Fall 2018

Language Courses | R&C Courses | Courses in English | Graduate Courses

LANGUAGE COURSES

DANISH 1A: Beginning Danish

TuTh 2-3:30, Dwinelle B33B. Instructor: Karen Møller

Units: 4

(Fall only. Danish 1B is offered in Spring.) Classes meet for three hours of Danish instruction per week. Students will acquire basic communicative competence in all four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) within a cultural context.

More details about this language here.

Workload: About five hours of work outside of class per week (includes online homework), an oral and written midterm and final.

Text: RIGTIG DANSK, Karen Christensen Bahamondes, Gyldendal, 2015.
Available through bCourses; do not purchase.

THIS COURSE IS ALSO OFFERED AS A DISTANCE LEARNING CLASS FOR STUDENTS AT OTHER UC CAMPUSES.  This is a UC cross-campus listed course and will be taught to accommodate students from other UC campuses. We will meet on August 23, but please note that instruction using the textbook starts on September 27.

If you are not a currently registered student, you may be able to enroll via Concurrent Enrollment, UC Berkeley Extension. Please note that the Concurrent Enrollment application must be approved by the department. Approval is based on availability of space in the class; enrolled UC students on a waitlist have priority.

Prerequisites: None. Elementary Danish is open to all students without prior knowledge of Danish. The course is not open to native, near-native, or heritage speakers of any Nordic language. Course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

FINNISH 1A: Beginning Finnish

MWF 9-10, Dwinelle B7. Instructor: Lotta Weckström

Units: 4

This is a cross campus listed course and will be taught with the quarter schedule to accommodate students from other UC campuses.We will meet on 8/22 but instruction begins formally on 9/28 UCB students will participate to this class in the classroom, enrolled students from other campuses via Zoom, a conferencing / distance teaching platform.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students will learn the basic structures of the Finnish language and will be able to use them in simple, everyday conversation. All four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing will be studied and practiced in context with the structures of Finnish. Both colloquial (spoken) and formal (written) forms of the Finnish language will be studied and practiced. Historical and cultural information as well as everyday life in modern Finland will be discussed in connection with language studies.

COURSE TEXTS:
Suomen mestari 1. Suomen kielen oppikirja aikuisille. (Finlectura 2011) Sonja Gehring & Sanni Heinzman

Additional texts, websites, listening clips, film clips, etc. will be provided.

GRADING POLICIES:
Attendance and participation (30%)
Homework assignments, including the language/culture log (20%)
Quizzes (25%)
Final exam (25%)

Prerequisites: None. All welcome / Tervetuloa!

Please do inform me of any disabilities and/or learning difficulties as well as special talents you might have.

ICELANDIC 1A: Beginning Modern Icelandic

MWF 9-10, Dwinelle 6415. Instructor: Tiffany White

Units: 4

Icelandic is a strategic language in transatlantic connections between the U.S. and Europe, as well as between Europe and the Arctic. Recently popularized through television shows such as Game of Thrones and movie series such as Thor and Star Wars, Iceland boasts a beautiful landscape and a rich history. The language is very conservative, preserving much of the character of Old Norse, while remaining very much the tongue of a unique nation participating fully in the modern world. The goal of this course is for the student to comprehend spoken and written Icelandic relating to familiar, everyday topics.

THIS COURSE IS ALSO OFFERED AS A DISTANCE LEARNING CLASS FOR STUDENTS AT OTHER UC CAMPUSES.  This is a UC cross-campus listed course and will be taught to accommodate students from other UC campuses. We will meet on August 22, but please note that instruction using the required texts (TBA) starts on September 28.

Prerequisites:  None.  Icelandic 1A presumes no familiarity with the language. Nevertheless, knowledge of other Germanic or Classical languages will be of great help.

Instructor pending appointment.

NORWEGIAN 1A: Beginning Norwegian

MWF 9-10, Dwinelle B33B. Instructor: Aino Rinhaug

Units: 4

(Fall only.  Norwegian 1B is offered in Spring.) Classes meet for three hours of instruction per week.  Students will acquire basic communicative competence in all four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) within a cultural context.

