Contents
President's
Greeting
Dear NORTANA members,
This is the last greeting I will be writing as NORTANA
president, as the new board will be in place by the SASS
meeting in early May. I wanted to take the opportunity to
thank everyone who has worked so hard on various NORTANA
workshops, newsletters, websites, and also to reflect a bit
on our history and accomplishments.
I have served on the board of NORTANA (NTANA, NorTANA)
since its founding in 1987. Over the past 15 years NORTANA
has published a newsletter twice a year, developed a
website, maintained an e-mail listserv, funded a annual
scholarship to a language teaching workshop at the
University of Minnesota, and offered three workshops (on
technology in the classroom, multimedia and using literature
in teaching), two conferences (on teaching culture and on
teaching for proficiency), on-line Norwegian lessons and an
essay contest on why students should major in Norwegian. We
were rewarded for our efforts in 1998 when we received the
Akademika Prize for promoting Norwegian literature
abroad.
We are gratified by the close relationship we have
developed with UD and with the Information Service in New
York. They have come to rely on us to function as a conduit
of information to and from educators involved in Norwegian
studies. Both Norway and we, as NORTANA members, benefit
from this exchange of information and ideas.
The past three years have been largely focused on
clarifying the identity and mission of the organization. To
that end the bylaws were modified to allow for changes
initiated by the membership, and the name of the
organization was changed explicitly to include researchers.
We look forward to seeing their increased involvement in the
years to come.
We have come a long way in 15 years, and I look forward
to seeing where the organization can go during the next
15.
Med beste hilsen
Margaret Hayford O'Leary
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Election Results
45 ballots were cast in the election for the new NORTANA
Executive Committee. The new committee will elect officers
from within the committee and be officially organized at
SASS in Salt Lake City in May. The Executive Committee will
serve a three-year term. Officers elected to the new NORTANA
Executive Committee are (in alphabetical order) Louis Janus,
(University of Minnesota/Norwegian-American Foundation)
Terje Leiren, (University of Washington) Ellen Rees,
(Arizona State University) Troy Storfjell, (Augustana
College, Sioux Falls) and Ingrid Urberg (Augustana
University, Camrose)
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Norgesseminaret 2002
Norgesseminaret will meet at Pacific Lutheran University
in Tacoma, Washington, October 24-27, 2002. The theme for
the seminar will be Art and Music.
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Norway-US Strategy
Strengthening the Knowledge
Bonds Between Norway and the U.S.
In October 2001 the
Norwegian Government adopted A Strategy for Norway's
Relations with the United States, entitled "Strong Bonds
across the Atlantic". Education and research are central
elements of the Strategy.
(NORTANA asked Jostein
Mykletun, Science Counsellor at the Norwegian Embassy in
Washington, D.C., to write an article focusing on issues of
relevance in the document to NORTANA members and
institutions.-ed.)
Education
The Strategy states that
educational cooperation between Norwegian and U.S.
universities and colleges should be enhanced. A working
group should be set up for this purpose with representatives
from the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and other Norwegian institutions and
organizations. The group should focus on facilitating and
coordinating information on study programs in the United
States, sending information to the U.S. on Norwegian higher
education, measures to increase the number of graduate and
undergraduate exchange students to and from the U.S., and
measures to make it easier for Norwegian students to prepare
for a stay in the United States and to improve Norwegian
educational institutions' networks and their possibilities
for entering into bilateral agreements with U.S.
institutions.
Greater emphasis should be
given to exchange agreements between institutions to
encourage more American students and teachers to come to
Norwegian educational institutions. Priority should be given
to cooperation agreements between Norwegian universities and
the best U.S. universities and colleges. Cooperation with
the "Norwegian" universities in the U.S. should be further
developed.
One-year exchange programs
for high school students are an important way of maintaining
our good relations with the United States. A large number of
Norwegian students take part every year in such exchanges,
which are mediated by both non-profit and commercial
organizations. The numbers of U.S. pupils taking part are
smaller, and greater participation in such exchanges should
be encouraged.
"Roving scholars" come to
Norway through the Fulbright program, and they hold seminars
in connection with continuing education and provide
information to secondary school students. Better use should
be made of this opportunity especially for lower secondary
school students. Fulbright summer grants are also given for
four to six Norwegian English teachers at the middle school
level to spend a summer studying in the U.S. Norway should
consider having this extended to include upper secondary
school teachers and teachers of social studies.
Research
Regarding research, the
Strategy calls for the establishment of a Norwegian Forum
for Research in the U.S., with the operational
responsibility assigned to the Embassy in Washington.
