NORTANA Newsletter Newsletter for the Norwegian Researchers and Teachers Association of North America
Fall 2004 http://www.nortana.net Torild Homstad, editor
Contents President’s Greeting President’s Greeting NORTANA Business & News Takk for sist! It was good to see so many of Call for Nominations you at Norgesseminaret in Grand Forks in NORTANA Meeting Minutes mid-October. Thanks to Faythe Thureen NORTANA Treasurer’s Report (University of North Dakota) and the people Bjørn Jensen Leilighet at the Norwegian Consulate General in New Essay Contest Reminder York for all of the work they did in planning From Norwegian Information Service and hosting a most interesting and engaging U.S. Norway Forum event. Each year I return to my teaching and NORTANA Reading Group Guides research with renewed energy after spending Reading Group Guide “Dugnad” this time with my colleagues from across New Positions! North America, and I know that many of PLU Mankato you experience this as well. The 2005 U of MN Norgesseminar will be hosted by the Nor- Events, Conferences & Professional wegian Embassy in Washington D.C., and Development we look forward to marking Norway's cen- Bente Kahan Performance tennial at that time. LCTL Materials Development Mini-Grant Please encourage your students and people AASC Conference - Call for Papers Voice & Vision in Language Teacher Education in your communities to take advantage of ISS Språkseminar & Teacher Stipend NORTANA's 2005 initiatives. The reading Report from 2004 Språkseminar guides will be posted on our web site Education & Study in Norway (www.nortana.net) as they become avail- Oslo International Summer School able, so please spread the word to your local Scandinavian Studies in Telemark book clubs and others who may be inter- Scandinavian Urban Studies Term ested. Thanks to all who have developed or Projects, Publications & Reviews will be developing guides. Two-fold Identities Scandinavian Welfare States As you know our other major initiative is Twentieth Century Norwegian Writers the undergraduate essay contest. A few es- Naiv. Super – New Edition for Language Learn- says have already been submitted, and we ers hope to receive many more by the December Visions of Norway DVD 1 deadline. The prize winners will be an- New Hedda Gabler Film nounced via our list serve early in 2005, and Norskklassen the winning essays will appear on NOR- Bergenstest TANA's web site. A Call to Action? Standards for Foreign Lan- st guage Learning in the 21 Century This spring NORTANA members will be Congratulations! electing a new executive board. Katherine Melissa Gjellstad Hanson is chairing the nominating commit- Roger Greenwald tee, and the committee has issued a call for nominations which appears in this newslet-
NORTANA NEWSLETTER FALL 2004 ter. Please consider nominating others or Katherine Hanson yourself for these important positions. A [email protected] paper ballot will be sent out to the member- Frankie Shackelford ship in the new year, and Eva Vincent of the [email protected] Norwegian Consulate General in New York will be collecting and tallying the votes. NORTANA Minutes You will also be asked to vote on a proposed amendment to the by-laws concerning the Saturday, October 23, 2004 composition of the Board. Grand Forks, North Dakota
A note of thanks to all of the work that the 1. The meeting was called to order at 9:50 Board has done and continues to do. The am by President Ingrid Urberg. The first or- list serve is up and running thanks to Troy der of business was approval of the minutes Storfjell, and he has done a fine job of de- from the Spring meeting on April 17, 2004 signing our new web site. I would also like at Redondo Beach, California. There were to extend a special thanks to Torild Homstad no changes or corrections to the minutes, for her work as newsletter editor, and to which were then approved unanimously. Margaret Hayford O'Leary for her work on the administration of the Bjørn Jensen 2. Treasurer Terje Leiren gave his Financial apartment. Finally, thanks to the member- Report and made a proposal to increase the ship for all of their ideas and support for membership dues for NORTANA. The cur- NORTANA initiatives. rent rate of $10 US per year or $25 US for three years has been in place for a very long Med vennlig hilsen, time, and NORTANA expenses are in- Ingrid Urberg creasing. Terje suggested an increase to $15 NORTANA President US per year or $40 US for three years. Members would be asked to pay the higher NORTANA Business & News rate at the time their current dues expire. Call for Nominations After brief discussion the proposal was sec- onded and then approved by a wide margin. Dear NORTANA members: 3. Ingrid began her President’s Report by It is once again time to elect officers for the reminding the membership that the current NORTANA Board. Our current officers will board members will end their term after the serve until the next SASS meeting, May Spring 2005 meeting, which will be held at 2005. The election will be conducted by the SASS conference in Portland, Oregon. regular mail--ballots will be sent out to all Ballots will be sent out to the membership NORTANA members in February, 2005. by mail in February 2005 and should be re- turned to Eva Vincent for counting. Ingrid Nominations are now open for all positions encouraged members to consider taking on on the Board: President, Vice-President, one of the five board positions (President, Treasurer, Secretary, member-at-large. You Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and may nominate yourself (this is NOT the time Member-At-Large). An ad hoc nominating to be modest!) or another NORTANA mem- committee consisting of Katherine Hanson ber for any of the positions. Please e-mail ([email protected]), Jerry Ander- your nominations BY DECEMBER 1 to any son ([email protected]) and Frankie member of the Nominating Committee: Shackelford ([email protected]) has Jerry Anderson been formed, and members are encouraged [email protected] to contact a member of this committee to nominate either themselves or another member by Decmber 1, 2005.
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 2 FALL 2004 Next, Ingrid reminded the membership mittee very efficiently set up a series of cri- about the NORTANA student essay compe- teria for scholars wishing to occupy the tition. She has received one entry already, apartment. Priority will be given to and encourages members to have their un- NORTANA members, those who wish to dergraduates send essays to her by Decem- occupy the apartment for the full academic ber 1, 2004. A full description of the con- year, and those who have not had the op- test, along with the separate essay contest portunity to live in the apartment previously. sponsored by the Royal Norwegian Ministry This and further information will be made of Foreign Affairs can be found at available on http://www.nortana.net. The http://www.nortana.net. apartment will be available to scholars dur- ing three separate periods each year: Early Ingrid then reported on the activities of the summer (approximately the first three weeks ad hoc committee (Ingrid Urberg, Torild of June; application due November 1, 2004), Homstad and Louis Janus) on book club late summer (approximately the last three study guides. The first two guides will be weeks of August), and the academic year available on the website very soon. (approximately September 1 through May 30; application due January 15, 2005). At Ingrid’s request, Torild Homstad then re- (Following the meeting the committee de- ported on her attendance at the US-Norway termined it would be more efficient to have a Forum, which was held in Chicago, Illinois. single application deadline for both short- Of primary interest to NORTANA members term summer and academic year rental; the was an initiative proposed by Knut Brautaset single deadline will be January 15-ed.). of the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education. The pro- Margaret further described the financial ar- posed initiative would form a commission to rangements that have been made for cover- work together to bring more Norwegian uni- ing the costs of the apartment. Because of versity students to institutions in North the idiosyncrasies of Norwegian banks and America. This commission would follow up service providers, it was necessary for Mar- on the report commissioned by the Royal garet to set up a bank account with Nordea Norwegian Embassy last year on the decline Bank in her own name, into which occu- in enrollment of Norwegian students in pants of the Bjørn Jensen apartment will pay North American colleges and universities. rent and utilities (currently 4000 NOK per Chuck Nelson, Dean of Admissions at Pa- month, 1000 NOK per week or 150 NOK cific Lutheran University offered some per day). A brief discussion of the long- practical suggestions and encouraged Nor- term advisability of having one member per- wegian-American institutions to work to- sonally responsible for this arrangement en- gether to recruit Norwegian students. Astrid sued. Ellen Rees volunteered to investigate Sæther of the University of Oslo also pre- the logistics of registering NORTANA in sented information on the preparations for Norway so that the organization could have the Ibsen year of 2006. a bank account there. Audun Toven re- minded the membership about the origin of Ingrid then asked Margaret Hayford the Bjørn Jensen apartment—namely that O’Leary to report on the ad hoc committee Bjørn Jensen, a former head of the Norwe- (Margaret Hayford O’Leary, Ingrid Urberg gian Information Service in the USA during and Torild Homstad) formed in early 2004 the 1970s and one of the people responsible to coordinate the Bjørn Jensen apartment at for instituting Norway Seminar and other Sogn Student Housing in Oslo. Margaret important forms of support for Norwegian met with the head of Studentsamskipnaden i studies at American institutions, together Oslo, which runs student housing, and he with Kjetil Flatin (head of Studentsamskip- indicated that he is willing to cooperate with naden i Oslo at the time) worked together NORTANA on the apartment. The com- during the 1980s to establish a base for
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 3 FALL 2004 North American scholars and teachers. The specifically on the topic of translation, rather apartment is named after Bjørn Jensen in than the usual combination of linguistic and recognition of his tireless support of Norwe- pedagogical topics. Members interested in gian studies, and a framed portrait of him applying for the grants and/or the seminar can be found in the apartment today. should contact Torild ([email protected]).
