Course Syllabus
Danish Language and Culture section 137 |
 |
"Where few have too much, and fewer too little"
| Semester & Location: |
Spring 2020 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Elective Course - 3 credits |
| Faculty Member: |
Jacob Cold |
|
Program Director: |
Andreas Brøgger |
|
Assistant Program Director: |
Sanne Rasmussen, sra@dis.dk |
| Time & Place: |
Tuesday & Friday, 11:40-13.00 in V10-A13 |
Description of Course
This course is an integrated language and culture course. It explores the process of cultural and personal self discovery that is part of living abroad.
We will study different aspects of Danish culture, gaining a historical overview as well as sense of contemporary Denmark. The course involves anthropology, literature, history, linguistics, philosphy, cultural studies and much more.
When studying the Danish language, we employ a functional approach. The course teaches basic spoken Danish, reading comprehension and basic grammar.
Learning Objectives
- Acquire a higher level of cultural awareness
- Acquire knowledge and overall understanding of Danish history, culture, and society
- Ability to speak, read, and understand Danish on a basic level
- Gain an understanding of the connection between language and culture
Faculty
Jacob Cold, MA, English/Text & Performance, King's College London & Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, BA, Comparative Literature & Social Anthropology, University of Copenhagen. Jacob's has 15 years of teaching experience (university, folk high schools, high school, private courses), he has worked in theatre, and is presently a travel writer for the Danish daily, Politiken.
Email: jacob.cold@dis.dk
Readings
Andersen, H. C.: “Clod Hans:” -The Ugly Duckling”, "The Little Mermaid" The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories, First Anchor Books Edition, 1983
Carlsen, Jørgen: “The Folk High School - Freedom and the Living Conversation” and ”The Plain Life” , The Danish Cultural Institute, 1997.
Hariri, Yuval, Noah: "Immigration" - 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Random House, London 2018.
Ibsen, Henrik: A Doll's House, Random House. London, 1994.
Iyer, Pico: Why we travel, Pico Iyer Journeys, https://picoiyerjourneys.com, 2018.
Jackson, Jane: Introducing Language and Intercultural Communication, Routledge, New York, 2014.
Jenkins, Richard: Being Danish: Paradoxes of Identity in Everyday Life, Museum Tusculanum Press, 2012
Jespersen, Knud J. V: A History of Denmark, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
Kingsley, Patrick: How to be Danish, Short Books, 2012.
Lidegaard, Bo: A Short History of Denmark in the 20th Century, Gyldendal, 2009
Linnet, Jeppe Trolle: “Money Can't Buy Me 'Hygge' ,Social Analysis , 2011, Vol. 55
Lukianof & Haidt: "The Search for Wisdom", in The Coddling of the American Mind, Allen Lane, 2018
Løgstrup, K. E.: “The Ethical Demand”, University of Notre Dame Press, 1997
Sandahl, Iben. D.; Alexander, J.: “Authenticity”, in The Danish way of Parenting, Ehrhorn Hummerston, 2014.
Zuckerman, Phil.: "Society without God" , New York University Press, 2008.
Films:
"Festen", Thomas Vinterberg: Nimbus Film 1998.
"The Danish Mohammed Cartoon Crisis" "60 minutes", 2007.
"Introducing Denmark" - Nato Documentaries, 1956.
Field Studies
Field Studies are experiential encounters with Danish culture and chances to get out of the classroom. Two principles should guide your approach to field studies. They may involve excursions to important cultural highlights, visits to Danish institutions, practical tasks employing the Danish language and much more.
Course Resources
Audio Files and Online Worksheets
In the Canvas course Danish Language Resources, you will find audio files and online worksheets that you can use to practice vocabulary, phrases, pronunciation, and grammar throughout the semester. In your textbook DIS DANSK I, the texts with complementary audio files are marked with a headphone symbol.
Online Dictionary: Ordbogen.com
DIS has a subscription to Ordbogen, a Danish-English/English-Danish online dictionary. Go to http://www.ordbogen.com/ and follow the instructions that you have received directly from Ordbogen.com.
Approach to Teaching and Expectations of the Students
The teaching style of this class is interactive. You are expected to actively participate in class discussions, to have done the readings and other homework, and come to class with notes, questions and relevant observations.
Learning a language is hard work and requires a lot of commitment. It is also a lot of fun. The ambition is to create a classroom culture in which everyone feels at ease trying to pronounce the unfamiliar Danish sounds and words.
Engaged participation is an integrated part of class and will be a large part of the course evaluation. Participating in class discussion requires a high level of preparation and a voluntary contribution of knowledge and ideas.
Evaluation
Assessment focuses on four things.
1) Your ability to contribute regularly to class and online discussion language exercises and group work. This constitutes your engaged participation grade.
2) Your cultural assignments, which reflect your gradual cultural learning process
3) Your written Danish - reflected in your written exam
4) Your oral Danish profiiciency - reflected in your oral exam.
Put work into Danish from day 1. You will have much more fun, learn much more about Danish culture this way - and be more succesful in this course.
| Assignment |
Percent |
| Engaged Participation |
20% |
|
Cultural Assignments |
40% |
| Written Exam |
20% |
| Oral Exam |
20% |
Grading is based on the rubrics found in the Canvas course Danish Language Resources.
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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