This new Forum was
officially launched by Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne
Bondevik on 5 December 2001 in Washington D.C.
In taking the process
further in establishing the Forum, Canada has been
included.
The Forum is intended to
serve as a useful, innovative and focussed instrument in
consolidating and strengthening creative knowledge bonds
between Norway and the United States and Canada.
Particular attention will be
given to the promotion of dynamic institutional networks,
mobility schemes, and collaborative joint ventures capturing
the value from research and technology innovation. To this
end, the Forum will include the active, cross-sectoral
involvement of colleges, universities, science parks,
industry and business, as well as other relevant
governmental and non-governmental institutions.
The overall guiding
principles and thematic foci for the Forum should be seen in
the general context of Norway's national research
priorities, creatively related to important trends and
priorities in the U.S. science and technology setting. As
appropriate, the Board should also look for possible
transatlantic synergies, seen in the context of the
Norwegian Research and IT Forum for Europe, anchored in the
Norwegian Delegation to the European Union in Brussels, as
well as in the context of U.S. - EU science
co-operation.
In an initial phase, the
Forum will give particular attention to basic research, and
those areas of science and technology pertaining to
biotechnology and related areas of medical and health
sciences, information and telecommunication technology,
energy and environment, the marine and maritime sector,
defense and space related research, as well as areas of the
social sciences. Other thematic approaches should be
considered in the light of future developments in science
and technology, as well as related possibilities for
industrial and commercial partnerships and joint
ventures.
Institutionally the Forum
consists of a Steering Committee, Advisory Board, and
General Membership. Norway's Ambassador to the U.S. Knut
Vollebaek is the Forum Chair, while Science Counsellor
Jostein Mykletun has been charged with the operational
responsibility for the running of the Forum. He may be
contacted at his e-mail address for further information,
jostein.mykletun@mfa.no.
Several U.S. Colleges and
Universities will be invited to nominate representatives to
serve on the Forum's Advisory Board and also to be part of
the Forum's General Membership.
Further follow-up of the
Strategy
A special Working Group
under the auspices of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs was established in January 2002, with the overall
task of designing further follow-up measures in the areas of
education and research.
The Group's mandate includes
improving the information about study opportunities in the
United States with representatives from the relevant
authorities, institutions and organizations. The Group
concentrates on facilitating and coordinating information on
the programs available in the U.S., measures to increase the
number of applicants at both graduate and undergraduate
levels, and measures to improve the networks of Norwegian
educational institutions and their possibilities of
arranging bilateral agreements with American educational
institutions.
Another part of the group's
mandate concerns the search for ways of enhancing
cooperation with research institutions and think tanks in
the U.S. with an objective to improving the exchange
programs. The Strategy states that the resources devoted to
enhancing Norwegian research and expertise on the United
States should be increased. The Group works in close
cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in Washington D.C.
regarding the implementation of the Research
Forum.
Jostein
Mykletun, Norwegian Embassy
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New UD
Project
UD has a newly-launched
project to spread information about Norway abroad--and the
US and Canada are among the target countries. Information on
the project, including a link to the application may be
found at <www.norway.org/education.>
WHAT DO FOREIGNERS KNOW
ABOUT NORWAY?
Information on the Norwegian
Forum Grant Initiative - a grant programme for guest
lecturers visiting colleges, universities, research
institutions and public policy institutions.
Application
Many Norwegians travelling,
working or studying abroad find that people in other
countries - even in colleges and universities - know very
little about Norway. Would you like to introduce them to
Norway's social and political culture? The Norwegian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the
Association of Norwegian Students Abroad, the Research
Council of Norway and the Centre for International
University Cooperation, has established a grant programme
for Norwegians lecturing abroad.
This grant programme offers
financial assistance to cover travel expenses and
remuneration for Norwegians invited to lecture at
universities, research institutes and think tanks abroad.
The main conditions are that the project's target group must
be students, researchers or opinion makers in foreign
countries, and that the project must present certain aspects
of Norwegian politics or Norwegian society. The host
institution or applicant in the foreign country must take
responsibility for all the practical arrangements of the
project.
This grant programme, which
we call the Norwegian Forum Grant Initiative, will be
launched this year as a trial programme in the following
countries: the USA, Canada, the UK, France and Germany.
Applicants must use a special form, which should be sent to
the nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate general. This
mission will forward it to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs together with its own recommendation.
