Scandinavian Studies 150th Anniversary

Join Lyz Jaakola for a live informance at the Play Circle Theater at Memorial Union!

Lyz Jaakola, Nitaa-Nagamokwe (The lady who knows how to sing) is the 2025 folk-musician-in-residence. Jaakola is a tribally enrolled Fond du Lac Ojibwe with Finnish-American heritage who will share traditional and modern Ojibwe-Anishinaabe songs and knowledge from her life-long study of Native American music, especially Anishinaabe women’s music. Using an Indigenous Informance style, weaving story, visuals and song she will be joined by her 18-year-old son to offer their 21st century American Indian perspectives.

The event is free and open to the public and will also be livestreamed. A reception will follow the in-person event.

Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures and the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest project.

Mission to Oslo: A Book Talk with Former Ambassador to Norway Tom Loftus

Tuesday, March 4. 2:30-3:45, Social Sciences 6104

Join Author Tom Loftus for stories of the true and historic adventures he had as the U.S. ambassador to Norway during the mid 1990s, a time when NATO was expanding, Germany was reuniting, Norway was hosting both the Oslo Accords and the Winter Olympics — and Loftus was wining, dining, and most importantly, negotiating his way through it all! From dancing with the queen to negotiating with the Russians, Loftus will share tales of the big stakes, historic moments, and the fun adventures found in his memoir, “Mission to Oslo”.

Given the fascination with the Vikings and the inordinate attention they have received not only by scholars but also amateur enthusiasts, it is not surprising that over the centuries, some unfortunate misconceptions about the Vikings have arisen. Despite efforts by scholars to make corrections and set things straight, some of these misconceptions continue to be perpetuated, especially in popular culture, such as movies and computer games — presumable because they help what makes a good story about the Vikings an even better story. In this lecture, attempts are made to address these misconceptions. Most people probably know that the Vikings did not wear horned helmets and did not drink out of skull cups. Some people may also know that not all Scandinavians were Vikings and that many Scandinavians worked as, for example, peaceful farmers and traders without ever setting foot on a ship and engaging in raid. Other readers may be surprised to learn no only that some of the Vikings were Christian but also that some of the Vikings ended up serving in the interest of the rulers of the regions in which they pillaged.

This event is online, free, and open to the public.

Register here!

The escape of the Danish Jews during the Holocaust was a remarkable achievement that still interests and inspires many people today. Join Professor Dean Krouk for an examination of some of the unique circumstances that characterized the Nazi occupation of Denmark, which has been considered a more “relaxed” occupation relative to other Nazi-occupied countries.

What made this occupation more “relaxed,” and what did that mean in practice during the war years? When and why did the occupation intensify? How have later Scandinavian historians discussed and debated the occupation of Denmark?

This talk will provide an important context for the undeniable heroism of ordinary people in this famous instance of rescue/escape.

DATE: Thursday, March 27, 2025
TIME: 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
LOCATION: Jewish Museum Milwaukee
COST: Members $5 | Nonmembers $8

REGISTER HERE!

About The Presenter

Dean Krouk is a professor in the department of German, Nordic, and Slavic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he teaches courses in modern Scandinavian history and literature, including a course about the Second World War in the Nordic countries. He is the author of the books Fascism and Modernist Literature in Norway and The Making of an Antifascist: Nordahl Grieg between the World Wars. In addition, he has translated and written an introduction to an award-winning book by the Norwegian historian Bjørn Westlie, My Father’s War: Confronting Norway’s Nazi Past.

About The Image

A historic photo of the headquarters of the Schalburg Corps in Copenhagen, Denmark. Picture is post-1943, World War II. The building is the occupied lodge of the Danish Order of Freemasons.

We’re excited to be partnering with the Center for Design and Material Cultures to host a drop-in wood carving workshop in The Link in Nancy Nicholas Hall led by Derek Brabender. In this all-levels workshop, you’ll learn to carve a wooden flower using locally harvested red osier dogwood. Participants will be taught how to carve a wooden flower and will leave with the skills necessary to create more on their own.

This is a drop-in workshop, so feel free to come by for as long as you like between 3:00pm and 4:30pm. The event is free, open to the public, and no registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Design and Material Cultures, the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, and the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+ to celebrate 150 years of Scandinavian Studies on campus.