More details about this language here.

Workload: About five hours of work outside of class per week, an oral and written midterm and final.

Text: Sett i gang 1 (Aarsvold and Lie) to be ordered on Amazon Instructions will be given by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

 Prerequisites:  None. Elementary Norwegian is open to students without prior knowledge of Norwegian. The course is not open to native, near-native, or heritage speakers of any Nordic language. Course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

If you are not a currently registered student, you may be able to enroll via Concurrent Enrollment, UC Berkeley Extension. Please note that the Concurrent Enrollment application must be approved by the department. Approval is based on availability of space in the class; enrolled UC students on a waitlist have priority.

SWEDISH 1A: Beginning Swedish

MWF 9-10, Wheeler 100. Instructor: Zachary Blinkinsop

Units: 4

(Fall only.  Swedish 1B is offered in Spring.) Classes meet for three hours of instruction per week.  Students will acquire basic communicative competence in all four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) within a cultural context.

More details about this language here.

 Workload: About five hours of work outside of class per week, an oral and written midterm and final.

Text:  Rivstart A1 + A2 (There is a textbook and exercise book)

Prerequisites:  None. Elementary Swedish is open to students without prior knowledge of Swedish. The course is not open to native, near-native, or heritage speakers of any Nordic language. Course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

If you are not a currently registered student, you may be able to enroll via Concurrent Enrollment, UC Berkeley Extension. Please note that the Concurrent Enrollment application must be approved by the department. Approval is based on availability of space in the class; enrolled UC students on a waitlist have priority.

SCANDINAVIAN 100A: Intermediate Scandinavian Languages (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)

W 11-12, Dwinelle 6415. Instructor: Karen Møller

Units: 4

L&S Breadth:  Arts & Literature

COURSE MEETING TIMES

STUDENTS ENROLL IN A COMMON LECTURE ON WEDNESDAYS 11-12

+ A DISCUSSION SECTION FOR THEIR TARGET LANGUAGE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 101 = Danish (TT 11-12)

Section 102 = Norwegian (M & F 11-12)

Section 103 = Swedish (M &F 11-12)

Texts: Language sections: textbooks to be announced – most often as readers on bCourses. Lecture/Culture section: Reader
RIVSTART only for Swedish (Section 103).

Option: Scandinavian 100A is a Distance Learning Course transmitted simultaneously to specific UC campuses. UCB is the home campus with live class instruction; other UC students will participate through a live video feed. Contact instructor for more information: kmoller@berkeley.edu

Continuing students of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish enrolling in Scandinavian 100A will meet together for one hour of lecture per week (W 11-12) to read and interpret literary and nonliterary texts about inter-Scandinavian communication, linguistics, and language history. In addition to this one-hour combined lecture, students will meet two additional hours per week (in discussion sections with a language instructor) to be instructed in their particular target languages.

Students should enroll in the relevant target language section as follows:
Section 101 = Danish
Section 102 = Norwegian
Section 103 = Swedish.
Students should register in the 100A lecture in addition to the relevant section they will attend. The course is complete with the language and the lecture sections – you must enroll in both parts in order to fully enroll in the course. If you experience a scheduling problem it is essential that you consult the language coordinator.

Students will further develop their basic communicative competence in all four foreign language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) within a cultural context in their own target language (Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish). Through the weekly lecture they will gain a deeper understanding of the other Scandinavian languages through tasks and readings. Students will NOT be asked to learn to speak the other two Scandinavian languages, but to learn about them.

Placement: Scandinavian 100A is open to students who have taken Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish 1A-1B with a passing grade. A placement test is mandatory for other students who have had 90 hours of in-class instruction (reached the Novice High/Intermediate Low proficiency level) in any of the three Scandinavian languages and with a passing grade. The placement test must be taken prior to or within the first week of instruction. Contact the language coordinator, Karen Moller, to schedule a placement test.