Norwegian Forum Grant
Initiative - APPLICATION GUIDE
1. Objectives
The objective of the
Norwegian Forum Grant Initiative is to present aspects of
Norwegian political and social involvement in designated
areas (see list of topics under 2.2). This is part of the
Norwegian Foreign Ministry's effort to spread knowledge of
Norway abroad, and reflects measures formulated in the
Ministry's strategy for the promotion of Norwegian culture
(2001 - 2005).
2. Target groups, topics and
fora
- This grant programme was
developed with the academic public in mind, including
academics "in training" - students, researchers and
opinion makers in foreign countries. Suitable fora for
guest lectures under this programme will include
universities, research institutions and think tanks. The
audience will often be young. The goal is to reach new
audiences as well as important groups with previous ties
to Norway, such as students of Norwegian language at
foreign colleges and universities. Measures primarily
targeting Norwegians abroad are not eligible under this
programme.
- Funding will be given to
Norwegians with relevant political or academic insights
on specific topics in the following areas: Foreign and
security policy (examples: Norwegian policy as pursued in
the UN and the Security Council, Norwegian-Russian
relations, relations with the EU and the rest of Europe,
Norway's peace and mediation efforts, trade policy
issues), International development policy (examples: 50
years of Norwegian development assistance, Norwegian
views on multilateral organizations and processes),
Environmental and resource policy (examples: marine
resources, the Barents region, petroleum and energy
policy, climate policy), Human rights policy, democracy
issues (OSCE, UN, etc.), corporate social responsibility
(CSR), and Current issues in the Norwegian social and
political debate (examples: gender equality, family
policy, educational and cultural policy)
3. What the grant covers
Funding may be sought to
cover travel expenses and remuneration for guest lecturers.
An itemized budget must be submitted with the application.
Travel must normally be by the cheapest means. As a
demonstration of the host institution's genuine interest,
the Foreign Ministry will normally expect the organizer to
cover part of these costs.
Applications are to be sent
to the nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate general, which
will forward it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together
with its own recommendation. Applications will be processed
as they are received, so there is no application deadline.
Factors that will be considered in the evaluation of an
application include the host institution, the target group,
the selection of guest lecturers and topics, as well as the
willingness of the host institution to share the expenses.
The applicant (lecturer or host institution) is responsible
for the programme; the involvement of the Ministry is
limited to the provision of a financial grant.
4. Evaluation of
applications
The Ministry will assess
applications on the basis of geographical, thematic and
academic criteria. Factors that will influence the outcome
include the number of venues at which the lecturer will
appear, as well as the likelihood of news coverage.
Substantial participation by the host institution in
covering expenses will also have a favourable impact.
Successful applicants incur an obligation to carry out the
project for which funding is granted. Applicants are
responsible for all contact with the lecturer or hosting
institution, for all publicity and for budgets and reports.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides funding, but
accepts no responsibility for the project unless other
agreements exist between the applicant and the relevant
Norwegian embassy or consulate general.
5. Payment/reporting/budget
Upon approval of an
application, the Norwegian guest lecturer accepting the
offer will receive authorization to make travel arrangements
with a designated travel agency which will invoice the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If an applicant is granted
funding for room and board, the amount will be paid in
advance. Remuneration agreed upon in advance will be paid
after the Ministry has received the report as described
below.
After the project has been
completed, the applicant must write a brief report
indicating the response to the lectures, and whether the
project is considered a success. The Ministry would also
appreciate the applicant's views on whether the project has
enhanced the potential for any long-term collaboration
between Norwegian and foreign institutions.