Next Ingrid presented the membership with Next Inger Lavik Opdahl, Senior Advisor at a proposal for an addition to the NORTANA the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign bylaws. The executive board proposes that Affairs sends warm greetings to NORTANA the person chosen to coordinate the Bjørn members from the Ministry, and especially Jensen apartment be granted an ex officio from Kjellaug Myhre. She reported that af- seat on the executive board, as is currently ter November 1, 2004 more information the case for the webmaster and newsletter from the Ministry on the 2005 centennial editor. Changes in the bylaws must be ap- celebration will be made available, and that proved by a mail-in vote, and this proposal more information on the Ibsen jubilee in will be included on the executive board 2006 will made available in the near future. election ballot that will be sent out to mem- bers. Liv Mørch Finborud, Consul General of Finally Ingrid thanked the members of the Norway, extended words of welcome and executive board, the Royal Norwegian Min- greeting to the membership. istry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Information Service for their support, and Eva Vincent, Director of the Norwegian In- encouraged existing members to recruit new formation Service in the United States then members. reminded members of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs essay competi- Troy Storfjell then gave a brief Webmaster tion. The submission deadline is December Report, in which he revealed the new 15, 2004. She also reminded NORTANA NORTANA website members about the funding information (http://www.nortana.net). He noted that the available through ”forskerkanalen” NORTANA listserv is also up and running, (http://www.forskningsradet.no), and that as after a brief transition between servers. No- usual the Norwegian Information Service tices and information can be sent to the e- will make travel stipends available. The ap- mail address [email protected]. Members plication deadline will be February 15, 2005. were reminded that the Norwegian word for Further, Eva mentioned the growing DVD website is et nettsted. and VHS lending collection that her office maintains. There is a list of available films Torild Homstad gave the Newsletter Edi- posted on their website: tor’s Report, in which she announced that http://www.norway.org/education/norwegia the newsletter would be out soon. She re- namericanstudies/Norwegian- quested reviews and reports of books and American+Studies.htm Eva announced that other teaching materials or activities that the contemporary author Jan Kjærstad will might be of interest to other NORTANA be a featured speaker at the 2005 SASS con- members. Members were reminded that the ference in Portland, Oregon. She also an- Norwegian word for newsletter is either et nounced that a poster exhibit is being pre- meldingsblad or et nyhetsbrev. pared for the Ibsen jubilee year, and that it would be especially useful in cases where Torild then reported that the Oslo Interna- members are planning special Ibsen semi- tional Summer School usually has two nars. She also reminded members partici- grants for NORTANA members planning on pating in Norway Seminar to fill out and attending the three-week teachers’ seminar. submit the provided evaluation forms. Fi- During the 2005 ISS, the seminar will focus nally, Eva made a particularly well-received
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 4 FALL 2004 announcement that all members attending Ingrid announced that the Association for Norway Seminar would receive a signed the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in copy of Lars Saabye Christensen’s newly Canada will hold its annual conference in translated book, The Half Brother. Chris- London, Ontario May 28-31, 2005. Ingrid tensen visited the USA in September and will share the call for papers when it be- generously signed numerous copies of the comes available, and encourages partici- book. pants from both the USA and Norway. Ingrid also announced that Augustana Uni- Next Per Øystein Roland and Andrine Pol- versity College in Camrose, Alberta has of- len from NORLA passed on warm greetings ficially become a part of the University of to NORTANA members from Kristin Alberta. Brudevoll and Elisabeth Middelthon. Troy announced that a Major in Scandina- Ellen Rees then gave a presentation on the vian at the University of Colorado at Boul- 1999 ACTFL report, Standards for Lan- der has been approved. It will officially be guage Learning in the 21st Century and how known as The Scandinavian Track of the NORTANA might benefit from considering Germanic Cultural Studies Major. these proposed standards in more detail (see separate article). A lively discussion en- Terje announced that the University of sued, and Ellen agreed to collect the names Washington now has a Major in Finnish. He of members interested in participating in an also encouraged NORTANA members to ad hoc committee that will investigate the submit paper proposals to him for the 2005 standards and make suggestions for how SASS conference (lei- NORTANA might use them. Interested [email protected]). Following up on members are encouraged to contact her at Eva Vincent’s announcement of Jan Kjær- [email protected]. stad’s participation in SASS, Terje an- nounced that there will probably be a special Erling Rimestad from the Norwegian Em- session set up both for Kjærstad himself and bassy in Washington, D.C. gave a brief re- for scholarly discussion of his work. Mem- port on the plans for Norway Seminar 2005. bers interested in participating as either chair The general theme will be the centennial or respondant should contact Terje. Finally, celebration of the dissolution of the union Terje announced that Melissa Gjellstad with Sweden, but specific speakers and top- earned her Ph.D. in Norwegian in June ics have not yet been decided. Erling wel- 2004. comes suggestions from the membership, A new tenure-track position as Coordinator and announced that the Smithsonian Institu- of Scandinavian Studies at the Minnesota tion will be involved in coordinating the State University at Mankato is being adver- seminar. tised. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Birgitta Hendrickson For 2006 the theme of the Norway seminar ([email protected]) for further will be Ibsen. At meeting time it was not information. (See position announcement yet determined whether the meeting would elsewhere in this newsletter.) be hosted by John Weinstock in Austin, Texas or Tanya Thresher in Madison, Wis- An annotated version of Erlend Loe’s Naiv. consin. Terje Leiren expressed an interest in Super. (1996) is being published, which hosting again in Seattle, Washington, per- should be very useful in instruction, since so haps in 2007 or 2008. many Norwegian teachers are using the book in their classes. Finally, there was a long list of announce- ments: Torild reminded the membership that the Oslo Year Program is no longer functioning
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 5 FALL 2004 in its previous form. The University of Oslo 9.80 hopes instead to increase the number of Bank service charges North American students enrolled through 4.00 bilateral agreements. Currently, the OYP is Total Expeneses functioning as a portal for students from 532.11 universities and colleges that do not yet have bilateral agreements, but this will probably Balance on Account (Sept 1, 2004) not continue next year. Torild encourages $9,314.65 members to work toward such agreements to Profit
Finally, the National Institute of Summer Scandinavian Studies will be held in 2005 in Madison, Wisconsin. Language courses will The Bjørn Jensen apartment was established be held in Norwegian and Danish. Please in 1992 in honor of Bjørn Jensen and his inform your students of this opportunity. service to Norwegian teachers in North The meeting was adjourned at 11:10 am. America, thanks to Kjetil Flatin, then direc- tor of Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo (SiO). Respectfully submitted, The apartment is owned by SiO, and the rent Ellen Rees, Secretary is subsidized by a generous annual grant from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of For- NORTANA Treasurer’s Report eign Affairs. The apartment is dedicated to the use of North American scholars of Nor- Balance on Account (Mar 31,2004) wegian studies. $9,541.76 Income-Membership Dues Located at Sogn Studentby, the apartment 305.00 (approx. 50 kvm) has 2 bedrooms, living Expenses room/kitchen/bath with shower, and storage Newsletter lockers. It is fully furnished, with internet 315.56 access and telephone, linens, dishes, micro- Newsletter wave, cable television, VCR, etc. Photos of 6.20 the apartment interior will be posted on the Newsletter NORTANA website. 186.55 New checks/deposit slips