Derek Brabender, an artisan green woodworker from Stoughton, Wisconsin, specializes in crafting beautiful and functional woodenware using hand tools and a foot-powered pole lathe. He sources freshly felled wood from arborists or fallen trees due to storms, utilizing its softer fibers for effective shaping with traditional techniques. By working with this material and employing traditional techniques, Derek has been exploring the extensive common wood culture found throughout human history in Europe, while fostering a deeper connection with our environment. In 2024 Derek was awarded an artist fellowship by the American Scandinavian Foundation to study advanced turning techniques and pole lathe turning, explore the historical context of the pole lathe in Nordic countries, and build a set of lathes to increase public awareness and engagement with this craft and its importance to Nordic folk art.

Thursday, April 3, 2025
3pm-4:30pm
The Link
Nancy Nicholas Hall

Join us on Saturday, May 3, at 11:00am in 19 Ingraham Hall as Professor Susan Brantly discusses her work helping to navigate the literary and artistic connections between Denmark, Holland, and France of a Van Gogh painting purchased for a dollar at a garage sale in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

The event is free and open to the public.

Liina-Ly Roos will give a virtual talk at the Danish Sisterhood Milwaukee.

Several recent Danish TV-series (like Borgen, The Killing, The Bridge, The Rain) have gained both national and international success. This talk will provide an overview of the key changes in television production in Denmark in the 1990s that made this success possible, and it will also discuss some of the main themes and storylines in these popular TV-shows from Denmark.

Professor Krouk will be part of a roundtable about the history of Scandinavian and Norwegian studies at institutions of higher education in North America, as part of Crossings and Connections, a conference commemorating 200 years of Norwegian migration, June 18–June 22, 2025 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

https://pages.stolaf.edu/cc2025/

Sail into the heart of the Norwegian fjords, discovering extraordinary landscapes of sheer cliffs, snowcapped peaks, jewel-toned lakes, and picturesque villages. See natural wonders from the Jostedal ice cap to precipitous Pulpit Rock, and venture to historic sites from Viking settlements to centuries-old ironworks. Opt for active excursions by electric bike or Nordic walking, and explore local music, art, and cuisine.

Scott Mellor will be giving three lectures on this cruise:

• History of Norway and Scandinavia from Viking Era to modern day.
  • This lecture will start in the Early Iron and Viking age and have stops in the high Middle Ages, the Reformation, Age of Empire, Age of National Romanticism, and the twentieth Century.
• The Viking Age.
  • This lecture will be on the Viking Age and its impact on Scandinavia, Europe, and beyond.
• The National Romantic Era.
  • This lecture will look at the break up of the Swedish and Danish Empire and its affects on Norway and Norwegian National Identity.

The Smithsonian Journeys / PONANT Experience: Each cruise will be accompanied by two Smithsonian Journeys Experts. An excursion or activity is included in each port of call. You may have a choice of excursions in many ports, so that you can delve more deeply into subjects that interest you.

Highlights Include:

• Alesund: Admire Art Nouveau architecture on a city tour, encounter the marine life of the region on an excursion to the Atlantic Ocean Park, or explore this stunning city of islands on a scenic and energetic hike.
• Norwegian Fjords and Glaciers: Venture deep into the fjord lands to the spectacular Geirangerfjord, and set out to explore a dramatic landscape of snowcapped mountains, verdant valleys, and glittering lakes. Then encounter continental Europe’s largest ice cap, exploring the edge of a glacier or riding a cable car for a panoramic view of the ice.
• Stavanger and Lysefjorden: Explore Norway’s history at the important Viking site of Ullandhaug and the oil town of Stavanger, hear a recital at the 13th-century Utstein Monastery, or discover Stavanger the Norwegian way on a guided Nordic walking excursion. Then sail the magnificent Lysefjorden along iconic Pulpit Rock, rising nearly 2,000 feet above the water.
• Arendal: Explore the fascinating Naes Ironworks Museum to see equipment that dates back to the 1600s and learn about the evolution of iron and steel production. Then visit picturesque Tvedestrand and enjoy free time to meander among the wooden houses of this “international book town.” Or opt for a hike along the coast in beautiful Raet National Park.
• Gothenburg, Sweden: During a day in Sweden, discover lively Gothenburg on a panoramic tour, and visit either the world-renowned Museum of Fine Art—one of the best in Northern Europe—or the World of Volvo, which features interactive exhibits from the brand’s first vehicles through future technological solutions.

