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Semester 2

Scandinavian Civilisation B: From National Romanticism to the Nordic Model (ELCS08038)

Subject

European Languages and Cultures - Scandinavian

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

1

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Course Summary

A wide-ranging survey of Scandinavian history and culture (literature, film and the visual arts), with a focus on the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. At the end of the course, the student will have an understanding of the individuality of the Scandinavian nations, of their shared heritage and their connections with Europe as a whole, in respect of the periods studied. No language knowledge is involved and all texts will be dealt with in translation. When available, this course can be taken together with Scandinavian Civilisation A to form a 40 credit block, ideal for outside subjects and full-year visiting students.

Course Description

This course offers a wide-ranging survey of Scandinavian history and culture (including literature, visual arts and film) from c. 1800 to the present day. We begin by defining and distinguishing the key concepts 'Nordic' and 'Scandinavian', and exploring some regional commonalities in societal, economic and cultural outlook. Special emphasis is placed on the centrality of landscape. Within this context, we proceed to explore the radical changes to national identity in the early 19th century, which followed the growth of cultural movements such as Romanticism and National Romanticism, and the realities of European geopolitics from the closing stages of the Napoleonic Wars. After this, we examine how life and society changed on a more domestic level, and how these developments inspired the output of authors and artists, such as August Strindberg, P.S. Krøyer, and Edvard Munch. As part of this examination, we will undertake close-reading and critique of a selection of relevant literature and artworks. We then move on to the issue of migration, using Sweden as a case-study, to examine how the movement of people from and to the area has impacted on the national consciousness through the ages. We will dwell on the boom in emigration following the American Civil War, the growth of multiculturalism after the Second World War and the national response to refugee crises. After this, we shine a spotlight on the War itself, focussing on the role played by the 'Scandinavian' countries in averting the Holocaust, as well as their relationship with Nazi Germany, and the subsequent ways in which these experiences have fed into the development of self-image and identity. We then spend the remainder of the course negotiating the evolution of Nordic culture in the Postcolonial period, covering topics such as the development of regional identity as seen in popular literature. We also consider the evolving relationship of the Nordic region with the rest of Europe and the EU in particular, against a background of divergence from long-term political trends, before concluding the course with a discussion of the choices and challenges facing the Nordic countries in the foreseeable future. Breakdown of Learning & Teaching Activities: Students will begin each week by watching some short videos as an introduction to the specific themes to be studied [Asynchronous]. The videos are linked to further resources and core reading materials, available via the course Learn page [Asynchronous]. Engaging with these materials is essential for participation in the weekly tutorials and seminars. All students will also be assigned to small autonomous learning groups for the purpose of preparing for the synchronous weekly tutorials, focusing on several questions relating to the week's specified themes, and taking turns to act as the Discussion Group Leader. The weekly Discussion Group Leader from each group will communicate their conclusions to the whole class in the tutorials. The seminars that follow will build on these themes through further group discussion. Summative Assessment: Following each weeks learning and teaching activities, students will complete a computer-marked Multiple-Choice Quiz via Learn [Asynchronous]. The Quiz will test whether they have absorbed and understood the factual underpinning of a named theme from the required readings. Each week's Quiz will have to be completed before 5pm on Friday of the relevant teaching week. Online Assessments 1 and 2 share a common format. A list of 5 questions for each will be published in the course handbook at the beginning of the semester. One question will be mapped to the content of each week's tuition. In Flexible Learning Week and Week 11 respectively, students will select two questions from the relevant list, on which to write and submit two, 500-word 'Snap-shots of Scandinavian Civilisation'. Detailed formative feedback will be provided for Online Assessment 1 only. Potentially Re-Traumatising Content: In this course, we will be discussing content that may be re-traumatising to some students. Themes broached will include misogyny, military violence, the Holocaust, and racism. We believe in the importance of engaging with this material and so please rest assured that we will work with you to ensure you can participate fully and demonstrate your achievement of the learning outcomes of the course, without compromising your wellbeing or your academic development. If you have concerns at any point we invite you to approach the course organiser Alan.Macniven@ed.ac.uk to discuss how we can best support you in your work on this course. We affirm that you will be treated with dignity and respect in all discussions and at every stage of the course.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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