6. Application (may be
downloaded from the website: www.norway.org/education
)
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Report from
Oslo Year Program
Oslo greeted the OYP
students with real winter this year. Cool temperatures,
snow-covered trees and fields under a pale-blue sky created
what Norwegians refer to as "julekortsteming". Sogn
Studentby looked prettier than ever when the students
arrived, which perhaps made the inconvenience of walking
down the hill again to the post office to get cash for the
depositum less of a pain. The Bjørn Jensen apartment
was more inviting and better equipped than I had seen it
before; the Hassings had taken good care of the place. It
does not require much knowledge of the housing situation in
Oslo to realize how lucky we are to have this apartment. I
look at Bjørn´s picture on the wall and send a
grateful thought to him and the others who made it all
possible. My thanks also go to the current leaders of UD,
ISS and SIO for supporting us in this way. Personally, I
consider it a privilege to be the leader of the Oslo Year
Program. It gives me the opportunity to work with some
exceptional students, the International Summer School
provides first class working space for my teaching and
research, and I can take in as much of Oslo´s cultural
offerings as I want for a whole semester. My impression is
that the quality of the students attending OYP this semester
is the highest I have seen (this is my fourth time as a
leader). Two of the students are in level four, and two
others have passed that level and are taking
"mellomfagstillegg". The others are in levels 2/3 and 3. And
perhaps the most exciting thing for me is that they are
serious students and very nice to work with. Take note,
graduate school advisers! The sad part is that although the
quality has improved, the number of students in OYP has gone
down in recent years. Eight students are enrolled this
semester, while last semester had only five. Director
Vannebo has made it quite clear that unless the numbers can
be brought up to an acceptable level, the Oslo Year Program
will not survive. This presents a tremendous challenge to
all of us. I think the members of NORTANA need to have a
serious discussion about the future of OYP, especially those
of us who teach Norwegian language and literature. It would
be sad indeed, I think, if this fine program would have to
be discontinued. The biggest losers if OYP should disappear
would of course be the students. University of Oslo and the
capital have a great deal to offer our students,
opportunities they don´t find any other place in
Norway. However, in this report I have also tried to show
what a wonderful deal this is for us teachers and how well
organized everything is for us here in Oslo. In my view, it
would be a shame if the opportunity to spend a semester or a
year at the University of Oslo should come to an end.
Audun Toven,
OYP Leader
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NCOLTCL
News
Louis Janus attended the
National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught
Languages (NCOLCTL) conference in Washington DC, April
12-14, 2002. He presented a paper in the Colloquium "In
Retrospect and Prospect: The past and Future Five Years with
LCTLs". In addition to the Colloquium, Janus represented the
Norwegian Teachers and Researchers Association of North
America (NORTANA) at the NCOLCTL annual assembly meeting
(representatives from the member organizations). He has
agreed to serve once again on the NCOLCTL minigrant
selection committee. Discussions about rationalizing NCOLCTL
resources led to a decision that the LCTL project would take
over the councilnews-list listserv. Janus also was appointed
to serve as chair of a task force investigating whether
NCOLCTL should establish a juried journal. He supported the
move to open NCOLCTL to individual members and not limit its
membership to teachers' organizations.
Louis Janus,
University of Minnesota
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Summer
Opportunities for Faculty & Students
CARLA Workshop:
Developing Classroom
Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages
July 29 - August 2, 2002
Instructors of less commonly
taught languages (LCTLs) are often challenged by the lack of
quality instructional materials. This summer institute will
provide LCTL teachers with practical tools and hands-on
experience in developing a wide range of materials that will
fit the needs of LCTL students and will improve their
ability to use the language for communicative purposes.
Grounded in the latest research on effective language
pedagogy and second language acquisition, this institute
will focus on proficiency-oriented approaches to
teaching.
More information on the
workshop is available at http://carla.acad.umn.edu/si2002/lctl.html
Once again NORTANA will
award two travel stipends of $250 each to NORTANA members
who wish to participate in this institute. NORTANA stipends
are payable upon receipt of a report to NORTANA from the
participant. (The NORTANA stipend recipient in 2001 was
Ellen Rees, Arizona State University.) The NORTANA
participants in the institute need to register through
normal CARLA channels (info available at: http://carla.acad.umn.edu/summerinst.html
or from the CARLA office:
Phone: (612) 626-8600
Fax: (612) 624-7514
Email: carla@tc.umn.edu
Specific questions about the
institute can be addressed to Louis Janus, LCTL@umn.edu
or 612/624-9016.
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National Institute for
Summer Scandinavian Studies (NISSS)
The National Institute for
Summer Scandinavian Studies (NISSS) will be held in Berkeley
during the summer session of 2002. This program of
Scandinavian literature, film, culture, and intensive
language courses rotates between the three campuses at
UC-Berkeley, University of Washington, and the University of
Minnesota every summer, and this summer Berkeley is
sponsoring the program. Of special interest to NORTANA
members is an intensive Norwegian-language course that
covers a first-year curriculum in eight weeks. For more
information about this and other courses, as well as housing
costs and fees, see the NISSS website at http://nisss.berkeley.edu
or contact us directly via e-mail at nisss@uclink.berkeley.edu
Mark
Sandberg,UC-Berkeley
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Summer Norwegian Language
Courses at St. Olaf College
Dates: June 3- July 12
Cost: $1,250
Instructor: Kari Lie
Courses offered:
Norwegian 111 10.30-12.00
This is the first part of
the introductory Norwegian sequence and emphasizes three
main areas: 1) learning basic Norwegian vocabulary,
structures and functions; 2) using the four skills of
reading, writing, speaking, and listening; and 3) exploring
Norwegian and American cultures as well as culture in
general.