Native, Near-Native, Heritage Speakers: The specific language sections are only open to learners of the specific Scandinavian language of instruction in the section. The course is not open to native, near-native, or heritage speakers of any Nordic language without prior consent from the language coordinator. The course cannot be repeated without prior consent from the language coordinator.

Workload for the combined lecture (e.g. 1/3 of the total grade for Scandinavian 100A):
Two hours of work outside class a week. Weekly task based homework. A take-home written midterm and a 3-page final project are required.

Workload for the discussion section (e.g. 2/3 of the total grade for Scandinavian 100A): An average of four hours of work outside class per week. The structure of supplemental language sections depends on the language instructor, but usually includes weekly written assignments, oral presentations, an oral and written midterm and final exam.

Section Times: Meeting times for discussion sections might on occasion be changed according to the schedules of the students enrolled, and can therefore vary from the times listed in the online Schedule of Classes. Students should attend the first day of class for more information on possible rescheduling.

Prerequisites:  Completion of Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish 1A-1B with a passing grade; consent of instructor.

If you are not a currently registered student, you may be able to enroll via Concurrent Enrollment, UC Berkeley Extension. Please note that the Concurrent Enrollment application must be approved by the department. Approval is based on availability of space in the class; enrolled UC students on a waitlist have priority.

SCANDINAVIAN 101A: Introduction to Old Norse

MWF 10-11, Dwinelle 6415. Instructor: Isobel Boles

Units: 4

L&S Breadth: Arts & Literature

(Fall only. Old Norse 101B is offered in the Spring.)

Would you like to learn the language that the stories of the Vikings and their descendants were written and passed down in? Old Norse literature preserves many of these tales in its sagas and poetry. In reading this literature, one can learn of the travels of medieval Scandinavians to places as distant as North America and Byzantium, the conflicts and quarrels of giants and gods, heroic encounters with crafty dragons, adaptations of Arthurian legends, and the miracles of saints and bishops.

This class will introduce students to the written vernacular language of Iceland and Norway in the Middle Ages. Class time will focus on the grammatical structure of Old Norse, translating into English, and close-reading exercises of Old Norse texts. Students will practice some English to Old Norse translation and learn about the stories and culture of medieval Scandinavia. By the end of the semester students should be able to read saga-style Old Norse prose texts in normalized orthography with the help of a dictionary. Assignments will include translations, grammatical exercises, quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam. Regular and active participation is required.

FINNISH 102A: Intermediate Finnish

MWF 11-12, Dwinelle B7. Instructor: Lotta Weckström

Units: 4

This is a cross campus listed course and will be taught with the quarter schedule to accommodate students from other UC campuses. We will meet on 8/22 but instruction begins formally on 9/28. UCB students will participate to this class in the classroom, enrolled students from other campuses via Zoom, a conferencing / distance teaching platform.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

  • Students develop their communicative skills in both everyday and more formal communication situations.
  • Students develop their reading comprehension of different text types.
  • Students work on their skills of vocabulary, syntax, and idioms and continue to familiarize themselves with colloquial, authentic Finnish.
  • All four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing are practiced.
  • Students work on essay writing skills.
  • Cultural information and everyday life in modern Finland is discussed in context of the study materials.
  • Authentic experiences aiding language learning are provided via films, visits by guest speakers, and a joint project with students from other Finnish programs in North-American universities.

COURSE TEXT:
1. Suomen mestari 2 -with a CD- (2012) Gehring & Heinzmann. FinnLectura Ab.ISBN 978-951-792-477-

2. Materials provided by the instructor

PREREQUISITES: Finnish 1A and 1B. Students who have acquired basic Finnish skills elsewhere should contact the instructor prior to enrolling to this class.