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 6 FALL 2004 Rent for 2004-2005 is NOK 4000 a month, arrangement finnes på vår hjemmeside NOK 1000 a week, or NOK 150 per day. www. norway.org. Trykk på 2005-knappen i Rent includes high-speed internet access, den horisontale menyen, eller bruk lenken telephone service within Norway and cable http://www.norway.org/info/2005.htm TV. Laundry is extra, and is paid directly to Med vennlig hilsen, the reception desk at Sogn each month, or Eva Vincent, Norwegian Information Serv- upon departure for short-term rental. ice Royal Norwegian Consulate General, New Renters will be required to sign a contract York with SiO and to fulfill all their obligations as residents of Sogn studentby. In addition U.S.-Norway Forum they will sign a contract with NORTANA, outlining specific terms of the rental. The U.S-Norway Forum met in Chicago on Friday, October 15. A manquette of the The apartment will be available for rent for statue of Princess Märtha that is to be 3 periods throughout the year: two summer erected on the grounds of the Norwegian rentals from ca. June 1-23 and ca. August 6- embassy in Washington, D.C. was unveiled 31, and during the academic year from Sep- at a reception Thursday evening. tember 1-May 31. The ISS has use of the apartment during its session. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Vollebæk. Sylvi Graham, State Secretary, January 15 is the application deadline for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summarized the either summer or academic year rentals. aims and themes of the 2005 celebrations. Further information and application forms Kim Nesselquist of the Norwegian Ameri- are available on the NORTANA website. can Foundation reported on their activities. Applications are to be sent to Margaret Hay- The 2005 Directory of Norwegian-American ford O’Leary [email protected] the chair of organizations will be mailed next month. the B.J. apartment committee. The Foundation also publishes an e-mail newsletter, which can be subscribed to at: NORTANA Essay Contest http://noram.norway.com/newsletter.asp and is partner in maintaining a website
Jeg vil gjerne minne om Utenriksdetarte- A number of events were announced, in- mentets 2005-essaykonkurranse og cluding a silver centennial coin, a Märtha oppfordrer alle til å delta. Jeg minner også sweater by Dale, and a documentary film on om forsker- og studentkanalen og reisesti- Princess Märtha. For more information on pendet, og at informasjon om 2005-
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 7 FALL 2004 these and other events, refer to the following fairs, and cooperation on the web, would be websites: www.norge2004.no, good strategies. www.2005.Norway.info, www.hundrearsmarkeringen.no/www.norge Ambassador Havnen asked when a student 2005.no, www.nb.no/baser/1905, decides where to study, and suggested that www.dep.no.ud The Foundation also an- we are missing an opportunity by focusing nounced that the Crown Princess Märtha on universities, and that we should put more fund will take applications in the spring and energy into reaching students at vide- the first grant will be announced at the un- regående. Kjetil Flatin pointed out that we veiling of the statue, granting $100,000 for could learn something about marketing from 2005. Australia, and that Australia spends 20 mil- lion NOK each year in Norway to promote Of particular interest to NORTANA were Australian universities. the presentations by Knut Brautaset, Chair- man of the Board of SIU (Norwegian Centre The Ibsen centennial is 2006, and Astrid for International Cooperation in Higher Sæther outlined some of the events to take Education) and Chuck Nelson, Director of place. Ibsen year events will be grand and Admissions at PLU. Brautaset reiterated the varied; they will have an international pro- importance of increasing the numbers of file and are to show originality, involve Norwegian students in the U.S. and Canada, young people, and should have a lasting ef- and the obstacles to this as outlined in the fect. There are 10 students from all over the study done last year. On the plus side, a work participating in the first year of a new Master’s Programme in Ibsen Studies in Norwegian forum for research in the U.S. th has been established, the new Norwegian English. The 11 International Ibsen Con- degree structure with a 3-year bachelor is in ference will be held August 21-27 in Oslo. place and should encourage reciprocity, and The conference theme will be “The Living new bi-lateral partnerships are valuable (al- Ibsen”. The U.S-Norway Forum in 2006 will though mobility is not high enough). be dedicated to Ibsen. Brautaset suggested establishing a working Lois Rand, president of the Norwegian- group with representatives from SIU, the American Historical Association, was pre- Norwegian Council for Higher Education, sented with the Ambassador’s Award. and the embassies, which could suggest Torild Homstad, measures, including funding schemes and Oslo International Summer School, programs. NORTANA Chuck Nelson talked about what can be NORTANA Reading Group Guides done to attract Norwegian students to North American universities. Nelson maintains The first two NORTANA Reading Group that money should not be a problem; that Guides are now available: Lars Saabye there is money available and that the NOK is Christensen’s The Half Brother, by Eliza- strong and goes a long way. The charm of beth Blair, Associate Professor of English at Australia is waning a bit, and semester and Southwest Minnesota State University, and year-long periods of study are becoming Øystein Lønn’s The Necessary Rituals of more common for Norwegian students. Nel- Maren Gripe, by Tanya Thresher, Univer- son suggests that we need to look for what sity of Wisconsin. unique that we can offer, and for effective ways to reach potential students. He believes These guides are intended to present works that cooperation among schools by combin- of Norwegian literature to an English- ing advertising in ads in Norwegian maga- reading public, to enhance the reading expe- zines, participating together at educational rience, and to encourage the reader to ex-
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 8 FALL 2004 plore further what Norwegian literature has wegian beginning September 2005. Re- to offer. quirements: Ph.D., native or near-native flu- ency in Norwegian, and expertise in Scandi- NORTANA Reading Group Guides may be navian cultural studies with an emphasis on downloaded at no charge from the modern Scandinavia. Scholars with research NORTANA website www.nortana.net for and teaching experience in Scandinavian so- use by reading groups or individual readers. cial democracy, cultural identity, ethnic mi- Comments, questions, or suggestions may norities, and/or peace and development be posted to our Reading Group Guide Dis- studies are encouraged to apply. A record of cussion Page. excellent teaching, evidence of scholarly promise, and an interest in teaching in inter- Reading Group Guide “Dugnad” disciplinary programs is required. Teaching The next phase of the project is for all responsibilities include courses in Norwe- NORTANA members to contact their local gian language, Scandinavian culture and bookstores about the wonderful Norwegian cultural history at all undergraduate levels. literature that is available in English. Let Other responsibilities include commitment them know about the availability of the to the growth of the Scandinavian Studies reading group guides and ask them to sug- program, and contribution to the develop- gest these books to their local book clubs. If ment of PLU’s study abroad program at you belong to a book club, suggest some Hedmark University College. good Norwegian literature in English. The Scandinavian Studies program at PLU is an interdisciplinary program that offers We also need more writers of reading group majors in Scandinavian Area Studies and guides. Linn Ullmann now has three novels Norwegian, and includes courses in culture, in English translation, and there are new literature and three levels of Norwegian lan- English translations of books by Hamsun guage. The program’s curriculum is de- and Sigurd Hoel, among others. Contact To- signed to develop students’ informed under- rild Homstad [email protected] for more standing of Scandinavia in the modern information. world. Through its courses and participation Torild Homstad in campus dialogue on global perspectives, Oslo International Summer School the program takes an active role in the uni- versity’s priority to encourage global educa- 3 New Positions! tion. In the progressive Lutheran tradition, Pacific Lutheran University seeks to educate Pacific Lutheran University students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care. We in the Scandinavian Studies program at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Send letter of interest, CV, dossier including Washington are pleased to announce a ten- three letters of recommendation, evidence of ure-track position in Scandinavian Studies teaching excellence, and sample syllabi to beginning September 2005. The position de- Scandinavian Studies Search Committee, scription is included below. You will also Scandinavian Studies Program, Pacific Lu- find more information about the Scandina- theran University, Tacoma, WA 98447- vian Studies position at 0003. Please direct questions to Dr. Claudia http://www.plu.edu/~humr/jobs/ Berguson, phone: (253) 535-7512, email: [email protected] Position Description
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 9 FALL 2004 Mankato State University undergraduate majors and minors in Span- ish, French and German; a minor in Teach- POSITION: ing English as a Second Language. The Modern Language Department, Assistant Scandinavian Studies major is an interdisci- Professor Scandinavian Languages and Di- plinary program. rector of Scandinavian Studies (tenure track) For further information on Scandinavian APPLICATION DEADLINE: Studies: Applications received by December 1, 2004 http://www.mnsu.edu/modernlang/scanstudi will receive priority consideration. es.html.