Norwegian 231
8.30-10.00
This is the first part of
the intermediate Norwegian sequence and emphasizes three
main areas: 1) expanding your base of Norwegian vocabulary,
structures and functions; 2) continuing to develop the four
skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening; and 3)
exploring Norwegian culture. Together, we will try to make
the classroom as rich a learning environment as possible by
using a variety of authentic spoken, written, and visual
materials. We will also speak exclusively Norwegian in the
classroom.
To register:
The summer school
application process goes through the Registrar's office,
beginning April 30 (507) 646-3015, registrar@stolaf.edu).
If you are a college student
enrolled at another institution, the registrar's office will
need an official sealed transcript from that institution.
If you are from the
community looking for continuing education no official
transcript is required.
The 1.00 credit tuition rate
for summer school is $1,250. There is also an additional
charge for room and board. On-campus housing will be in
Thorson Hall and the cost is $335. Board rate ranges from
$270 to $365, depending what plan is selected (4 to choose
from). A $50.00 non-refundable deposit is required with the
registration form. Please email Kari (lie@stolaf.edu)
if you are interested or would like additional
information.
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Skogfjorden
Barn
Dedication
This is an important summer
for Skogfjorden, the Concordia Language Villages Norwegian
language program. Last summer, Skogfjorden raised a barn in
their immigrant area called Fagertun. This
summer,Skogfjorden's 40th year of existence, the barn will
be dedicated. Considerable programming last summer was done
to highlight the immigration aspect of our program as the
barn was being raised, and we would like to do more with it
this summer now that the barn is finished and being
dedicated.
Staffing
The people behind the
celebration are key. As always, Skogfjorden is interested in
recruiting both native and non-native speakers of Norwegian
to our staff of ca. 60 that are hired every summer to bring
Norway and Norwegian-America alive for the nearly 500 7-18
year olds who attend. Skogfjorden is a great place for
non-native speakers of Norwegian to practice and share their
enthusiasm for the Norwegian language and culture with kids,
and it is a great place for native speakers to come share
their home culture with interested others. For more
information, please refer your students and other potential
candidates to www.ConcordiaLanguageVillages.
Immigration and History
Resources
In the spirit of the barn
dedication, we are especially interested in hiring people
with special interests in matters of immigration and the
history of Norway and Norwegian-America. Additionally, any
student or faculty papers or projects relevant to these
topics would be wonderful to procure for our ever-expanding
library to help both staff and villagers expand their own
knowledge of the topics. If you or your students would be
willing to share any with us, we would be most appreciative.
They can be sent to Tove Dahl at Skogfjorden, 8500
Thorsonveien NE, Bemidji, MN 56601. Please mark the package
to be opened for the summer of 2002.
Villagers from
Norway
Perhaps less known to the
NORTANA community is that it has been tradition at
Skogfjorden since 1983 for Norwegian youth join us for at
least one session every summer for a tailor-made immersion
in American culture within the context of Skogfjorden. There
is hardly a better motivator for language learning than a
friend who speaks your target language. For that reason,
villagers who have joined us from Norway have served as
tremendous resources for their American peers -- and vice
versa. Several of their village friendships have also turned
into long-term cross-Atlantic relationships, involving
considerable correspondence, visits and even year-long
exchanges.
If you know of any
Norwegians between the ages of 13 and 17 who are looking for
an English language experience in America, direct them to
our web site. We would love to have them join us and become
a part of this long-standing tradition. The typical session
for them to attend is session 42, but we have worked with
smaller groups of Norwegians during other sessions as well.
No matter when they come, we are always delighted to have
them.
Besøk
Come check out the barn! We
are always eager to share Skogfjorden with others who may be
interested in what we are about or what we can offer
students of Norwegian. Please give us a call whenever you
come to Northern Minnesota to arrange a visit (800/450-2214
or 218/586-2214). Every staff member is a guide, and we
would love to show you around.
Tove I. Dahl,
Dean of Skogfjorden
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Language Camp Staff
Opportunities in the Pacific Northwest
Sons of Norway District 2 is
looking for caring, creative staff members for a variety of
summer camp positions. Our camp staff have a great
opportunity to express their creativity, engage young people
in a meaningful way, and share their interest in things
norsk.
