History of Nordic Cultures 3002-HKOS2CE2
Works of contemporary Nordic cinema, which will serve as a probe venturing into the past, but also into the present of Northern European cultures, have been selected in an authoritative manner, based on the criterion of timeliness and importance of problems. These include the peculiarities of the state-social model (the approach to the human person and collective life), the particular moral profile, the Protestant tradition and the search for alternative metaphysics, the conditions of life in the northern interiors away from agglomeration, the difficult reckoning with colonialism, slavery and racism, the importance of the Enlightenment in the process of Scandinavian civilization, etc. It is an area-based view, respecting local particularities and differences (e.g., between Sweden and Denmark, Iceland and mainland Scandinavia, etc.), not excluding the essentially ethnically Finno-Ugric Finland, but bringing out the Nordic community in the sphere of cultural identity.
All audiovisual materials will be made available to those attending the class as PDF files via Google Classroom under the “Materials” tab by topic (and/or date of each meeting). A detailed list of film titles will be made available to the group at the beginning of the semester. Those attending the class will be instructed to respect copyright laws; they will only access the films for personal use for teaching purposes.
Type of course
elective courses
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
I. Those who study after completing the course have a basic knowledge of the cultures of the Nordic area (Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish cultures), as well as the importance of the heritage of the pre-state (Viking) period with particular emphasis on mythology, religiosity and literature. They have assimilated the key terms of Scandinavian studies, as well as those of cultural and social neighboring sciences (sociology, political science) necessary for the study of the Scandinavian region.
II. Those who study after completing the course are able to identify the basic phenomena and processes of Scandinavian cultural history, while situating them against the background of modernity. Having familiarized themselves with the literature on the subject (compulsory reading), they have acquired the tools to understand, analyze and culturologically interpret the texts of the cultures of the European North, to the extent that these winter interpretations take into account the broadest possible social, political, symbolic and artistic contexts. In addition, they are aware of the determinants of the reception of the content of the cultures of the Nordic area in Polish culture, both in the past and in modern times.
III. Those who graduate from the course are prepared to combine cultural studies competencies with Scandinavian studies, as well as to further expand their knowledge of Nordic cultures and countries on an individual basis; they will demonstrate these skills as part of the course credit.
Assessment criteria
The basic condition for passing the semester is attendance in class. Absences must be excused from the class instructor. A student is entitled to two excused or unexcused absences per semester. A person having
three to five absences in a semester must make them up in a manner determined by the instructor. Absences (even excused!) for more than five classes
result in inadmissibility to pass the classes (only those with an Individualized Study Arrangement granted based on the opinion of the BON may have an increased limit of absences, but not more than 50%).
Verification of learning outcomes is twofold. The final grade consists of:
1) class activity - knowledge of filmography and compulsory reading will be enforced; those attending class once a semester prepare a presentation introducing the topics of specific classes - 70%,
- oral exam - 30%; due to the profile of the classes, the exam will be supplementary, and the pool of issues will be made available in advance.
While preparing the presentation and while preparing for the exam, it is forbidden to use artificial intelligence systems for proofreading and editing the text. At the University of Warsaw, the manner of use of artificial intelligence tools in coursework is stipulated by the provisions of § 3 and 4 of Resolution No. 98 of the University Education Council dated December 8, 2023. The estimated workload of those attending
Bibliography
As above - a full reading list of supplementary or contextual literature will be provided at the beginning of the semester.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: