By Kourtney Juhl Minnesota State University, Mankato After finally gaining independence in 1905,[1] Norway had been a nation intent on building a national identity and relishing their freedom. The Norwegian Kingdom had successfully lived in peace, maintained neutrality through World War I, and hoped to remain neutral from the great conflict that was World War …
By Jennifer Lien University of Wisconsin–Madison The immigration of the Viking pioneers to the North Atlantic islands was a period of expansive exploration, settlement, and colonization. Primary sources such as the King’s Mirror and Erik the Red’s Saga inform us about the lifestyles and the journeys of the Norse into the western part of the …
By Ellen Robison University of Wisconsin–Madison Author and scholar Reza Aslan argues that “literature offers not just a window into the culture of diverse regions, but also the society, the politics; it’s the only place where we can keep track of ideas.”[1] Though Aslan lives and writes in the 21st century, this understanding of literature …
Thomas DuBois recently published an article in The Conversation. You can read it here:
The UW–Madison Polish Program is pleased to announce the winners of the Lapinski and Gąsiorowska awards for the academic year 2026-2027. Among the awardees are undergraduate and graduate students who will receive financial support for their continued study of the Polish language, literature, and culture at UW–Madison and beyond. Congratulations and gratulacje! The Michael and …
Tom DuBois was joined by Anne Mäntynen, professor of nonfiction in the Finnish language department at the University of Helsinki, to discuss the Journal of Finnish Studies on November 24, 2025. The two professors, while on different continents, are co-editors of the JFS. The podcast, titled “Scholarship Is a Conversation”, was produced through the University …
The Madison Polish Film Festival is back! This year’s edition will take place on November 9 and November 16 at the Marquee Cinema (located in Union South) on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. All screenings are FREE and OPEN to the public. Join us to again celebrate Poland’s vibrant and universally recognized cinematic tradition, with …
As part of the Our Shared Waters program, students from Tom DuBois’ Spark learning community and Marcus Cederström’s FIG met Mino-Giizhig (Wayne Valliere), teacher at Lac du Flambeau Public School and master artist, and Lawrence Mann, artist and Cultural Programming Coordinator for the Forest County Potawatomi Community on the shores of Lake Mendota to paddle …
November 11, 2019 Cross Section Essay, Non-Fiction No Comments By Jonathan Chang University of California, Los Angeles Heroes are subjective. According to scholar of epics Dean Miller, “the word ‘hero’ projects to us a kind of spurious solidity, so that we use it, and hear it used, as if it actually referred to a single cognitive …
November 11, 2019 Cross Section Essay, Non-Fiction No Comments By Michelle Peterson University of Wisconsin–Madison Published in 1969, Freezing Down introduces readers to the unique and futuristic life of a fiction editor named Bruno. Living in a time with technological advancements, individuals can choose to be “frozen down,” a process in which their lives are essentially frozen in …
November 11, 2019 Cross Section Essay, Non-Fiction No Comments By Jennifer Lien University of Wisconsin–Madison The immigration of the Viking pioneers to the North Atlantic islands was a period of expansive exploration, settlement, and colonization. Primary sources such as the King’s Mirror and Erik the Red’s Saga inform us about the lifestyles and the journeys of the Norse into the …
November 11, 2019 Cross Section Essay, Non-Fiction No Comments By Kourtney Juhl Minnesota State University, Mankato After finally gaining independence in 1905,[1] Norway had been a nation intent on building a national identity and relishing their freedom. The Norwegian Kingdom had successfully lived in peace, maintained neutrality through World War I, and hoped to remain neutral from …
November 11, 2019 Cross Section Essay, Non-Fiction No Comments By Ellen Robison University of Wisconsin–Madison Author and scholar Reza Aslan argues that “literature offers not just a window into the culture of diverse regions, but also the society, the politics; it’s the only place where we can keep track of ideas.”[1] Though Aslan lives and writes in …