core: ERC
The Ethics of Print: Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, and the Danish Golden Age” will explore the literary polemics of the period (ca. 1800-1850) involving the two figures named in the title. The course fulfills Ethical Issues and Normative Perspectives (EIN), Ethical Reasoning in Context (ERC), and Writing in Context (WRI), and it counts towards the Philosophy and Norwegian majors, and the Nordic Studies concentration..
Nordic Studies 277: Islamic Communities in Scandinavia
GE: EIN; Core: ERC
Prof. Tanya Thresher, MWF 12:55-1:50
This course investigates intersections of faith, culture, and politics in Scandinavian and Islamic communities. Students study early encounters between Islamic and Nordic societies and the history of migration to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden from traditionally Islamic countries. Students will examine the cultural challenges faced by Muslims, in particular women, media representations of the Muslim community in politics and society, and extreme reactions that have arisen in the face of multi-religious communities in Scandinavia. Offered alternate years. Also counts toward Norwegian major.
History 211: Viking and Medieval Scandinavia
GE: GHS; Core: HWC
Prof. Michael Knudson, MWF 9:05-10:00
This course begins by offering a historical survey of the Viking expansion with a particular emphasis on primary written sources, including Eddaic poetry, Sagas of Icelanders and King’s sagas (including material on St. Olaf). The second half conversely is focused on contemporary accounts (including literature, comic books and films), both Nordic and English/American, that rework this historical heritage in the present day. Offered annually. Counts toward medieval studies major and Nordic studies concentration.
FYS 120L: Nordic Romantic Science
GE: FYS
Prof. Troy Wellington-Smith, T 8:00-9:25 / Th 8:00-9:20
What was natural philosophy? How was it that the sciences and the humanities were once viewed as a shared endeavor, but are now treated as separate? In the Romantic period (ca. 1750-1850), natural scientists were still considered philosophers, and poets and novelists like Mary Shelley first asked critical social and ethical questions about the consequences of scientific breakthroughs (such as in the novel Frankenstein, which we will read). The focal point of this course will be the Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted, who discovered electromagnetism in 1820, and mentored the other Hans Christian, the fairytale author Andersen. After improving their academic reading, writing, and research skills, students, for their class project, will work together to create a display about Ørsted at the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis.
Prerequisite: first-year student status.
WRIT 120I: Writing and Rhetoric. Topic: Wellness and Disability in a Nordic Context
GE: FYW; Core: WRR
Prof. Tanya Thresher, MWF 2:00-2:55
The Nordic welfare models are considered exemplary for their promises of equality and well-being for all, but history shows the Nordic countries have not always treated people with disabilities well. This course examines how disability operates in the Nordic region and how it intersects with other markers of diversity such as race, gender, age, and class. We will ask how we might reimagine the different experiences of people with disabilities as an element of a diverse, equitable society by closely examining the representations of people with disabilities in literature, film, art, journalism, and popular culture. Additionally we will question how our concepts of bodymind normalcy shape our own understanding of ability and disability.
Prerequisite: first-year student status.
Course Offerings Fall 2022
Explore our upcoming courses.
Proficiency in a second language opens the door to another culture and another way of viewing the world. This course starts students on the road to achieving such a proficiency. Students begin learning to speak, understand, read, and write Norwegian and learn about Norwegian culture through the language. Offered annually in the fall semester.
Students improve proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with an emphasis on communication as well as improved grammatical accuracy. Reading and discussion of authentic literary and cultural texts allow students to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of the Norwegian way of life. Offered annually in the fall semester.
Prerequisite: NORW 112 or equivalent
Course Description: In this course students work to develop competence in Norwegian culture, history and society through a survey of the state and politics and the Norwegian population. Through these topics, students learn about important moments in Norwegian history. They explore some of the most important debates that are taking place in Norway now, and learn to formulate themselves in several oral and written contexts, including informative presentations and discussion and argumentative texts.
Prerequisite:NORW 232 or by placement test.
Students gain insight into Norwegian identity and culture, expand vocabulary, and improve fluency and grammatical accuracy by reading a variety of texts and writing essays. Speaking assignments help students understand readings and become more effective speakers. Offered annually in the fall semester. Also counts toward management studies concentration.
Prerequisite: NORW 232 or equivalent.
Course Description: This course investigates intersections of faith, culture, and politics in Scandinavian and Islamic communities. Students study early encounters between Islamic and Nordic societies and the history of migration to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden from traditionally Islamic countries. Students will examine the cultural challenges faced by Muslims, in particular women, media representations of the Muslim community in politics and society, and extreme reactions that have arisen in the face of multi-religious communities in Scandinavia. Offered alternate years. Counts toward Norwegian major.
Course Description: This course begins by offering a historical survey of the Viking expansion with a particular emphasis on primary written sources, including Eddaic poetry, Sagas of Icelanders and King’s sagas (including material on St. Olaf). The second half conversely is focused on contemporary accounts (including literature, comic books and films), both Nordic and English/American, that rework this historical heritage in the present day. Offered annually. Counts toward medieval studies major and Nordic studies concentration.
Course Description: This course emphasizes critical thinking, conversation, collaboration, and academic habits for the liberal arts. Students learn key skills like locating and evaluating academic sources, as well as reading, reflecting, and responding to texts. Students cultivate their own curiosity while also learning how to engage in community, better understanding their responsibilities to each other. This course is open to first-year students and a limited number of sophomores.
Prerequisite: first-year student status.
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