Imagine yourself on an island the size of South Carolina with more volcanoes than the continental United States and fewer people than Wake County. You are lodged in a village of about 1000 people, at a school that has been in continuous existence since 1056 AD, at a church that has been the center of Icelandic culture, history and religion since the turn of the first millennium. Within 35 miles of your room and classes are geysers, the largest waterfall in Europe, natural hot springs, three (quiet) volcanoes, astonishing nature trails and hiking, the North Atlantic Ocean, and more puffins than anywhere in the world.

Also close is the capital city of Reykjavik, home to 250,000 people and as cosmopolitan as any capital in Europe. Then imagine that for the entire four week term it does not ever get dark. This will be the setting for Meredith in Iceland.

Courses:

You will be required to take six hours credit in the two courses listed below. Independent study is also available. Credit will be awarded in History or English (second literature requirement), and in Cultural perspectives or Aesthetics and the Arts.

Successful completion of the program will also satisfy your CORE 200 requirement.

IDS 941: Arts, Artifacts and Culture
An introduction to the remarkable culture, social life and language of Iceland, based upon arts, artifacts and presentations by several native Icelanders. You will engage Icelandic culture through weekly interaction with the local family that “adopts” you, through exchange of language lessons with Icelandic college students, and through literary, visual and musical arts and artifacts. Beyond this core, you will be able to shape the remainder of your cultural experience to fit your own interest, in areas such as history, contemporary politics, women’s and environmental issues, social justice and diversity, education, music, art and so forth. Principal assignment is an in depth journal. Required of all students. Level 300-400. Credit 3 hours.
Aesthetics and the Arts or Cultural Perspectives.

ENG/HIS 941: Life on the Edge: Themes in Icelandic History and Literature
The experience of Icelanders from the original Viking settlements in the late 800’s to the present day has been defined by living on the edge. The island they found is on the westernmost edge of European society, giving rise to a culture that reflects both their frontier conditions and their distance from developments in Europe. It is a very young island, created at the edge of two separating continental shelves by a geothermal hotspot that is still very active. The island is also located on the edge of the Arctic Circle, giving it dramatic seasonal change but a climate barely hospitable to humans, their crops and their animals. These conditions together have placed Icelanders on the edge of survival for most of their history, making them exceptionally aware of their relation to each other, to natural forces and to other elements of their environment. Yet despite these limitations Icelanders have emerged in the 20th century as a modern nation, on the cutting edge of environmental and social policy. Young Icelanders travel throughout the world but almost never choose to emigrate.

This course will draw upon the rich literature and history of the Icelandic people to explore remarkable journey available to students. Beginning with the Viking sagas of exploration and early settlement life and ending with 20th century Nobel Prize winning author Haldorr Laxness, Drs. Grathwohl and Novak will use history to understand literature and literature to illuminate history a rich narrative of thought and experience.

We will also use our part of the island as an outdoor classroom, visiting museums and exhibits, outdoor archaeological and historic sites, and the famous Saga Trail. Level: 300-400; Credit: 3 Hours; History (Cultural Perspectives) or English (Literature Elective).

FACULTY:

Dr. Michael Novak, Professor of History

Dr. Eloise Grathwohl, Professor of English

Cost:

The estimated base cost is roughly $5,800.* This price covers all meals, tuition, lodging, study tours in Iceland and local commuting costs.

Additional costs of $1,675 include your passport, ISIC card, books and airfare. Optional expenses will depend on your choices and tastes, but you should not need more than a few hundred dollars.

Scholarships and financial assistance are available. Contact the office of International Programs for further information.

Eligibility:

Students must be in good academic standing (2.0 minimum GPA)

Application Deadline:

February 1, 2008

For additional information, contact:

Dr. Michael Novak

History and Political Science

228 Joyner