For further information on the Department SALARY RANGE: of Modern Languages: Dependent upon qualifications and experi- http://www.mnsu.edu/dept/modernlang/. ence; competitive. Additional information on Minnesota State DATE OF APPOINTMENT: University, Mankato can be found at: August 22, 2005 http://www.mnsu.edu.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Teach courses in un- Employment for this position is covered by dergraduate Scandinavian languages (Nor- the collective bargaining agreement for the wegian, Swedish), direct the Scandinavian Inter Faculty Organization which can be Studies program. Course development. The found at: successful candidate is also expected to en- http://www.hr.mnscu.edu/LR/index.html. gage in research and service. The teaching load is 20 credits per year plus 4 credits re- TO APPLY: assigned time per year for the direction of Provide a letter of application addressing the the Scandinavian Studies program. qualifications above, vita, unofficial tran- scripts, statement of philosophy of teaching QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: and research goals, and three current letters * Ph.D. by date of appointment in Scandi- of recommendation to the following address. navian languages or Scandinavian Studies. An official or certified copy of the tran- * Native or near-native fluency in Norwe- scripts will be required prior to any inter- gian or Swedish and English. view as a finalist for this position. * Documented undergraduate teaching ex- perience. NAME: * Must demonstrate potential for research. Dr. Jim Grabowska, Chair Specialization is open. Scandinavian Studies Search Committee Department of Modern Languages OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Minnesota State University, Mankato 227 Armstrong Hall * Experience as Program Director. Mankato, MN 56001 * Native or near-native fluency in a second language taught in the department or qualifi- PHONE: (507) 389-2116 cations to teach world language teaching TTY: (800) 627-3529 methods. FAX: (507) 389-5887 E-MAIL:[email protected] RELATED INFORMATION: The Department of Modern Languages has graduate programs in Spanish and French;
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 10 FALL 2004 University of Minnesota APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Persons interested and who meet the qualifi- Lecturer or Teaching Specialist Positions in cations listed above should send a letter of Norwegian & Swedish application, curriculum vitae, three letters of The College of Liberal Arts, Department of recommendation, documentation of quality German, Scandinavian and Dutch teaching (teaching evaluations, syllabi, sam- ple class materials, or other documentation), DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: and relevant publications if available to: The Department of German, Scandinavian Search Committee and Dutch in the College of Liberal Arts at German, Scandinavian and Dutch the University of Minnesota seeks candi- 205 Folwell Hall dates for two positions, one in Norwegian 9 Pleasant Street SE and one in Swedish. Responsibilities in- University of Minnesota clude teaching six language courses (three Minneapolis, MN 55455. courses per semester), engaging in ongoing curriculum development, and performing Completed applications must be received no some administrative duties in a growing un- later than January 10, 2005. Please provide dergraduate language program. These are a translation of any material not in English. 100%, nine-month positions, annually re- For information on the Department, go to < newable based on funding and performance, http://www.folwell.umn.edu/gsd >. beginning August 29, 2005. Salary range is $37,000 to $42,000, depending on qualifica- The University of Minnesota is committed to tions and experience. Excellent benefits the policy that all persons shall have equal available. access to its programs, facilities, and em- ployment without regard to race, color, REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, Two years of post-secondary teaching expe- marital status, disability, public assistance rience. status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Native or near-native fluency in English and the language of instruction. Events, Conferences & Profes- (Teaching Specialist:) An M.A. degree or sional Development foreign equivalent or ABD in the appropri- ate language, foreign language education, or Bente Kahan Performance a related field. (Lecturer:) A Ph.D. degree or foreign Bente Kahan is a Jewish-Norwegian per- equivalent in the appropriate language, for- forming artist, with the production company eign language education, or a related field. Teater Dybbuk - Oslo, whose aim is to con- vey Jewish-European culture and history PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: through drama and music. She is scheduled Experience teaching American college or to perform on February 5, 2005 at the St. university-level undergraduates. Paul Jewish Community Center, and give a Post-secondary experience teaching Swedish talk at the University of Minnesota. Other or Norwegian language. colleges or universities that would like to ar- Interest in curriculum development. range for a local concert should contact A strong background (e.g., coursework, Louis Janus ([email protected]) as soon as publications, experience) in foreign lan- possible, See Ms Kahan's webpage guage education, second language acquisi- http://www.bentekahan.com/ for more de- tion, proficiency-based teaching, or com- tails about her performances. puter-assisted language learning. Louis Janus, Positive evaluations of teaching from stu- University of Minnesota dents, peers and/or supervisors.
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 11 FALL 2004 LCTL Materials Development by an additional 10 minutes of discussion Mini-Grant time. Papers may be given in English or French on a Scandinavian (including Finnish To augment its support of LCTL teachers, and Icelandic) related topic in any disci- the LCTL Project will be awarding grants of pline. up to $1,000 for the development and sub- Proposals for panels on specific themes are mission of sharable material for teaching a invited, as are proposals for interdisciplinary LCTL. The materials will be used to colloquia or special sessions in regard to the expand the LCTL Projects growing collec- theme of Paradoxes of Citizenship, and one tion of web-based instructional materials. or more of its sub-themes, Environments, Exclusions, Equity. Please ensure that in- The deadline for submitting application is 6 dividual abstracts and brief CVs for each Dec 2004. Deadline for submitting the mate- paper/presenter on a panel accompany such rial itself (for the successful applicants) is proposals and that you contact the Program June 30, 2005. Committee directly.
The announcement is at Proposals/abstracts of 150-250 words should http://www.carla.umn.edu/lctl/materials/gra be submitted by January 15, 2005 by e-mail nt.html The application forms to print and to the chair of the AASSC Program Com- mail in (to reach us by 6 Dec2004) can be mittee: found at: http://www.carla.umn.edu/lctl/application.ht Ingrid K. Urberg ml Associate Professor of Scandinavian Studies Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta Please email me ([email protected]) or call [email protected] 612/624-9016 with questions. Telephone: (780)679-1573 Louis Janus, University of Minnesota Please note: All submissions must be sent electronically, and the subject section should AASSC CONFERENCE- Call for read AASSC paper submission. Submis- Papers sions should include title of paper, abstract (150-250 words), and the author's name, af- filiation and contact information. University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario NOTE: There is the possibility that AASSC May 28-31, 2005 will be able to defray a small part of the travel costs of AASSC members giving pa- The twenty-fourth annual meeting of the As- pers. Students may apply for additional sociation for the Advancement of Scandina- funding. Conference participants from vian Studies in Canada (AASSC) will be Europe should apply for funding to agencies held at the University of Western Ontario, of their home country. Papers given at the London, Ontario, May 28 - 31, 2005 in conference may subsequently be considered conjunction with the meetings of the Cana- for publication in the Association's journal dian Federation for the Humanities and So- Scandinavian-Canadian Studies. cial Sciences/Fédération canadienne des sci- ences humaines. The Congress theme is Paradoxes of Citizenship: Environments, Exclusions, Equity.
