Scandinavian Studies finds a new home in the Kennedy Center.
Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic—the diverse and dynamic Scandanavian Studies program will find a new home in the Kennedy Center starting fall 2023. Formerly housed in the Comparative Arts & Letters Department, Scandanavian Studies will now reside alongside other area studies programs, such as American and European Studies. Additionally, all of the Scandinavian language courses will now be administered through the Center for Language Studies, therefore remaining in the College of Humanities. Associate Professor Nate Kramer (Scandinavian 19th- and 20th-Century Literature) who has served as Scandinavian Studies director for the past eight years, shares how working within the Kennedy Center will increase the opportunities for students to explore the Scandinavian world through expanded curriculum, a focus on collaboration, and an emphasis on study abroad programs.
When asked the purpose of the move, Kramer says, “What drives our move to the Kennedy Center is actually our students. They come from all over the university, and we want to provide an academic experience for our students that is more in line with their own backgrounds and academic interests.” While Scandinavian Studies will continue to focus on literature and culture, moving to the Kennedy Center will allow the program to expand its focus to include social science, political science, and anthropology, as the program transitions from the requirements of Comparative Arts & Letters to an area studies model.
Kramer explains that this curriculum expansion allows professors and students to study the current hot topics in the Nordic region. He says, “From countries who appear year after year as the happiest countries in the world on the World Happiness Index to innovative and progressive green technologies; from high-trust societies to stable, well-functioning governments with generous and successful social programs; from Vikings to cutting-edge film and literature; the Nordic region has quite a bit to offer students.” For the same purpose, Kramer hopes to collaborate with faculty from across campus who have an interest in the Nordic region. He says, “We’re already working with Rob McFarland, the new director of the European Studies program, to see how we might provide additional opportunities and possibilities for our students.”
Moving to the Kennedy Center, which is the heart of BYU’s international engagement, also makes sense with the recent focus of Scandinavian Studies on internships and study abroad programs. Kramer says, “The Nordic region has quite a bit to offer students in an academic and experiential learning-based program. We’re excited about the resources of the Kennedy Center to advance our students’ excitement in the region.”
Learn more about BYU’s Scandinavian Studies minor.