SCAND 367, Sexuality in Scandinavia:

Myth and Reality, Spring 2023

Elements of this syllabus are subject to change, based on the needs of the class!

 Any changes will be discussed and reflected on our Canvas page.

Please note that this is the syllabus from a previous version of this course! It will give you a good idea of the course content and assignments, but it will also be revised for winter 2026.

• When: M/W 1:30-3:20
• Where: ART 003
• Professor: Olivia Noble Gunn, ogunn@uw.edu

Course description

The recent public global image of the Nordic countries involves their status as some of the most egalitarian and sexually open nations in the world. In SCAND 367, we consider how they achieved this reputation, as well as what has changed (and stayed the same) since the decency debates of the 1880s. Our sources—literary works, critical articles, sociopolitical writings, film, art, and television—will help us to explore how the Nordics have perceived human sexualities since the late nineteenth century, while also acknowledging the complexity and heterogeneity of the landscape of family, gender, and desire in Northern Europe. Students who complete this course earn A&H (arts and humanities) and I&S (individual and society) credit.

Required Reading/Viewing

• Articles, short stories, and more will be available on Canvas
• Two books (available to purchase at the UW bookstore or online)
• Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen (FSG Originals, 2021, 978-0374539412)
• I Talk about It All the Time by Camara Lundestad Joof (U of Wisconsin Press, 2024, 978-0299348540)
• Film and television will be screened in class or made available for streaming online

Course Objectives

• To begin developing an understanding of the histories, representations, and perceptions of sexualities and gender in the Nordic region after 1850
• To promote critical thinking on the role of conventions and mythmaking in society
• To provide an opportunity to encounter the models on which you base your opinions and beliefs about sexuality
• To practice critical reading and analysis of written and visual sources

Assignments

See detailed prompts and rubrics on Canvas.

With the exception of discussion posts, all assignments will be due on Friday before midnight.

Learning community activities: 18%

Once per week, starting in week two, you will have the opportunity to discuss with a group or work on an assignment with your team. Your participation in community-based learning will be recorded. In order to earn 100% in this category, you must be present in class on 6 out of 9 opportunities.

Weekly Team Discussions: 20% (credit/no credit)

Every week, you will engage in team discussions. You must post a response to a prompt or set of questions (35 points) and respond to at least one team member (15 points). I use these discussions to evaluate your engagement with our sources. They can also serve as pre-writing/idea development for micro-papers and A&A projects. Initial posts for team discussions will be due every Monday before midnight (with the exception of Memorial Day); responses are due before the following Friday.

Two micro-papers: 32%

You will hand in two short essays (400-600 words) that explore some aspect of our central theme—"sexuality"—in conversation with one or two of our primary sources. These essays might pursue answers to a question or make an argument. They must cite from both readings and viewings and course lectures (in class or videos). Because the papers are short, you'll need to be very precise when it comes to organization, rhetoric, logic, and use of evidence. At the end of the quarter, you will have the opportunity to revise one of these papers for a re-grade, if you choose.

Two Image Annotation & Analysis Projects: 30%

In teams (of up to four people), you will produce two image annotation & analysis assignments. After selecting an image or image pair (options provided by me), you will

• annotate the image(s) in detail and
• provide a 3-5 paragraph (double-spaced) written commentary that contextualizes the image (historically and in terms of class content/questions) and associates it with other written and/or visual sources

If you have a compelling reason to NOT do this assignment in a team, please come and talk to me. It is possible to work alone, although I prefer that most students work in a team.

Optional Journal

The grade scale for this course only goes up to a 3.9. If you are interested in pursuing a 4.0 or extra credit, you can choose to keep a journal focused on a particular theme. The theme should be broad enough to be relevant to a wide variety of sources and specific enough to result in analytical interpretation. Examples of successful themes from the past include masculinity, asexuality, and consent. You must produce seven entries over the course of the quarter. Note that this assignment cannot be crammed in at the end of the quarter; you should produce a first entry no later than week three.