HIS2335 – Into the Ice: Norwegian Polar History
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course will examine the history of Norwegian activities in the Arctic and Antarctic, including heroic expeditions, research activities, and commercial exploitation. Attention will be given to national political and cultural as well as international comparative perspectives on the making of Norway as a ‘polar nation’.
A particular focus will entail assessing the historical significance of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen for the emergence and maintenance of a national polar identity. The course will examine the cultural-politics of constructing polar heroes: what values and visions of masculinity are propagated? The changing interconnections of politics and science with respect to polar activities and the comparative significance of Norway in the international polar community will be addressed.
Learning outcome
After having taken the course you can:
• give a presentation on Norwegian activities in the polar region, especially during the past two centuries.
• connect the polar activities with the general political and cultural history of Norway.
• assess the importance of the Norwegian polar activities as compared to that of other nations.
• describe how the polar activities have inspired or been utilised by art, film, heritage industry and popular historical writing.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with HIS4335 – Into the Ice: Norwegian Polar History (discontinued)
Teaching
Obligatory Essay: During the course, students will write a paper which will receive comments from the teacher. Normally all students will be assigned the same task. The length of the paper should be approximately six pages (where one page is estimated to hold 2300 characters without spacing). The paper must be approved before the exam; otherwise students will be barred from taking the exam.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
3-days take-home examination: The students have three days to write an assignment. The length of the assignment should be 6-10 standard pages (2300 characters without spacing).
The exam is to be handed in in Fronter. The files must be submitted in .pdf-format and we stress that the student is responsible for making sure that the files are readable. If you need assistance in converting your file to .pdf, we recommend that you follow these instructions. The file must be named with your candidate number (not your name) and the course code (HIS2335).
In the process of uploading the file containing your exam, you will be asked to confirm that the work you are submitting is your own and that you are aware of the University of Oslo's policy concerning academic integrity and cheating. To qualify for uploading you must answer these questions affirmatively.
Previously given exam questions
Language of examination
You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. If you would prefer to have the exam text in English, you may apply to the course administrators.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.