Proposals are invited for papers of 20 min- utes duration. Each paper will be followed
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 12 FALL 2004 Voice and Vision in Language special three-week course (the second half Teacher Education of the summer session), for advanced lan- Fourth International Conference guage students and Norwegian teachers. – Call for Papers This past summer two NORTANA members participated; Chris Hale and Hanna Emer- son. There is a report from Hanna Emerson June 2-4, 2005 elsewhere in the newsletter. This summer, Radisson-Metrodome Hotel the Språkseminar will focus on translation. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Norwegian language teachers interested in applying to the course, and for the teachers The fourth International Conference on stipend should contact Torild Homstad at Language Teacher Education welcomes [email protected] proposals for papers and symposia on all as- pects of the education and professional de- Report from Språkseminar 2004 velopment of language teachers. Papers and symposia may report on data-based research, This year I was awarded both a travel grant theoretical and conceptual analyses, or best for 2004 by the Norwegian Ministry of For- practices in language teacher education. eign Affairs and also a stipend for North American teachers of Norwegian to partici- The mission of the conference is to address pate in the 2004 session of Oslo Interna- the education of teachers of all languages, at tional Summer School. The course in which all instructional and institutional levels, and I took part was called "Språkseminar". As in all the many national and international you know, this particular course is designed contexts in which this takes place, including: for Norwegian language teachers abroad. English as a Second or Foreign Language This year the group consisted of seven stu- (ESL/EFL) instruction; for- dents. I am happy to say that I found the eign/modern/world language teaching; bi- course and its participants (both teachers and lingual education; immersion education; in- students) very satisfactory, intellectually digenous and minority language education; stimulating and informative. I particularly and the teaching of less commonly taught enjoyed having the possibly to discuss issues languages. The conference aims to bring to- with teachers from various countries and ex- gether teacher educators from these many change our experiences and views. contexts to discuss and share research, the- ory, and best practices and to initiate and The stay also proved to be extremely suc- sustain meaningful professional dialogue cessful outside the classroom. It gave me across languages, levels, and settings. the opportunity to do research in the library, spend countless hours in bookstores and The deadline for submission of proposals for second hand bookstores. As a result of this I papers and symposia is November 30, 2004. brought home over 40 books which will be used in 2 areas: language teaching and my More information and on-line submission Henrik Ibsen research. Last but not least, the instructions can be found at: stay allowed me to visit my Norwegian http://www.carla.umn.edu/conferences/LTE friends who once again helped me tremen- 2005/call.html dously with networking and finding new re- search sources. I very much appreciate the ISS Språkseminar & Teacher Stipend opportunity to be in Oslo for 4 weeks and I believe that both "Språkseminaret" and my The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign research will contribute significantly to my Affairs has generously offered two stipends scholarly work. each year to North American teachers of Hanna Zmijewska-Emerson, Ph.D. Norwegian to participate in Språkseminar, a University of Minnesota
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 13 FALL 2004 Education & Study in Norway fare state to one that critically examines contemporary Scandinavia as it struggles Oslo International Summer School with the joint challenges of globalisation and immigration. SUST is inter-disciplinary and draws on sociology, political science, his- The ISS will offer a new course in Norwe- tory, urban studies, arts and literature and gian Architecture and Design this summer in linguistics. addition to its regular offerings. Program content The Oslo International Summer School of- fers a six-week program of academic course Taking learning out of the classroom is fun- work, excursions, and extracurricular activi- damental in SUST. Oslo is the physical ties for around 550 students from almost 100 base of the program and Norway serves as different countries at the University of Oslo the primary case study. Issues such the de- each summer. This year’s session is from velopment of Norwegian national identity June 25 to August 5. Students may study are introduced and are followed by an in- intensive Norwegian language courses from depth examination of contemporary Norwe- beginning to advanced levels. Other courses gian – and broader Scandinavian – political, in the humanities and social sciences (Nor- social and cultural issues. Topics covered wegian literature, history, political science, include foreign affairs and international re- international relations) are taught in English, lations, immigration, contemporary litera- with a Norwegian perspective. There are ture and key policies of the welfare state also a number of graduate and professional such as housing, health and education. course offered in areas where Norway has special expertise:Peace Research, Interna- Students also have the option of undertaking tional Community Health, Energy Planning Norwegian language studies through the and Sustainable Environment, Media Stud- Department of Linguistics at the University ies, Special Needs Education, International of Oslo or completing an Independent Study Development Studies. Individuals who have Project. completed at least one year of college or university are eligible to apply. There is no Program structure language prerequisite, and no upper age limit. Catalogs and applications are now SUST has one curriculum with various available and have been sent out to Norwe- components and modes of learning: gian teachers. If you did not receive a cata- log, or need more, please contact the North The Reading Seminar which is the American Admissions Office, at locus of most theoretical work [email protected],. The Field Seminar is where theory and practice meet. In the Field Scandinavian Urban Studies Term Seminar students hear from experts Autumn semester and practioners and visit public and private institutions/organisations. The Scandinavian Urban Studies Term As part of the Field Seminar stu- (SUST) is delivered in partnership between dents also volunteer with a commu- the Higher Education Consortium for Urban nity or governmental agency on a Affairs (HECUA) based in the Twin Cities designated day each week. This and the International Summer School at the year students have volunteered with University of Oslo. SUST is a long-standing organisation including Friends of program that commenced in 1973. It has the Earth Norway, the Norwegian evolved from being a program focusing on Organisation for Asylum Seekers the achievements of the Scandinavian wel- and the Oslo Red Cross.
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 14 FALL 2004 The Integration Seminar is the lo- the after-class hours. The students were re- cus where theory from the Reading cently interviewed about their total experi- Seminar, practical insights from the ence so far in Bø, including pre- and post- Field Seminar, language courses and arrival information, staff availability, aca- independent study projects are inte- demics and community likeability. On a grated on a weekly basis. scale of 1 to 10, the average rating was 8.2. We are very proud of that score but continue This fall there have been 10 participants to adjust and improve our program. Students from Macalaster, Carleton, the University of were also happy with the number of field Minnesota, University of Central Michigan, trips integrated into the program. They felt St. Mary’s University, Bowdoin, and Wil- that “hands on” learning was an essential liams. Students do not have to be from part of study aboard. members of the HECUA consortium to par- ticipate in the program. Information is avail- We encourage students of all majors to con- able on the HECUA website at HECUA.org sider Scandinavian Studies in Telemark. Our or the SUST Program Director, Timothy program, campus and community allow for Szlachetko on email: a great deal of flexibility in academic [email protected]. growth and extra curricular activities. Stu- dents can tailor several aspects of their expe- Scandinavian Studies in Telemark rience in Bø. For example, one student might choose to focus on courses taught in Scandinavian Studies in Telemark has suc- English, another might add a Beginning cessfully started its fourth fall semester. This level Norwegian course to their portfolio, year we have 12 students representing 4 while the advanced language student can countries; Belgium, Latvia, Canada and the take our highest level of Norwegian, and/or USA. The following North American a bilingually-taught course and further con- schools are represented: Augustana Univer- tinue to improve their language skills in sity College (Canada) Luther College, St. daily communication with their Norwegian Olaf College and the University of Vermont. flatmates. Students take a minimum of 30 European credit hours. In addition to the required Please contact the Program Coordinator, Telemark Culture course, students can Lisa Hjelmeland for more information. E- choose from 3 levels of Norwegian lan- mail: [email protected] or visit our guage, Ecophilosophy, an immigration lit- website at http://fag.hit.no/scandstud/ erature course, an outdoor recreation course (friluftsliv) and our newest course in peace studies. Most courses are taught by tenured faculty at Telemark University College. The recently-developed Peace Studies course is co-taught by Erik Cleven and Per Ingvar Haukland.
Our students live with other Norwegians in campus dorms. Many are active in the com- munity by helping at after school programs (SFO), singing in the church choir, even at- tending local cooking classes (in Norwe- gian!). Interest in Rosemaling prevails this year too. Several find walking and exploring the great outdoors around Bø appealing in
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 15 FALL 2004 Projects, Publications & Reviews immigrants in general, and the specific writ- ers he Twofold Identities: Norwegian-American gives as examples are interesting and worthy Contributions to Midwestern Literature. of presentation to a wider audience. The Øyvind T. Gulliksen. New York: Peter chapters in this book, while all centered on Lang; 2004. 240 pp. $65.95 and illuminating the main theme of the positive aspect of the immigrant's double Øyvind Gulliksen's study of Midwestern lit- perspective, are nevertheless mostly re- erature does not give a comprehensive sur- written from articles previously published in vey of the literary history of Midwestern other places, and this has led to some differ- Norwegian-American literature, as the sub- ences in style and tone. Though the material title might imply, nor does it intend to do so. presented is both persuasive and interesting, Rather, Gulliksen has selected a few texts the book is marred by a lack of competent from a variety of genres in order to illumi- copyediting that is occasionally annoying to nate the idea of the immigrant's use of a the reader. The book is equipped with an "double consciousness," or "twofold iden- index and a complete and helpful bibliogra- tity" as he terms it in the main title of this phy. Twofold Identities is a book well worth book. Instead of portraying immigrants as reading for anyone interested in thinking alienated, rootless, or divided as many pre- about the experience of immigrants and how vious scholars have done, he maintains in these experiences are reflected in their texts. these essays that they were enriched by this duality, and that this enrichment shows Solveig Zempel through in the literature, or perhaps using St. Olaf College Gulliksen's terminology, we might rather say in the texts they produced. Gulliksen also shows how these immigrant texts fit Modern Scandinavian Welfare States: Scandinavian Politics and Policy in the into the context of Midwestern literature in nd general. Global Age, 2 ed., Eric S. Einhorn and John Logue, (Westport, Connecticut and In the Introduction, Gulliksen sets out his London: Praeger/Greenwood, 2003). theory of the twofold identity and its value to the immigrant writer, putting the theory in Teachers acquainted with the first edition of the framework of modern literary and cul- Modern Welfare States will welcome this tural studies. He argues convincingly for a considerably expanded and revised second new understanding of immigrant literature, edition. Finland and Iceland now take their and correspondingly for a new and more places alongside of Denmark, Norway, and positive understanding of the immigrant ex- Sweden. A new subtitle signals updated perience. Each of the following chapters thematic interests. The first edition concen- takes up the case of individual writers, from trated on two themes, the development of the relatively unknown such as Torbjørg and the social welfare state in the middle of the John Lie, N.N. Rønning, and Andreas Ue- twentieth century and the internal strains be- land, to two chapters on the slightly better ginning to develop inside of those systems known Waldemar Ager, and finally two toward the end of the century. The revised chapters on the well known O.E. Rølvaag. work directs more attention to the way glob- The book ends with an epilogue that sum- alization and various forms of European re- marizes and concludes his argument. gionalism have affected the Nordic coun- tries. Economic factors, ideological devel- Gulliksen persuasively presents his perspec- opments, and ethnic pluralism are all ac- tive on the benefits and pleasures of the two- counted for, as are the directly felt effects of fold identity of the immigrant writer and of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 16 FALL 2004 Students will do well with this book and in- Twentieth Century Norwegian Writers, structors will find it well arranged for differ- volume 297, of the Dictionary of Literary ent kinds of courses. The four sections of Biography, includes entries on thirty-nine this book can be read sequentially or they novelists, poets, dramatists, and short-story can be reordered or read separately for writers who came to prominence during a pedagogical purposes. In an introductory period of great change for Norway. Inde- course on modern Scandinavian history, for pendence from Sweden in 1905, suffrage for example, sections of Modern Welfare States women in 1913, invasion and occupation by could well be interpolated into an essentially Germany during World War II, and the narrative scheme supported by another text- transformation from a rural agrarian econ- book. A book like Byron Nordstrom’s omy to an urbanized industrial welfare state Scandinavia Since 1500 together with Ein- had an impact on Norwegian authors, who horn and Logue would together provide ba- were also affected by, and made significant sic reading for such a course along with ap- contributions to, general European literary propriate primary readings and selected trends such as naturalism, realism, expres- shorter secondary sources. Those who offer sionism, modernism and postmodernism. more specialized courses will also want to be aware of Einhorn and Logue. This book Each essay in the volume is written by an is, in fact, a good first stop for anyone in- authority in the field and is illustrated with quiring about the welfare state in the Nordic images documenting the life and career of countries. All who use Modern Welfare the subject. The authors treated in the vol- States will want to know about ume include two winners of the Nobel Prize http://www.scanpol.kent.edu, a website de- in literature, Knut Hamusn and Sigrid Und- signed to complement the volume. Among set; the philosophical novelist Jostein other things, the authors report summary Gaarder, whose Sofie's World became an election results in the Nordic countries. international best-seller; the prolific poet/critic Jan Erik Vold; the dramatist Jon The paperback edition sells at price that will Fosse, who has been hailed as the "new Ib- not break student budgets. Examination sen'; the innovative Dag Solstad; and the copies are available for instructors. Infor- avant-garde playwright Cecilie Løveid. The mation is posted at subjects are placed in their historical and lit- http://www.greenwood.com. erary contexts in the introduction by the editor of the volume, Professor Tanya Todd Nichol Thresher of the University of Wisconsin. St. Olaf College Copies can be provided for definite reviews; contact Carol Cheschi at Bruccoli Clark Layman, 2006 Sumter St. Columbia, SC 29201-2157.