Since the late 1960's, these
camps have been exposing young people to Norwegian language
and culture in a fun and engaging way. Here both campers and
staff can practice their norsk while spending their
camp-issue kroner buying sjokalade at the kiosk. From sports
like fotball and orienteering, to learning how to rosemal,
there are lots of opportunities to get excited about things
Norwegian.
Camp Trollhaugen (Ages
13-15), July 7-20, 2002. Located near Stampede Pass in
Washington's Cascade Mountain Range, Trollhaugen offers
wonderful outdoor opportunities in the mountains.
Camp Nidaros (Ages 9 - 12)
July 21 - August 3, 2002. With a spectacular view
overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Camp Nidaros is found off of
Highway 101 in Seaside, Oregon
Camp Normanna (Ages 9 - 12)
Washington, August 4 - 17, 2002. East of Everett,
Washington, Camp Normanna is located at Normanna Park on
beautiful Lake Riley in the Arlington area.
For further information and
applications for any of the camps, please contact Erik
Brakstad, 2002 Camp Normanna co-director, at 503-239-1075,
or email at erikb@hevanet.com
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"Masse Moro"
5th District Heritage
Camp
We are currently accepting
applications for staff positions at two summer events,
Norwegian Heritage Camp for Youth, and Norwegian Heritage
Retreat for Adults. The dates for the Adult Retreat are
Sunday July 14-Friday July 19. The Youth Camp orientation
will start on Friday July 19, with camp running Sunday July
21- Saturday August 3. Both campus feature Norwegian
language classes, crafts,
folk dancing, sports, holidays and lots of fun, all set in
the beautiful pine forest of the Beaver Creek Reserve along
the Eau Claire River in Wisconsin.
If you are interested in
learning more about camp, please check us out on the 5th
District website: <hometown.aol.com/john1307/page4.html>
Staff positions available
are Director, Counselor, Junior Counselor, Cook, Cook's
assistant and health aide. For more information and an
application form, please contact Bjørg Corneliussen
at:
N4177 Golf Course Rd
Brodhead, WI 53520
608-862-3072
masse_moro@yahoo.com
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New
Positions &Opportunities
Visiting Instructor of
Scandinavian
U of Colorado at Boulder
Germanic & Slavic Langs & Lits, 276 UCB, Boulder, CO
80309
One-year, non-tenure track
position, starting August 19, 2002: M.A. or above in
Norwegian or Scandinavian Studies, to teach first and second
year Norwegian language and Scandinavian literature and
culture courses. Native or near-native fluency in Norwegian
required. Teach six courses per year over two semesters;
co-advisor for the Scandinavian Club. Send cover letter,
curriculum vitae, transcript, 3 letters of recommendation,
and record of teaching evaluation to Professor Janet Ward,
Interim Chair, Department of Germanic & Slavic Languages
& Literatures, 276 UCB, University of Colorado at
Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309. Applications received by April
15, 2002, will receive first consideration; the search will
continue until the position is filled. Applications will be
acknowledged. The University of Colorado at Boulder is an
equal opportunity/nondiscrimination institution.
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Norwegian Language Program
Coordinator
Village Charter School, Anchorage, Alaska
K-8th grade Alaska public
charter school seeking multi-talented individual to
coordinate the Norwegian Language Program.
Duties: Teaches Norwegian to
K-8th grade students; hires, trains and supervises Norwegian
language teachers on staff. Ensures the Norwegian Language
Program is of the highest quality for all K-8th grade
students, preparing them for high school language study.
Collaborates with other school staff to provide a high
quality academic program. Is committed to positive school
climate in word and deed. Willing to be a team player, and
to accept multi-level responsibilities. Flexibility is a key
component. Willing to accept the challenges that a small,
new school provides with a positive outlook at all times.
Ability to focus on goals and outcomes. Speaks Norwaegian
with students 90 to 100% of the time. Must be capable of
working long and flexible hours and schedules, up to 4 hours
per week.
Experience and Education:
Fluent Norwegian speaker, preferably with family ties to
Norway to bring alive the culture, history, folklore, music
and customs of the country in addition to the language.
Excellent knowledge of Norwegian children's songs and folk
music is essential, as well as traditional Norwegian
children's games and PE activities. Knowledge of food and
other customs is important. Preference given to someone
raised in Norway. Experience in managing and supervising
other's work for two consecutive years or more; five years
full-time experience in teaching, preferably multi-age and
multi-level. Contributes to positive school atmosphere and
spirit.
Term: Five-year commitment.
Reports to Principal/Program Implementor.
Start Date: Interviews
available now; position may begin training with current
Norwegian Program Coordinator any time in 2002.