GRADING POLICIES:
Attendance and participation (20%)
Homework assignments (15%)
Presentation (15%)
Midterm exam (15%)
Project with North-American Universities Finnish programs (15%)
Final Exam (20%)

READING AND COMPOSITION COURSES

SCANDINAVIAN R5A, Section 1: Exploring Middle-Earth: An Introduction to Norse Mythology Through Tolkien

TuTh 8-9:30, Dwinelle 206. Instructor: Liam Waters

Units: 4

“The truth is that in [The Hobbit] a number of good things, never before united, have come together: a fund of humour, an understanding of children, and a happy fusion of the scholar’s with the poet’s grasp of mythology… The professor has the air of inventing nothing. He has studied trolls and dragons at first hand and describes them with that fidelity that is worth oceans of glib “originality.” (The Times, October 8, 1937)

Of the many sources drawn upon by J.R.R. Tolkien in the creation of his Middle-Earth, none seem more prominent than the myths and legends of Medieval Scandinavia. Wandering wizards who cox heroes from their homes, troublesome trolls, and deadly dragons fill the landscape of both Tolkien’s world and the world of Norse mythology. Over the course of the semester, we shall discover not only what myths and legends Tolkien drew upon in creating Middle-Earth, but also begin to explore how retellings of these stories have influenced their preservation.

In this course, we will focus on developing thesis writing techniques, paper organization skills, and writing method. We will consider, over the course of the semester, the interplay between primary and secondary source material as well as questions of medium, context, and cultural impact.

Required Texts:

The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. ISBN: 0618002219

Edda. trans. Anthony Faulkes. ISBN: 9780460876162

The Poetic Edda (2014). trans. Carolyne Larrington. ISBN: 9780199675340

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. H.R. Ellis Davidson. ISBN: 9780140136272

Other assigned texts to be uploaded to bCourses.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

SCANDINAVIAN R5B, Section 2: Sagas, Ciphers, and Cyborgs: Information Cultures in Scandinavia

TuTh 8-9:30, Dwinelle 235. Instructor: TBA

Units: 4

In our age of cell phones, drones, Facebook, and apps, we often forget that communications and connectivities have always pervaded the fabric of social interactions across history. From runic inscriptions to Instagram, analog and digital technologies have had a profound role in communicating information and thereby shaping cultures. This course will explore the spread of information as myth, text, image, and object in different moments in Scandinavian history, from the pre-modern era to the contemporary “Information Age.” These discussions will introduce students to the ways in which scholars ask questions, read and evaluate sources, and develop arguments. Acquiring training in argumentative writing, students will reflect on what information and media can reveal about the societies and technologies that shape them. The course will rely on historical and anthropological perspectives as well as the recent field of media archaeology and will demonstrate how such evidence can be applied in academic papers. Through historical and contemporary discussions of information-related topics such as privacy, social networks, and encryption, our aim is to develop persuasive writing and to think critically about historical studies and their practical applications to our world today.

This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

SCANDINAVIAN R5A, Section 2: Feminist Utopias and Imagined Worlds in Nordic Literature

MWF 8-9, Evans 7. Instructor: Anna Tomi

Units: 4

A feminist hero teaches children to revolt. A neurotic widow disappears into a world of fantasy, losing the border between the real and the imaginary, as well as between herself and others. A poet longs for a land that is not. Teenage girls envision a queendom of their own, where reality is subject to fabrication, and the act of story-telling makes the world go round. From Modernist poetry to contemporary prose, Scandinavian women writers have sought solace in imagined worlds when reality proves disappointing, and turned to the phantasmal when lived experience falls short. Do these utopian modes of self-projection offer a safe place from the oppressive reality, or do they rather emphasize the dystopian nature of the everyday? How does the description of literary minds relate to the feminist project? Is imagination—as described in literature or literary texts in themselves—escapistic or a realm potent with dynamism?

With these questions in mind, this course invites students to think about imagination as a feminist strategy that bridges what is real and what is possible.This course will explore the works of Nordic women writers of diverse genres and styles from Modernism to the present day. With these texts as a common terrain, students will gain understanding of relevant literary concepts as well as develop skills in critical reading. Class discussions and exercises will help students in expressing and structuring their thinking in writing. The emphasis will be placed in the process of editing a first draft into an argument.

All texts will be made available in translation.

