Course Syllabus
Danish Language & Culture Through the Arts |
| Semester & Location: |
Spring 24 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Elective Course - 3 credits |
| Major Disciplines: |
Anthropology, Language, Literature |
| Related Disciplines |
Art History |
| Faculty Members: |
Nan Gerdes (current students please use the Canvas Inbox) |
| Time & Place: |
Monday and Thursday, 2:50 pm - 4:10 pm in Fi6-Metro 102 |
Course Description
This course is an integrated language and culture course where we explore the Danish language and life in Denmark through the special lens of literature, visual- and dramatic arts. Serving as an advantageous entry point for your studies abroad in Denmark, the course offers an introduction to the Danish language while also exploring important themes in Danish cultures and society through art and fiction. The course will help you navigate and understand your new environment and its artistic dimensions, strengthening your sense of place and sense of belonging while studying abroad.
Our engagement with art and fiction in and outside the classroom will open up for discussions that provide insights into both the Danish language and Danish cultures, history, and politics more broadly. Are there themes or stylistic traits that make Danish artists and authors distinct from others? What can we learn about Danish traditions, values, beliefs, and conflicts through our exploration of literary, visual and dramatic works of art?
The language learning in the course will emphasize spoken everyday Danish, reading comprehension, and simple grammar, which will allow you to interact in basic ways with your local surroundings. The functional approach is evident both in classroom interactions, hands-on exercises, and experiential learning through field studies around Copenhagen and environs.
An important component of the course is your own observations of Danish society as you are studying abroad. As this is an integrated language and culture course, we explore how culture is reflected in language through expressions, concepts, and keywords. By openly and critically studying values, symbols, and dominant and marginalized narratives in Danish culture and history we will begin to understand how these continue to shape identities today. With Denmark as your case study, you will develop your ability to understand and study other cultures from an intercultural perspective.
Learning Objectives
- Acquire knowledge and understanding of Danish culture and society through the lens of art and fiction
- Ability to speak, read, and understand Danish on a basic level
- Gain an understanding of connections between language and culture
- Enhance intercultural awareness and critical reflection
- Develop a sense of belonging
Faculty
Nan Gerdes, Ph.D. (Comparative Literature, University of Copenhagen, 2017). Postdocs at University of Copenhagen, Roskilde University and Aarhus University. With DIS since 2018.
Readings
- Danish at DIS: A Sense of Belonging
- Adriansen, Inge: “Summary Volume II”, Nationale Symboler i Det Danske Rige, Museum Tusculanums Press 2003
- Anderson, Benedict: “Introduction”, Imagined Communities, Verso 1991
- Assmann, Aleida, "Memory, Individual and Collective," in Robert Goodin, and Charles Tilly (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Contextual Political Analysis, Oxford, 2006; online edn, Oxford Academic, 2 Sept. 2009
- Bregnsbo, Michael., and Kurt Villads. Jensen. The Rise and Fall of the Danish Empire. Excerpts from the introduction and chapter 10. Cham: Springer International Publishing AG, 2022
- The Dynamics of Social Solidarity: The Danish Welfare State, 1900-2000," Scandinavian Journal of History, 2001, 26:3, 177-196
- Frederiksen, Mette. New Years Address, January 1 2023.
- Jensen, Lars: "Postcolonial Denmark: Beyond the Rot of Colonialism", Postcolonial Studies 18:4, 2016
- Jespersen, Knud J.V.: "The Danish Model of the Welfare State," A History of Denmark, Palgrave, 2004
- Parker, Noel: "Differentiating, Collaborating, Outdoing: Nordic Identity and Marginality in the Contemporary World." Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 9:3, 2002, 355-381
- Risager, Karen. "The Concept of Culture: An Introduction." In Karen Risager. Language and
Culture: Global Flows and Local Complexity. Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters,
2006 - Østergaard, Uffe. “Danes.” Ethnic Groups of Europe : An Encyclopedia. Edited by Jeffrey E. Cole, and Jeffrey E Cole, ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2011, p. 103–107
Dance/theatre
- Gunilla Lind Danse Teater, It's so cute I'm gonna die, 2024
Literature
- Blixen, Karen. Babette's Feast. London and New York: Penguin, 2013
- Ditlevsen, Tove. Selection from Childhood in The Copenhagen Triology. Childhood Street
- Jacobsen, Siri Ranva Hjelm. The Sea Letters (unpublished translation)
Music
- Minds of 99. "Til dem"
- Lydmor. Music to It's so cute, I'm gonna die, 2024
TV series
- Price, Adam. Borgen (selection)
Videos
- Boroditsky, Lera. "How language shapes the way we think." TED talk
Visual art
- Astrup & Bordorff
- Silis Høegh, Bolatta
Podcasts
On Canvas, you can find podcasts that you can use to practice vocabulary, phrases, and pronunciation. In the textbook Danish at DIS, you find a qr-code that will take you directly to the recordings. They are also available through the 'Danish at DIS - Worksheets, Media and Guidelines' Canvas course.
Ordbogen.com
DIS has a subscription to Ordbogen, a Danish-English/English-Danish online dictionary. You are able to access this dictionary via this link.
A good resource for help with pronunciation is: https://ordnet.dk/ddo
Field Studies
Our field studies serve to get hands-on experience with perspectives on topics covered in class. For time and details, see the calendar.
Approach to Teaching
The teaching style of our class is interactive. You are expected to prepare for each class by doing all the assigned homework and to come to class with notes, questions, and relevant observations. You are expected to actively participate in class discussions and other activities in every class and to engage respectfully with your fellow students.
Keep in mind that learning a new language requires curiosity and commitment. We share the ambition of maintaining a classroom culture in which everyone feels at ease talking in a new and unfamiliar language.
Note that we only use computers and phones in the classroom to access course material.
Grading
| Assignment |
Percent |
| Engaged Participation |
30% |
|
Cultural Assignments |
35% |
|
Online Worksheets* |
10% |
|
Oral Exam |
25% |
* Online Worksheets for chapter 1-6 are part of the final grading and can be accessed in the "Danish at DIS - Worksheets, Media and Guidelines" Canvas course. We encourage to complete the worksheets throughout the semester as they correspond to the chapters in the textbook. The final deadline to complete the worksheets is the same as the oral exam deadline - see Canvas calendar for details.
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS Language café
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|