More information here.

GNS+ is thrilled to be in partnership with the Havens Wright Center for Social Justice and A Room of One’s Own . We’ll welcome Pelle Dragsted for an afternoon discussion of his newly translated book Nordic Socialism: The Path Toward a Democratic Economy (University of Wisconsin Press). He will be joined in conversation with Dean Krouk.

This is an in-person event at A Room of One’s Own.

About the book

In recent years, the Nordic countries have been the envy of the world for their economic success, institutional stability, and consistently high levels of social happiness. But are they socialist? Several prominent members of the American right think so. They may find a surprising ally in Pelle Dragsted, a member of the Danish parliament and the leader of the socialist political party Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance); contrary to most Nordic leaders, Dragsted not only accepts but embraces the charge of socialism.

In Dragsted’s analysis, Denmark and the rest of the Nordic countries are already socialist, but only in part. The dangers come (and here many conservative Americans will disagree) from the unhealthy encroachment of capitalism. His provocative argument is that capitalism and socialism are not in fact mutually exclusive, and already Nordic economies are hybrids, a mix of decommodified, democratically governed sectors and undemocratic, privately controlled enterprises. The relevant question is the degree to which one dominates the other. Currently, undemocratic forces are ascendant, but it need not be so. Dragsted offers both his diagnosis and his proposed solution, a comprehensive plan for a gradual (re)democratization of the economy and a move to fully and firmly embrace, and redefine, “Nordic socialism.”

Pelle Dragsted is the leader of the Enhedslisten party in Denmark and a representative in the Folketing. He is the author of Nordisk Socialisme: På vej mod en demokratisk økonomi, which was first published in Danish to great acclaim.

https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/N/Nordic-Socialism

In partnership with Allen Centennial Garden, Norden Haus students will be raising a may pole, assisting with a flower-crown making workshop, and teaching (and learning) Scandinavian dances with music performed by Ph.D. student Cait Vitale-Sullivan. Cait will also be presenting Swedish herding music on stage.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, https://allencentennialgarden.wisc.edu/

Saturday, October 4

12:00pm–6:00pm

Allen Centennial Garden is located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison at 620 Babcock Drive.

Hosted by Allen Centennial Garden

Reading Disability in Old Norse Literature

Dr. Natalie Van Deusen (University of Alberta)

Thursday, October 9, 2025

4:00pm–5:00pm

1418 Van Hise

Co-sponsored by Medieval Studies; the Center for German & European Studies, a DAAD Centre of Excellence; and Medical History and Bioethics.

Featuring Foot-Notes of Decorah, Iowa, and the ScandiAm Jam of Madison, Wisconsin

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, www.folklife.wisc.edu

The Old Barn, 4796 Capitol View Rd, Middleton, WI 53562

Friday, October 10, 2025 at 6:30pm–8:30pm

Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, Folklore, and the Nordic Folklife project

What: The Danish Universal Child Care Model: Child Care for Every Child!

Who: Kathy Pomer, M.A. President & CEO GatherRound; Kate MacCrimmon, Ph.D. CEO & Founder Early Educators Exchange; Corrine Hendrickson Co-Founder, Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed

Where: Memorial Union, Check monitors for Today in the Union (TITU) 

When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 6:00pm–7:30pm

Sponsors: Nordic (from GNS), European Studies, GatherRound, Mother Forward, Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed, National Association for Family Child Care

This event is free and open to the public.

Scandinavian Day at UW-Madison

Celebrating 150 Years of Scandinavian Studies

November 14th, 2025

For more information and registration, please go to:

150^th Anniversary Celebration

Join us for a day of seminars, tours, and performances celebrating the Nordic Unit
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed by a festive Scandinavian-inspired buffet dinner in the Fluno Center.

Scandinavian Day is open to anyone with an interest in Scandinavian culture, including community members, representatives of the Nordic countries, and alumni of the UW-Madison Scandinavian Studies Department.

MORNING ACTIVITIES

A free class visit, open house and UW-Madison campus tour.