R1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

SCANDINAVIAN R5B, Section 1: Animal Consciousness and Shapeshifters

MWF 8-9, Dwinelle 206. Instructor: TBA

Units: 4

Feral berserks. Ritualistic trances. Forest spirits. These will help focalize our research questions on a variety of philosophical, legal, and literary fronts: how do humans relate to a world of non-human life? Can we glimpse animal consciousness? What are the limits and boundaries of human forms? Who is considered human, anyway? The Nordic region in particular offers several cultures and configurations of trans-humanism that have captivated popular American imagination for centuries. From sacred Sámi tales to remnants of Viking Age myths and from Swedish environmental advocates to a certain famous Danish fairy tale writer, Europe’s northern-most region gives us an opportunity to learn critical reading skills, compositional strategies, and research methods in an unfamiliar and specific field. No previous experience with Scandinavian cultures or languages is necessary or expected, as all of the texts will be in translation.

In this course, we will distinguish primary sources from secondary, scholarly from popular, and define relevant research; these are transferrable skills to any environment, whether academic, corporate, or personal. With the critical writing background from R5A or R1A (the prerequisite for this course), we can focus on making innovative arguments in two main research papers.

Required reading:

  • The Saga of Hrolf Kraki translated by Jesse Byock
  • Becoming Animal by David Abram
  • The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson by Selma Lagerlöf
  • The Forest of Hours by Kerstin Ekman

Provided on bCourses

  • Sections of The Prose Edda to be made available on bCourses
  • Sections of Fragments of Lappish Mythology by Lars Levi Laestadius
  • Selections of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales
    • “The Little Mermaid”
    • “The Phoenix Bird”
    • “The Wild Swans”
  • Selections from Kalevala: The Land of the Heroes translated by Kirby – 978-1409925491
    • The first Väinämöinen cycle

This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

SCANDINAVIAN R5B, Section 3: Strange Encounters in Nordic Literature

MWF 8-9, Dwinelle 179. Instructor: Sarah Eriksen

Units: 4

A heathen killed by a revenant rises from the dead to terrorize a medieval Icelandic farmhouse. A Danish seducer stalks his unwitting young prey through the streets of Copenhagen. A Swedish sailor newly arrived in Canton finds himself coaxed into an urban legend. Two elderly rural Finns trek into town to experience an infernal new technology. What does it mean to encounter alterity, how is it expressed in literature, and how do we experience it as readers? This course explores how strange exchanges between peoples, creatures, and worldviews unfold across the page and in the mind. Students will be encouraged to think about the text as a site which generates encounters not just within a storyworld, but also between a storyworld and a reader.

This course will cover Nordic texts of diverse styles and genres from medieval to modern, folding in relevant concepts from literary, cognitive, cultural, and anthropological studies to build a toolbox of reading and analytical strategies. Class discussions and exercises will guide students on improving their style, grammar, argumentation, and editing practices, and students will further hone these skills through writing assignments. Occasional workshops, including a class trip to the library, will introduce standards of composition and research.

All texts and course materials are in English.

Texts:
Course reader (available at Copy Central)

This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

SCANDINAVIAN 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World

TuTh 3:30-5, Wheeler 102. Instructor: Mark Sandberg

Units: 4

What are Nordic values? The countries of the northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) have been caricatured in recent American political discourse as either utopian or dystopian alternatives to American culture (in that we do/don’t want to be “like Sweden” or “like Denmark”). But what are the complex cultural and historical realities that have made the contemporary Nordic region what it is today? Proceeding from three main areas of investigation (sustainable relationships to nature; values of social solidarity; and a progressive view of gender equality), the course traces the ways in which literature, drama, film, folklore, and other forms of humanistic expression have both revealed the pressure points implicit in Nordic values and in some cases contributed to their formation from the eighteenth century to the present day.