Compensation: Commensurate
with similar responsibilities in Anchorage,
Alaska.
Contact: Send resume and
letter of interest to Ase Haugen, Norwegian Program
Coordinator; c/o Village Charter School, 3020 Minnesota #8F,
Anchorage, AK 99503, or Linda Sharp at lsharp@alaska.net.
Reference: Position Opening.
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Seeking Contributors to DLB
I am looking for
contributiors to the Dictionary of Literary Biography:
Twentieth Century Norwegian Writers. The Dictionary is part
of a highly acclaimed series published by Brucolli, Clark
and Layman and many of you may have seen the recent Danish
version. Each article is a biographical look at an author
with an integrated analysis of his/her works intended for a
wide audience. The authors I need contributors for are Olav
Aukrust, Olaf Bull, Peder Cappelen, Hans Kinck, Lars Saabye
Christensen, and Kristofer Uppdal. Each article should be
between three and five thousand words in length, and the
deadline I am working with is October 2002. If you are
interested, or know of anyone who is currently working on
these authors, please contact me at
thresher@facstaff.wisc.edu. Thanks.
Tanya
Thresher, Assistant Professor University of
Wisconsin-Madison
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THE 2002 ASF TRANSLATION
PRIZE
The American-Scandinavian
Foundation
58 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Telephone: 212-879-9779 Fax: 212-686-2115 Website:
www.amscan.org
The American-Scandinavian
Foundation will award the twenty-third annual ASF
Translation Prize in the fall of 2002 for the best
translation of poetry, fiction, drama or literary prose
written by a Scandinavian author after 1800.
The award includes $2000,
publication of an excerpt in an issue of Scandinavian
Review, and a commemorative bronze medallion.
The annual Leif and Inger
Sjöberg Prize of $1000 will also be awarded.
RULES
- The prize is for an
outstanding English translation of poetry, fiction, drama
or literary prose originally written in Danish, Finnish,
Icelandic, Norwegian or Swedish.
- If prose, manuscripts
must be at least 50 pages long; if poetry, 25. (Please do
not exceed these limits by more than a few
pages.)
- Translations must be
from the writing of one author, although not necessarily
from a single work. Please include a one-paragraph
description about the author.
- An entry must consist
of:
- Four legible copies
of the translation, including a title page and a table
of contents for the proposed book of which the
manuscript submitted is a part;
- One copy of the
work(s) in the original language;
- A separate sheet
containing the name, address, telephone number and
email address of the translator and the title and
author of the manuscript with the original language
specified; and
- A letter or other
document signed by the author, the author's agent or
the author's estate granting permission for the
translation to be entered in this competition and
published in Scandinavian Review.
- Manuscripts must be
typed and double-spaced with pages numbered.
- Translator's names may
not appear on any page of their manuscripts, including
the title page.
- The translation
submitted in the competition may not have been previously
published in the English language. (If the translation
being submitted to this competition is also under
consideration by a publisher, you must inform us of the
expected publication date.)
- Translators may submit
one entry only.
- Entries should be sent
to: The Translation Prize, The American-Scandinavian
Foundation, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY
10016
- Entries must be
postmarked no later than June 1, 2002.
Winners of the competition
will be announced in the ASF newsletter Scan. The winner
will be announced no later than November 1, 2002. All who
enter the competition will receive notification of the
winner by mail. Only one (1) copy of the translation can be
returned if specifically requested.
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New
Programs
The Master's degree in
Nynorsk skriftkultur at Ivar Aasen-instituttet, Volda, will
be starting up from the autumn. it is a two-year degree, 120
studiepoeng, with a master's oppgåve of 60 poeng.
Anyone interested can now also log in on the institute's
spanking new web site at www.hivolda.no/iaai
US students with a completed
BA will be eligible to apply.
Stephen
Walton, Ivar Aasen Institutt
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Scandinavian Studies in
Telemark is 'up and running'! The first Scandinavian
Studies in Telemark Program was completed during the fall of
2001 at Telemark University College in Bø. We are
well underway with implementing new developments for fall
2002. In addition to a hands-on, innovative course in
Telemark Culture, (including study trips throughout
Telemark), Environmental Issues explores the local
environmental issues from a scientific point of view, while
Cross Cultural Communication emphasizes a global focus while
maintaining a Norwegian perspective. Other course options
such as Environmental Philosophy and Modern Norwegian
Literature will be offered to interested students, as well
as beginning and higher level Norwegian language studies.
There is no language prerequisite. All courses are taught in
English, with the exception of the Norwegian language
classes.
