Department of Scandinavian Studies
DEPARTMENT OF Scandinavian Studies Message from the Chair TERJE LEIREN Celebrating the centennial of its founding is a significant milestone for any institution, no less an academic department at a major research university. Since its establishment by an act of the Washington State Legislature in 1909, the Department of Scandinavian Studies has grown and prospered, largely due to the dedication of its faculty and staff and the excellent character and quality of its students. To com- memorate the milestone, several celebratory events, including lectures, dinners, special programs, and conferences are being scheduled between now and the summer of 2010. Please stay in touch with us, check our departmental website, and plan to attend as many events as you can over the next two years. Of course, at the heart of what we do in the Department is teaching and scholarship. Cutting-edge research and innovative teaching enhance and broaden our knowledge about, and appreciation of, the Nordic region. Our comprehensive language programs and wide range of course offerings focusing on the five Nordic countries and the three Baltic countries make the Department unique in the world. The UW is the only North American university that regularly teaches Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian. In 2009–2010, we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Baltic Studies program. By its very nature, the teaching at a research university is informed by the research of its teachers. All of the faculty in the Department of Scandinavian Studies are active scholars who bring their SPRING 2008 research back into the classroom, whether it be for a graduate seminar on literary theory, a discus- sion of Strindberg’s Paris, a broad introductory course on Scandinavian culture, or an advanced undergraduate course on the cinematic expressions of Scandinavian attitudes about sexuality or crime fiction.
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