SCANDINAVIAN 115: The Films of Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007)

TuTh 9:30-11am, Osher Theater, Pacific Film Archive. Instructor: Linda H. Rugg

Units: 4

L&S Breadth: Arts & Literature
Cross-listed with Film 151, Section 001
Lab: Wed 3-6pm, Pacific Film Archive, Barbro Osher Theater

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of premier Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s birth, and retrospectives and celebrations are taking place all over the world. UC Berkeley’s Pacific Film Archive is participating in this landmark occasion with a number of special events throughout 2018, culminating in this course on Bergman’s films, to be screened at the Pacific Film Archive’s Barbro Osher Theater. Members of the public will be invited to the screenings alongside the students, but lectures and discussions will be limited to students and held on campus.

Given the focus on the birth of the filmmaker and his life’s work, one has to raise the question of film authorship and its relation to a director and a director’s life. What is a “Bergman film”? Can films be authored in the same way as books? This course will examine Bergman’s work of Sweden’s premier filmmaker, Ingmar Bergman, the phenomenon of his success in the U.S. and worldwide, his contribution to the notions of auteurism and art cinema, his role within Swedish culture, and the problems he poses by linking film and autobiography.

We will read theoretical articles on such topics as the auteur movement, feminism in Bergman’s work, and self-reflexivity and narrative in films, as well as Bergman’s autobiographical and fictional writing, and essays on Bergman’s work by Bergman and others. The class will view a sampling of Bergman’s films from various periods, using close reading techniques to assess the nature of “Bergman films.”

Films to be screened and discussed include: Summer Interlude, Smiles of a Summer Night, Sawdust and Tinsel, Wild Strawberries, The Seventh Seal, The Magician, The Silence, Persona, Cries and Whispers, Fanny and Alexander, and others.

Texts: primarily essays and articles, some excerpts from Bergman’s writing, available on-line.

Prerequisites: No formal course prerequisites. Students should be prepared to engage with film theory and to write at an advanced level.

SCANDINAVIAN 123: Viking and Medieval Scandinavia

MWF 12-1, Barrows 166. Instructor: Jonas Wellendorf

Units: 4

L&S Breadth: Historical Studies

Viking and Medieval Scandinavia will explore developments and trends in the areas of social structure, trade and economy, religion, political organization, culture, literature, and technology during the Viking and Medieval periods (c. 700-1500). The course will cover the Scandinavian homelands (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) as well as the regions settled by Scandinavians during the Viking Age. Developments in Scandinavia will be contextualized against broader trends in Europe and western Asia.

Texts: John Haywood, The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings (1995), Else Roesdahl, The Vikings (2018, 3rd ed.), Anders Winroth, The Age of the Vikings (2014) and a selection of primary sources in translation.

Prerequisites: None.
Taught in English with readings in English.

SCANDINAVIAN 125: Old Norse Literature

TuTh 12:30-2, Dwinelle 105. Instructor: Rue Taylor

Units: 4

L&S Breadth: Arts & Literature

This course is an introduction to the literature of Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. While much of the course will emphasize reading, understanding, discussing and writing about the literature of from this period, we will also learn about the development of Scandinavian literature through time, as well as the oral, literary, religious and cultural contexts of that literature. Readings will include Egil’s Saga, the Vinland SagasLaxdæla Saga and The Saga of the Ynglings.

Texts:

Margaret Clunies Ross, The Cambridge Introduction to the Old Norse-Icelandic Saga. Cambridge.

The Sagas of the Icelanders with a preface by Jane Smiley. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.

Course Reader

Prerequisites: None.

Course taught in English with readings in English.

SCANDINAVIAN 132: Introduction to Finnish Culture and History: “Finland 101”

TuTh 11-12:30, Wheeler 106. Instructor: Lotta Weckström

Units: 4

Finland is a Nordic nation that celebrated 100 year of independence in December 2017.  To mark the centennial celebration, the Department of Scandinavian is offering a course an Finnish Culture and History with a focus on the ten decades of Finnish independence — Finland 101.

Finland today is a technologically advanced welfare state, a social democracy that shares a great deal with its Nordic neighbors, yet has retained a vibe of its own. What makes Finland stand apart from its neighbors? Perhaps because of its unique language which is not related to the Scandinavian or Slavic languages, or its geopolitically interesting location between East and West. Maybe its fascinating national epic, the Kalevala, modern curiosities such the sport of wife-carrying, the basic income experiment, or Clash of Clans – brainchild of a Finnish gaming company?