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 17 FALL 2004 A New Edition of Naiv. Super.
A new edition of Erlend Loe’s Naiv. reading comprehension. First, each page of Super. — specifically designed for those who the novel has a column-reference translation know Norwegian at a beginning second-year of new vocabulary words and phrases. The college level — will be available in November words are identified in the text by numerical in the “Norsk-engelsk lesebok serie” from superscripts; a brief translation appears Nelsbok Publishing. directly to the right in the column-reference section. New vocabulary is translated the This edition has two unique features that first four times that it appears in the text. promote language acquisition and increase
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Super.hard,) rå» 2 thick, large «S gjenfortelle —fortalte —for- glede gledet 1 delight, gratify, kraftig» 3 rough, crude, inex- talt repeat, retell «S gjengi» please, make happy 2 glede act «S lite nøyaktig» 4 gross, gjengjeld en) 1 return, repay- Theseg second til look feature forward of theto book is acrass, 36-page rude, raunchy«S H aslibrigugen»’ s Norwegian-English Dictionary; and ment «S motytelse» til gjen-ordlistegli (glide) that gledpresents glidd over 1 flow, 4,000 com-5 gross,plete large, serioust«Sh e stor,inter net reference work Bokmålsordboka). gjeld (for) in return (for), as glide, drift, slide «S rutsje, alvorlig» compensation (for) yte gjen- defflyte,initio drivens fo»r t2h eskid, voc aslipbu l«Sary . 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Supbetydningsfull,er. has viktig,— verdifu students,ll» members of study groups and «S gjennombrudd» 3 carbon wobranchrked ex «Scep kvisttiona»ll y2 wbranch,ell in m y igråntemeisrmed iei)ate (bird) gray booktitmouse clubs, and individuals who simply copy 4 electrical breakdown 5 division, section «S avdeling, gummistøvler rubber boots discoloration Nodelområderwegian cl»a s3s . (ofNo ore) lon gvein,er do stgunstigudents h favorable,ave propitiouswant «Sto enjoy the pleasure of reading gjennomsnittlig 1 average, to fliplode through 4 tine of their a fork Norwegian-English beleilig, dic- fordelaktig, gagnligfluently» through a novel written in mean «S normal, middels» 2 tigrenseonaries en). Th 1e border,end glo boundaryssary co nguttetains aktigmuch boyish Norwegian. on an/the average «S kant, rand» 2 dividing line, guttestrek en) boyish prank gjenstand en) 1 thing, object molimitre th a«Sn d ytterpunktefinitions: »st ugrensendents fin dgå b ogikkth gr agåttm- «S ting» 2 subject, object, maticaler nådd! forms that’s and theNorwegian limit! gå synonyms.det går ikke opp it doesn’tThe editor of the ”Norsk-engelsk lesebok item «S emne, objekt, sak» Greatover for grensen building cross vocabulary.” the line Thisadd upedition det går riktig forserie” seg is James P. Jensen. Contact Nelsbok gjesp en) yawn is intendedsette grenser for a broad set limits audience 3 fig everythingof readers is going fineatgå 612.558.7907. på Or visit www.nelsbok.com. gjespe gjespet yawn frontier do go to the bathroom gå hus gjette gjettet guess, speculate grepet moved, overwhelmed forbi go right over (one’s)gå gjøre gjør gjorde gjort (av by) med på go along with, agree to gjøre gode penger earn lots grevling en) badger head gå opp for en dawn on of money gjøre kort prosess gripende moving, stirring, sby, occur to sby gå til verks make short work of, settle sth poignant «S beveget» start in on it, get down to itgå quickly gris en) 1 pig, swine 2 fig dirty tur i fjæra take walks along glans en) 1 shine, brightness, NORTANAperson NEWSLETTER the beach gå ut go18 out, expire FALL 2004 brilliance, radiance; glitter«S grisehistorie en) smutty story, gå ut fra assume gå videre glimre, skinne» 2 luster, sheen filthy affair walk on Visions of Norway DVD quickly that a viewer unfamiliar with the in- formation might feel overwhelmed with so Last spring the Norwegian Information many facts and figures presented in so short Service distributed a new 5- minute promo- a time. We also felt that the text at the bot- tional DVD, Visions of Norway. The DVD tom of the screen during the movie was dis- was shown to Norwegian classes at different tracting. The information that was in the levels at St. Olaf as an introduction to Nor- text was very informative, but it flashed by way. Students were asked to report on what while the commentary was going at the they learned about Norway, and to reflect on same time and it became difficult to focus how they would present the U.S. in a similar on both simultaneously. It also distracted format, or (for more advanced students) to from the pictures. The film was so quick compare the information in the DVD to and brief that it was hard to remember ex- what they would choose to present. Follow- actly what was said. Perhaps the creators of ing is a report written for the NORTANA this film could focus less on so many facts th Newsletter from a 5 semester Norwegian and details and choose the most important class at St. Olaf: ones to develop and explain them more. It would make the film more memorable. This letter is on behalf of the Advanced Norwegian class from St. Olaf College in Traditional Norway is something that our Northfield Minnesota. Our class of seven class felt was also left out of the film. Al- students recently viewed the films "The though there were a few pictures of the Norwegians" and "Visions of Norway" pub- fjords and classical musicians playing Nor- lished by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of wegian music, the traditional stave churches Foreign Affairs. After viewing these films, and homesteads are also a large part of what we discussed the impact the movies had on Norway developed from and is still known us as students of Norwegian as well as the for. We understand that trying to inform Norwegian culture. In our class, we dis- people of Norway's modern advancements is cussed and wrote about the types of audi- very important, but we also feel that the old ences the movies were created for, as well as traditional ways and landscapes need to be the informational content of both films. We preserved as well. We also agree that by all decided the films were very professional, showing more of the "average persons" life, and informative. The following is a sum- the film would become more personal, and mary of the main points of our discussion. the viewer would be able to relate to the film. The day-to-day activities are what Both films emphasized that Norway is quite help a viewer to better understand a foreign advanced, economically as well as socially, culture. in the modern world today. In particular, "Visions of Norway" was a film devoted to Our class hopes that the Royal Norwegian informing someone not familiar with Nor- Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to cre- way about Norway's technological and eco- ate these informative films of Norway. nomical advances in the oil industry, fish in- They are professionally made and the dustry, and logging industry. The viewer is graphics are well done. We also hope that able to get a quick glimpse of Norway's you take some of our suggestions into con- primary sources of economical income sideration as well. Thank you for your time. while viewing amazing pictures of Norway's many different industries in the sea and on Sincerely, land. Although this summary shared a lot of information in a very short amount of time, The Advanced Norwegian class at St. Olaf our class felt that the movie needed to go College more in depth on the different subjectsdis- Danaca Heidorn, Jeff Nordaas, Kari cussed. The information is passed so Bergeson, Micheal Williamson, Kate Erik- son, Heather Austin, Brooke Smars
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 19 FALL 2004 New American Hedda Gabler Film students have learning Norwegian.
