Undergraduate Course: Scandinavian Civilisation A: Vikings, Sagas and the Road to Enlightenment (ELCS08037)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | A wide-ranging survey of Scandinavian history and culture (literature, film and the visual arts), with a focus on the Viking Age, the later Middle Ages and the Nordic Enlightenment. At the end of the course, the student will have an understanding of the individuality of the Scandinavian nations, of their shared heritage and their connections with Europe as a whole in respect of the periods studied. No language knowledge is involved and all texts will be dealt with in translation. When available, this course can be taken together with Scandinavian Civilisation B to form a 40 credit block, ideal for outside subjects and full year visiting students.
NB: Scandinavian Civilisation A cannot be taken by students who have previously passed Scandinavian Historical and Cultural Topics. |
| Course description |
Class Topic
1a Scandinavia: Where?
1b Scandinavia: What?
1c The Scandinavian Languages
2a Runes
2b The Age of Migrations
2c Vikings! Social Structure & Worldview
3a Vikings! Ritual & Belief in Pagan Scandinavia
3b Vikings! Background to the Viking Expansion
3c Vikings! The East
4a Vikings! Scotland
4b Vikings! Ireland
4c Vikings! England
5a-c READING WEEK - No classes
6a Vikings! Francia
6b Vikings! Normandy & the Low Countries
6c Iceland: Settlement & Society
7a Old Icelandic Literature
7b The Saga of Gisli
7c The Saga of Gisli
8a Christianisation & its Consequences
8b Late Norse Scotland
8c The Danish Empire
9a The Hanseatic League - Trade and Influence 13th-16th centuries
9b The Reformation & Nordic Religious Movements 16th-20th centuries
9c Sweden as a 'Great Power'
10a Charles XII and the end of Empire
10b Sweden & Finland 1100 to 1809
10c The Nordic Enlightenment
11a Science in Scandinavia 1: Linnaeus, & the Swedish Academy in the 18th Century
11b Science in Scandinavia 2: Brahe, Holberg, & the Danish Royal Academies in the 18th
Century
11c Norway & its '400 Year Night'
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students wishing to enroll on this course must not previously have taken Scandinavian Historical and Cultural Topics 2 (ELCS08023) OR Scandinavian Historical and Cultural Topics: From Runes to Rock Music (ELCS08034) |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of the main currents in Scandinavian history, culture and politics from the last Ice Age until c. 1800, as seen through a range of disciplines, using a selection of core theories, principles and concepts.
- Appraise a variety of source materials to compare and contrast ideas, concepts and issues while taking account of different disciplinary and geographical contexts.
- Use a range of approaches to formulate evidence-based responses to defined issues within the common understanding of Scandinavian history, culture and politics between the Ice Age and c. 1800.
- Develop effective communication, presentation and interaction skills across a range of media
- Demonstrate self-reliance, initiative, and the ability to work flexibly with others as part of a team.
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Reading List
Compulsory
The Saga of Gisli Faulkes, A. (ed.) (2004) Three Icelandic Outlaw Sagas: The Saga of Gisli; The Saga of Grettir; The Saga of Hord. Viking Society for Northern Research
'List of Rig' Larrington, C. (trans.& ed.) (1999) The Poetic Edda. Oxford World's Classics
Carl Linaeus: The Lapland Journey Graves, P. (trans. & ed.) (1995). The Lockarton Press.
Recommended
Brown, A. (2009) Fishing in Utopia: Sweden and the Future That Disappeared. Granta Books
Booth, M. (2014) The Almost Nearly Perfect People. Jonathon Cape
Derry, T.K. (1979) A History of Scandinavia. George Allen & Unwin, London
Mead, W.R. (1981) A Historic Geography of Scandinavia. Academic Press
Fullerton, B. & Knowles, R. (1991) Scandinavia. Paul Chapman
Meinander H, (2011) A History of Finland. Hurst
Page, R.I. (1987) Reading the Past: Runes. British Museum Press
Brink, S. & Price, N. (eds.) (2008) The Viking World. Routledge
Roesdahl, E. (1998) The Vikings. Penguin Books
Crawford, B.E. (1987) Scandinavian Scotland. Leicester University Press
Graham-Campbell, J. & Batey, C.E. (1998) Vikings in Scotland: An Archaeological Survey. Edinburgh University Press
Woolf, A. (2007) From Pictland to Alba 789-1070. Edinburgh University Press
Sawyer, P. (ed.) (1999) The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. Oxford University Press
Forte, A., Oram, R. & Pedersen, F. (2005) Viking Empires. Cambridge University Press
McTurk, R. (ed.) (2007) A Companion to Old Norse Literature and Culture. Blackwell Publishing
Larrington, C. (1999) The Poetic Edda. Oxford University Press
Byock, J.L. (2001) VikingAge Iceland. Penguin Books
Faulkes, A. (1987) Snorri Sturluson: Edda. Everyman
Warme, L. G. (1996) A History of Swedish literature. University of Nebraska Press.
Roberts, M. (1991 (repr. 2003)). From Oxenstierna to Charles XII. Four Studies. Cambridge University Press.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Classes will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10-10.50am throughout Semester 1. |
| Keywords | Vikings,sagas,Scandinavia,Norse,Medieval,Charles XII,Reformation,Enlightenment,Linneus,Nordic |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alan MacNiven
Tel: (0131 6)50 3279
Email: alan.macniven@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Gillian Paterson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3646
Email: Gillian.Paterson@ed.ac.uk |
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