During this course we will walk though 100 years of Finnish history in the context of the turbulent times in Europe and Russia, explore a variety of cultural expressions such as music, literature, folklore, art, architecture, film, and popular culture. We will also examine the concept of national identity – what creates a community, a people? What, exactly, is a baby box, does the language really lack the concept of future, are Finns the most introverted people of the world, and do they honestly go to the sauna several times a week? Come and find out!

Texts:
Lavery, Jason. The History of Finland.
Course Reader:

Includes articles on history, society, politics, art, and literature, as well as literary texts by classic and modern authors. Excerpts of Kaleva in translation, and articles provided by guest speakers TBA. Accessible on bCourses

Prerequisites: None. Taught in English; readings in English.

Requirements:
3 quizzes (15%)
In-class midterm (20%)
In-class final exam (25%)
Attendance and participation in classroom discussion, and group/pair work  (15%)
Presentation (15%)
3 Homework assignments (10%)

SCANDINAVIAN 149: Major Studies

Meetings TBD, Faculty Offices. Instructor: Faculty

Units: 1

For Scandinavian majors.

One hour of discussion per week. Prerequisites: Knowledge of a Scandinavian language/completion of 2 years of a Scandinavian language at UC Berkeley. Additional work, for majors in Scandinavian and other qualified students with permission of the instructor, in connection with one of the following: Scandinavian C107, C108, 115, 116, 117, 120, 165, and other upper-division courses by approval of the Faculty Major Adviser.  Students attend lectures and do all written work in the “main course and also read assignments in the Scandinavian languages and write a short paper.

To enroll, complete an Independent Study form (see Amanda Minafo, undergraduate advisor, for the form) with the faculty member. Return the completed form to Amanda, who will enroll you in the appropriate section.

SCANDINAVIAN 180: The Works, Context, and Legacy of Søren Kierkegaard

MWF 1-2, Dwinelle 83. Instructor: TBA

Units: 4

New location as of Wednesday Sept 5: Dwinelle 189.

The Danish author Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) wrote novels, as well as works of philosophy and theology. He is best known for the books Either/Or (which contains the novella The Seducer’s Diary), Fear and Trembling, and The Sickness unto Death. Today, we can speak of a “leap of faith” or “existential angst” (or anxiety) thanks to him. During his lifetime, Kierkegaard experienced these concepts personally, as he found himself at the center of three public scandals. The first was the broken engagement to his fiancée, which “made him a poet”; the second was his being caricatured for months by a dubious newspaper; and the third was his polemical attack on the Danish Lutheran State Church. But how did this outsider from Copenhagen win a posthumous reputation far beyond Northern Europe, reaching the United States, Argentina, Nigeria, and Japan (to name just a few of the countries with Søren Kierkegaard societies)? And how did Kierkegaard come to influence the French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, the African American novelist Richard Wright, or the Argentinian short story writer Jorge Luis Borges? These are just some of the questions that we will begin to answer in this course.

All readings will be in English, and no previous experience in literary, philosophical or religious studies is necessary.

Texts: course reader.

GRADUATE COURSES

SCANDINAVIAN 220: Early Scandinavian Literature: Scandinavian Legendary History

Th 10-1, Dwinelle 6415. Instructor: Jonas Wellendorf

Units: 4

This seminar will be devoted to the memory of the ancient Scandinavian past as it was cultivated in medieval vernacular saga literature and Latin chronicles of Scandinavian origin. The competing visions of the past offered by these texts will be compared in order to explore the differing aims of the various texts and the historical, social and cultural contexts that gave rise to them. Likely continental and insular sources of inspiration will also be discussed.

Recent scholarly works on this topic will be read alongside classical scholarship on the legendary history of Scandinavia and the medieval texts themselves.

The vernacular texts will be read in their original language while the Latin texts will be read in Latin and/or in translation (depending on the preparation of the participants).