Students participating in
2001 actively enjoyed the college community in Bø and
particularly the rural setting with easy access to the
Telemark outdoors: woods, rivers, hills and mountains.
Single-room living in comfortable dorms provided numerous
options for socializing with Norwegian students: definitely
an important goal of the program.
We have rolling admissions
but encourage students to apply early. For more information
send an e-mail to: scandstud@hit.no
or visit: http://www-bo.hit.no/scandstud/
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Reviews and Publications
The Story of Edvard Munch.Ketil Bjørnstad trans.
Hal Sutcliffe. Arcadia Books Ltd. ISBN 19-00850-44-3. 2001.
$17.95.
I would like to draw attention to the wonderful novel
about Edvard Munch, written by Ketil Bjørnstad,
launched in the US by a visit of the author to Washington DC
and New York last fall. The book has had very good reviews
and is a good read. It is a thrilling novel about a
fascinating painter, someone the students of Norwegian
culture are bound to come across.
All the best from Kristin in NORLA
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The Unknown Sigrid Undset. Steerforth Press. ISBN
1-58642-021-6. 2001.$30.00,
Those who teach courses in Scandinavian literature in
translation are often on the lookout for new English
translations of works by significant Scandinavian authors.
The Unknown Sigrid Undset, published in 2001, is a
collection well worth considering for use in both survey
courses of Scandinavian literature, and courses on
Scandinavian women writers.
The book consists of three parts, including a new
translation of Jenny by Tiina Nunnally, two short stories,
"Thjodolf" and "Simensen", translated by Naomi Wolford, and
a selection of Undset's letters to her pen pal Dea, also
translated by Nunnally. In bringing this collection to
print, the editor Tim Page provides the English-language
reader a contrast to Undset's well-known Kristin
Lavransdatter.
Those familiar with Undset's novel Jenny know that it
presents a distinctly realistic and unromantic view of a
woman's struggle to fulfill her dream to be both artist and
mother. The short stories are an interesting complement to
Jenny, offering perspectives on both difficult relationships
within the family, and, more prominently, the vulnerable
position of children in the family. The letters selected for
this collection parallel the time of writing of these works,
covering the years from 1900 to 1913.
The three sections of The Unknown Sigrid Undset provide
diverse expressions of Undset's unique perspective on women,
the artist, and the family in early 1900's Norwegian
society. In either survey or women's literature courses, the
collection would be a valuable and versatile text. The
Unknown Sigrid Undset is available in hardcover from
Steerforth Press.
Claudia Berguson, PLU
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North in the World: Selected Poems of Rolf Jacobsen, a
Bilingual Edition.
Translated and Edited by Roger Greenwald. University of
Chicago Press, 2002.
ISBN 0-226-39035-7. 356 pages. Cloth. $35. North in the
World presents 121 poems by Rolf Jacobsen (1907-1994), drawn
from all twelve of his books (and including one poem
collected posthumously). Ninety-six of these translations
(from Jacobsen's first eleven books) appeared in The Silence
Afterwards (1985), but Greenwald has made many revisions to
them since then. He has also revised and updated his
introduction and expanded the endnotes. In addition to
Norwegian texts facing the translations, the book includes
indexes to titles and first lines in both languages.
For more information, including the complete table of
contents, see
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~roger/niw.html.
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Viking Age Iceland. Jesse Byock.
Penguin Books: New York and London, 2001 ISBN:
0-14-029115-6 $15.00
Norway and Iceland were, of course, closely linked during
the Viking Age and in the later medieval centuries. The
book, which is designed to serve as the backbone of a course
utilizing sagas about Iceland and Norway, draws many
comparisons between the two related societies.
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MUNIN
MUNIN's home page has a new
address:
www.munin-nonfiction.no
Elisabet Middelthon, MUNIN
I have recently posted on my
Bjorneboe web site a chapter from *Onkel Jens,* the recent
memoir by Bjorneboe's nephew, Sven Kaerup Bjorneboe
(Aschehoug 2001).
In this chapter, "A rebel
with self discipline", SK Bjorneboe discusses (inter alia)
the role of JB's early training as a painter in developing a
sense of craftsmanship. Therefore I have also added
reproductions of 4 of JB's paintings, plus a page with
thumbnails of all JB's artwork (paintings and drawings) on
the site.
We anticipate that there
will be another Bjorneboe book in English this year, but we
don't have full particulars yet. Stay tuned!
visit my website "Jens
Bjorneboe in English" http://emurer.home.att.net/
Esther Greenleaf
Murer
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