8:50  am – Audit a lecture in the Hans Christian Andersen course being taught by Professor Claus E. Andersen in the William H. Sewell Social Sciences Building
10:00 – Noon Open House in the Madsen Reading Room, Nordic Unit of the German, Nordic and Slavic+ Department, 13th floor of Van Hise Hall
11:00 am Campus Walking Tour

REGISTRATION

11:30-1:00 Registration at the Fluno Center, 601 University Ave, Madison, WI

Lunch on your own in the Memorial Union or nearby restaurants.

AFTERNOON PROGRAMS

These informative, informal sessions will be held in the Fluno Center, Chazen Museum of Art and the Memorial Union. There is a $40 fee to attend one or all of the afternoon seminars. (You’ll be able to pick one per time slot when you register.)

SESSION 1SeSS

1:00-2:00

• Dealing with Disney: Ensuring Quality Representation of Sámi Culture in Disney’s Frozen II.Thomas A. DuBois. Thomas A. DuBois is the head of the Folklore Unit and a professor of Folklore and Scandinavian Studies.
• How Thor Got His Hammer – An introduction to Nordic Mythology.Scott A. Mellor. Scott Mellor is a teaching professor in the Nordic Unit who has been at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since September 1989.
• Scandinavian Art in the Chazen Museum of Art.Berit Ness. The collection at UW’s Chazen Museum of Art includes light-sensitive Scandinavian works on paper not currently on view by artists such as Edvard Munch and Olle Baertling.  A small selection of works from these works will be made accessible in a pop-up viewing in the Chazen’s object study room. A Chazen staff member will be on hand to engage with attendees and answer questions. Limited to 20 people.

2:30-3:30

• My Viking longship journey: singing in Nordic languages.  Mimmi Fulmer. Join Mimmi Fulmer as she shares her “voyage home” to her Nordic heritage through songs and discuss resources for pronunciation of Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish.  Mimmi Fulmer is Professor of Voice and Opera at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Swedish Pancakes for Breakfast?”Marcus Cederstrom. This talk explores what the foods we eat can tell us about immigration and Nordic-American life in the Upper Midwest.  Marcus Cederstrom is the Community Curator of Nordic-American Folklore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Norwegian 101. Ida Moen Johnson. Come and refresh—or begin!—your Norwegian language study in this fun session. Ida Moen Johnson is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of German, Nordic and Slavic+, where she teaches courses in Norwegian language and Nordic literature and culture.

4:00-5:00

• Hygge, Health, and Happiness. Claus E. Andersen. Professor Andersen will introduce the Danish concept of hygge, explain how it relates to the Scandinavian way of life, and show what Americans can learn from it. Claus E. Andersen is the head of the Nordic Unit and the Birgit Baldwin and Paul and Renate Madsen Professor of Scandinavian Studies.
• Rasmus B. Anderson and the First U.S. Scandinavian Studies Department. Susan Brantley.  Learn more about the man who founded the Scan Studies Department 150 years ago – but who also was an author, editor, businessman and diplomat who brought to popular attention the fact that the Vikings were the first Europeans to arrive in the New World.  Professor Susan Brantly is a specialist in Swedish language and literature who served as the editor of the journal Scandinavian Studies for over a decade.
• The Teacher’s Revolt against Nazism in Occupied Norway.  Dean Krouk. Professor Krouk explains the inspiring story of resistance to the Nazification of schools and teaching in occupied Norway, which led to the arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of teachers in 1942.  Dean Krouk is a professor in the Nordic Unit whose specialties include Nordic literature and the cultural and political history of Scandinavia.

 RECEPTION AND BUFFET DINNER 

There is a $60 fee for the cocktail hour and dinner, with a special price of $40 for students. Sponsored tables of 8 are available for $500.

5:00 – 6:30 A cocktail reception in the lobby of the Fluno Center, with light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

6:30 Scandinavian-inspired buffet dinner in the Oros Executive Dining Room of the Fluno Center, followed by a program honoring the past, present and future of the oldest Scandinavian Studies program in the world.

AFTER PARTY

Location to be announced

Parking and hotel rooms

Information about parking, including some in the Fluno Center,  will be sent to all registrants. Overnight accommodations are available in the Fluno Center and the Wisconsin Memorial Union on a first-come basis.