Primary readings will include: Hálfs saga, Hervarar saga, Hrólfs saga kraka, Skjǫldunga saga (or what remains of this text), Ragnars saga loðbrókar, Ynglinga saga and on the Latin side Chronicon Lethrense, Historia Norwegie, Sven Aggesen’s Brevis historia regum Dacie and selections from Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum.

Secondary readings in will be in English and in the modern Scandinavian languages.

Prerequisites: At least two semesters of Old Norse language studies (or equivalent).

SCANDINAVIAN 250: Scan-Scapes

W 1-4, Dwinelle 6415. Instructor: Karin Sanders

Units: 4

Course description forthcoming.

Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.

SCANDINAVIAN 300A: Methods of Teaching Scandinavian Languages

Day/Time TBA, Remote. Instructor: Karen Møller

Units: 4

Required of Scandinavian Department GSIs teaching languages.

Language GSIs also enroll in Scandinavian 300B, Section 1, Teaching Practicum:  Languages.

Objectives: 

To gain:  A theoretical understanding of issues in foreign language learning and ability to critically evaluate methods and material.

An understanding of linguistic, psychological and cultural processes in foreign language learning.

A development of a repertoire of techniques to meet various teaching situations.

An ability to construct valid, reliable and practical evaluation measures.

Participation:  You will be asked to present a specific method to the class in a microteaching session, analyze the methodology in the teaching materials that you are using (2 pages), observe and report on another foreign language class (peer observation) (2 pages) and define and carry out a small research project in your class (5 pages).

Required Readings:  Reader

Prerequisite:  GSI status in the Department of Scandinavian and also open to GSIs in other foreign language departments.

SCANDINAVIAN 300B, Section 1: Teaching Practicum: Scandinavian Languages

Day/Time TBA, Remote. Instructor: Karen Møller

Units: 1

Required of Scandinavian Department GSIs teaching language courses.

This course is required of all graduate student instructors teaching Norwegian and Swedish courses in the Scandinavian Department. Language GSIs also enroll in Scandinavian 300A (Methods of Teaching Scandinavian Languages).

Prerequisite: GSI status in the Department of Scandinavian.

SCANDINAVIAN 300B, Section 2: Teaching Practicum: Reading & Composition for Scandinavian GSIs

Day/Time TBA, 6409 Dwinelle. Instructor: Jonas Wellendorf

Units: 1

This course is required of all Graduate Student Instructors teaching Reading & Composition courses in the Scandinavian Department.  Reading and Composition GSIs also enroll in Prof. Wellendorf’s Scandinavian 301, Section 2 course for 3 units.

Prerequisite:  GSI status in the Department of Scandinavian.

SCANDINAVIAN 301, Section 1: Teaching Methodology: Scandinavian Languages

Day/Time TBA, Remote. Instructor: Karen Møller

Units: 3

This course is required of all Graduate Student Instructors teaching language courses in the Scandinavian Department.  Language GSIs also enroll in Karen Moller’s Scandinavian 300B, section 1, language teaching practicum, for 1 unit.  Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite:  Employment as graduate student instructor in the Department of Scandinavian.

SCANDINAVIAN 301, Section 2: Teaching Methodology: Reading & Composition for Scandinavian GSIs

Day/Time TBA, 6409 Dwinelle. Instructor: Jonas Wellendorf

Units: 3

This course is required of all Graduate Student Instructors teaching Reading & Composition courses in the Scandinavian Department.  Reading and Composition GSIs also enroll in Prof. Wellendorf’s Scandinavian 300B, Section 2 course for 1 unit.

Course to be repeated for credit each semester of employment as graduate student instructor.  The purpose of this course is to introduce new GSIs to teaching Scandinavian R5A and R5B. It will focus on preparation of teaching materials, including syllabi, and discussion of questions of pedagogy (teaching literature and writing, lecturing, leading class discussions, designing writing assignments, grading and formulating responses to student papers, working with students individually and in small groups). The course will help you prepare for a career as a college teacher of literature and for the teaching component of job applications.  Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite:  Employment as graduate student instructor in the Department of Scandinavian.