A new American film based on Henrik Ib- As of early November 2004, there were sen’s “Hedda Gabler” made its World Pre- more than 1,475 subscribers / members. miere in June, at the Seattle International Anyone can join at no cost or obligation. Film Festival for its 30th Anniversary. The See the URL above to sign up. feature, an incisive experimental adaptation, Participants are from around the world – ap- was a success. It was shot on location in a proximately 50 countries, with recent notes middle class ranch-style house in a suburban from Canada, Brazil, Poland, the Nether- neighborhood in Wenatchee, WA, in the lands, UK, US, and Norway. Topics the last summer of 2002. The film was made possi- few weeks have ranged from the relationship ble thanks to several grants from different among Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, institutions, tremendous community support pronunciation of ‘av,’ representations of and private investment. It is currently pur- compound words in dictionaries, -s verbs suing a distribution deal and will hopefully and the difference between passive and re- soon be available for viewing at local movie ciprocal meanings, keyboard layouts for theatres. “Hedda Gabler” will also be Norwegian, textbooks and other Norwegian screening as part of the 31st Annual North- language resources, life and travel in Nor- west Film and Video Festival in Portland, way, finding work in Norway, and how to OR. For more details on the feature visit its say “time to get up!” in Norwegian. beautiful website: www.heddagabler.net Members are encouraged to use as much Gergana May Norwegian as they can, either in specific ex- University of Washington ercises or in responding to other messages. When a member asks specifically, other Norskklassen subscribers correct the incorrect Norwegian.
Norskklassen is an on-line e-mail and web- The list manager, Pierre Thomson, has re- site whose aim is to help its members learn cently been sending out a message with a Norwegian by writing, reading, and where verb of the week, in which he gives the possible, listening. All are welcome to join verb’s forms, gives some simple usage ex- us, and we have a fairly high "lurker" popu- amples, and asks members to create and lation, but we do encourage members to submit their own examples. write in Norwegian whenever they manage. As with all things, what you get out of it de- The list is occasionally very busy. The ten pends on what you put in (from months from January through October 2004 http://frodo.bruderhof.com/norskklassen/ saw 3,840 messages, averaging between 10 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/norskklassen and 15 per day. (One can batch the receipt of /). This page has an FAQ, pronunciation messages into daily digests, or receive the guide, learning resource reviews, links, and mail individually as they are sent out by an easy subscribing option. The YAHOO members, or read the messages on the home page is at Norskklassen’s YAHOO website.) Only http://groups.yahoo.com/group/norskklassen members can post, and no attachments are /. allowed, thus cutting down on spamming. As for other YAHOO groups, one can share I write this note, partially to make sure files, photos and links, but this option is NORTANA members know about the rarely used. group. Our students might benefit from An informal survey I conducted several joining, too. With no designated teacher or years ago had some interesting observations. leader, the discussions are free-flowing, and Eighty-six subscribers responded. often quite interesting or relevant to issues
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 20 FALL 2004 Age distribution: As a language teacher, I feel that it is Under 20 7% worthwhile being a member of this group, 20-30 28% not only to help people who are enthusiastic 30-40 21% about learning Norwegian, but also to get a 40-50 16% view of issues independent students have 50-60 16% when learning Norwegian. Over 60 12% Louis Janus University of Minnesota Female: 55%; males 41%; undecided: 4% Norsk språktest and Test i norsk -- How often do you read the postings? høyere nivå (Bergenstesten) Every day 71% Every second day 18% The Språkprøven is a test in Norwegian pro- Every 3 to 7 days 9% ficiency and it consists of 4 parts: listening Once a week 2% comprehension, reading comprehension, written language use, and oral language use. How often do you post a message? It measures proficiency at an intermediate Almost every day 5% level, and can be used for placement in edu- Several times a week 7% cation, and employment settings. In Norway, Several times a month 20% it is given at least 3 times annually in each Less than once a month 45% fylke. (but more than never) Never 23% The more advanced exam is called the "Test i norsk -- høyere nivå." This test measures The most interesting part of the survey was proficiency which corresponds to the Com- the free-form responses. For example, when mon European Framework of Reference for I asked why people were Norskklassen Languages: Learning, teaching and assess- members, the responses included the fol- ment. (see lowing areas and interests: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-opera- Interest in genealogy and heritage, part of a tion/education/Languages/Language_Policy/ learning community, academic research Com- (PhD student in Archaeology); studied Old mon_Framework_of_Reference/default.asp) Norse and now wants to compare modern for more information. language; going to be an exchange student; has boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, samboer; no classes available where I live, no one to This exam is aimed at foreign-language speak Norwegian to; plans to immigrate to speakers who need to document their profi- Norway or work there; just plain fun and ciency in Norwegian when they are seeking rewarding. admission to Norwegian høgskoler and uni- versities. The advanced test can also docu- When asked what the respondents liked the ment proficiency for job applications and most about Norskklassen a few of the an- professional licensure. swers were: “I like the diversity of the membership; you get in contact with miners The "Test i norsk -- høyere nivå" consists of in the Arctic, grandfathers in Minnesota, 5 parts: reading comprehension, listening young fiancées planning their future, profes- comprehension, grammar, words and ex- sionals relocating to Norway, veteran lan- pressions, a summary based on an oral con- guage professors.” versation or interview, and a written exer- cise. The directions for the final "Skriftlig produktion" (examees are given 2 hours)
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 21 FALL 2004 are: Delprøve 5 skal måle kandidatens sessing foreign language learning in K-16 ferdighet i å skrive sammenhengende tekster education. Although the primary focus of ved at han for eksempel skal presentere eller the document is on K-12 education, it also redegjøre for et emne eller en erfaring, contains important discussions of the drøfte en problemstilling eller en sak, changes taking place in college and univer- argumentere for eller mot en sak eller gi sity level language-learning as well as the begrunnet uttrykk for egen mening. kinds of standards that might be appropriate in these settings for both commonly-taught Norwegian teachers outside of Norway and less-commonly-taught languages. should contact the Språktest office for in- formation about arranging the administration I wanted to give a brief presentation on this of the tests abroad. topic in order to start a discussion among NORTANA members as to whether these For more information, contact standards can be of use to us in two areas: Folkeuniversitet - Norsk språktest, Chr. the obvious area is our constant attempts to Krohgs gate 34, NO 0186, Oslo. Telephone: improve Norwegian language instruction, 47) 22 98 88 22. Fax: 47) 22 98 88 01. but the more important underlying area I Email: [email protected], URL: think is our struggle to keep Norwegian lan- www.fu.no (click on Norsk språktest) guage instruction relevant and vibrant at Louis Janus, universities and colleges in North America University of Minnesota in the face of budget cuts and administrative pressures.
A Call to Action?: Standards for For- This fall I had the opportunity to train new eign Language Learning in the 21st graduate teaching fellows who had been hired to teach Scandinavian languages. The Century questions raised by these new teachers straight off the boat from Scandinavia were One of the best things about being involved things like: ”What standards am I supposed in NORTANA is that I can connect with to apply?” ”What are my students supposed with so many wonderful and talented lan- to know by the end of the quar- guage teachers, and I have the greatest re- ter/semester/year?” ”How quickly should I spect for what all of you do. My comments progress through the material?” I found my- here are in no way intended to suggest that self having a hard time answering that ques- we as individuals or as a group are doing tion specifically, as there have been no ex- anything wrong in our language teaching—I plicit standards at any of the three universi- merely want to bring up an important na- ties I have taught Norwegian at, to my tional development in foreign language knowledge. I responded in a couple of learning for discussion to determine whether ways: I had already given these new teach- it has relevance to the idiosyncrasies of ers an overview of the 1986 ACTFL Profi- Norwegian instruction. ciency Guidelines, which ”provides a com- mon metric against which to measure per- Many of you are already familiar with the formance in speaking, reading, writing, and 1999 American Council on the Teaching of listening in a second language” (Standards, Foreign Languages (ACTFL) report, Stan- 13) that ranges from 0 (no functional ability) dards for Foreign Language Learning in the to 5 (functions equivalent to a native 21st Century, which is a collaboration be- speaker), as well as an overview from Edu- tween nearly fifty different language teach- cational Testing Services (ETS) on expected ing organizations across the US and the US speaking proficiency levels based on the Department of Education. It presents new number of contact hours. In the case of ways of thinking about, developing and as- Norwegian at the University of Oregon,
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 22 FALL 2004 which has a two year language requirement taken these aspects as seriously as more of 240 contact hours of instruction according concrete elements such as grammar and pro- to this research we can only realistically ex- nunciation, and they are more difficult to as- pect to produce proficiency in the range of sess and quantify. However, ACTFL is very 1- to 1+ (can create with the language, ask clear in its message that these are valid and and answer questions, participate in short indeed essential parts of foreign languge conversations) by the end of the second learning. year. When the reality of the number of contact hours we actually have combinded In addition, the Standards report proposes with what the ACTFL guidelines say about what it calls a ”weave” of curricular events. proficiency levels sunk in, these new teach- In this model, they propose that the Five C’s ers were sobered. are interwoven in a fabric of language learning together with pedagogical elements I also gave the easy, pragmatic answer, that such as the study of the language system it- at least in my case I have most often allowed self, strategies for improving communica- the textbook itself to determine how far we tion in the target language, introduction to go and what material we cover. Perhaps I’m the specific cultural contexts of the target a lazier teacher than many of you, but I language, the cultivation of strategies for ef- found myself wondering why I have so fective language learning, the integration of blindly just followed the dictates of textbook content from other disciplines (perhaps the producers for the most part working from a content of a double major’s other field), purely Norwegian context. critical thinking skills, and the use of tech- nology to enhance learning (Standards 33- So my question to NORTANA members as 36). a group is whether it might be worth our time and energy to come up with a better an- So far, this sounds a lot like what many of swer to the questions posed by these new us are already doing—consciously or uncon- teaching fellows. Do we want to come up sciously—in our classrooms. There is, how- with a set of standards for Norwegian in- ever, one aspect of the discussion that I find struction? troubling. Of post-secondary language learning, the Standards report says: ”As in The Standards report is the source for the the past, however, there will always be stu- now ubiquetous ”Five C’s” (five goal areas dents who will wish to begin the study of a or content standards) of language learning. new language at the post-secondary level, so For those who may not yet have been intro- institutions will still need to offer basic lan- duced to this concept, here is a quick over- guage instruction” (Standards, 22) and the view. The first of the Five C’s is Communi- authors suggest farming out such instruction cation in languages other than English. This to centers and other peripheral units. I am is the part of the Five C’s that is closest to not convinced that these suggestions serve our traditional understanding of foreign lan- us in our ongoing struggles to keep Norwe- guage instruction. The next four C’s attempt gian instruction viable in North America, to quantify the skill sets and goals of some where traditionally the energy and drive of of the less concrete aspects of foreign lan- individual instructors who year after year guage learning: gaining knowledge and un- teach introductory language courses in addi- derstanding of other Cultures, Connections tion to their other responsibilities as re- with other disciplines and aquisition of in- searchers and teachers in other fields such as formation, developing insight into the nature literature and history, have inspired and mo- of language and culture through Compari- tivated students. We serve a small but pas- sons, and participation in multilingual sionate audience, and they benefit enor- Communities at home and around the world mously from our training, experience, and (Standards 9). Traditionally we have not institutional embeddedness as fully-fledged
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 23 FALL 2004 members of the teaching faculty. I am con- formed to strategize about how we want to cerned that these comments will lead to a approach the Standards. Currently, Claudia ghettoization, where scholars in less- Berguson, Peggy Hager, Louis Janus, Karen commonly-taught languages will become Møller, Dawn Tommerdahl, Hanna Zmi- exclusively part-time, adjunct faculty. How jewska-Emerson and Nancy Aarsvold have can we attract the best students if the field all graciously agreed to pool their pedagogi- becomes a backwater from the administra- cal expertise to the extent that their busy tive point of view? Clearly we need to de- schedules allow them. I encourage other velop a robust model of our own. The members to join the discussion. authors of the Standards do say ”Imple- Ellen Rees, menting the standards at the post-secondary University of Oregon level presents a unique opportunity for fac- ulty to develop new program options” Congratulations! (Standards 22), and although this comment is primarily aimed at faculty teaching lan- to Melissa Gjellstad, who received her Ph.D guages to which students may realistically from the University of Washington this be expected to have been exposed during summer. Melissa’s dissertation title is their K-12 years, I think we need to take it "Mothering at Millennium's End: Family in for a point of departure in creating our own 1990s Norwegian Literature." It argues that model. the renegotiation of motherhood became a central societal concern for feminism and In concluding, I want to make it clear that I literature in that decade, and that the young- feel it would be just as counter-productive est generation of Norwegian authors ques- for NORTANA to force a set of standards tions the idealization on individual teachers as it would be for us of motherhood in their literary response. It to, for example, force the use a particular discusses representations of the mother in textbook. On the other hand, using the in- novels by Roger Kurland, Trude Marstein, formation contained in the report, I do think Anne Oterholm, Tore we have the potential to collaborate as a Renberg, and Hanne Ørstavik. group on implementing the content goals in a way that is consistant (but not identical) Currently Melissa is working as from institution to institution. In doing so I a lecturer at UW, teaching 3rd year Norwe- think we as a group can become more self- gian, and will be teaching a class aware and more articulate about our mission on contemporary Scandinavian literature in teaching both Norwegian language and based on her dissertation in Winter the various Scandinavian topics. What we Quarter 2005. do is highly specialized and highly relevant, but we have in a sense never come up with a to Roger Greenwald, who was awarded the cohesive and convincing argument that this 2004 Lewis Galantière Award, given is the case. I suspect that a period of analy- biennially by the American Translators As- sis and mindful adaptation of the Standards sociation for a distinguished literary transla- might help us make that case to administra- tion into English from any language other tors, donors and funding agencies. Further, than German. The 10,000-member ATA is it would give us a point of departure for de- the largest translators' organization in North veloping both curricula and assessment tools America. for the less quantifiable aspects of the Five Cs. If you have ideas, suggestions or com- Greenwald received the award for North in ments, I would love to hear them, and sug- the World: Selected Poems of Rolf Jacobsen, gest that we use the newly developed Dis- (University of Chicago Press), which he cusion Area of http://www.nortana.net. In translated from Norwegian and edited. The addition, an informal ad hoc committee has
NORTANA NEWSLETTER 24 FALL 2004 award was presented October 15th at the NORTANA Executive Committee ATA conference in Toronto. This year's 2002-2005 award carried a $1,000 honorarium. President Read the full press release at: Ingrid Urberg http://www.atanet.org/lgapress.htm Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta North in the World is a handsome 356-page [email protected] hardcover (alkaline paper, sewn binding) and is sold for US $22.05 at Vice-President http://www.amazon.com (37% off list Louis Janus price). OR: Support your local independent University of Minnesota bookstore. [email protected]
NORTANA Membership Treasurer Terje Leiren One of the privileges of NORTANA mem- University of Washington bership is the opportunity to become in- [email protected] volved with a small, but dedicated, organi- zation devoted to the profession of Norwe- Secretary gian Studies. Membership is open to teach- Ellen Rees ers, researchers, graduate students, and University of Oregon members of the community who are inter- [email protected] ested in the field. Webmaster If you are interested in reviewing books or Troy Storfjell instructional materials, or have teaching tips [email protected] or information of interest to share with your colleagues, please contact the Newsletter Newsletter Editor editor [email protected]. Torild Homstad Please send suggestions for books to be in- Oslo International Summer School cluded in the reading group guide project, or St. Olaf College — better yet — volunteer to write some [email protected] reading group guide materials!
Membership in NORTANA costs $15.00 per year or $40.00 for three years. Membership is based on a calendar year. If you have let your membership lapse, now is the time to renew, as well as to encourage colleagues to join NORTANA. To join, or to renew your membership, send dues to: Terje Leiren, NORTANA Treasurer Department of Scandinavian Studies Box 353420 Seattle, WA 98195-3420
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