Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada News and Features

Birgitta Wallace Memorial Scholarship

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 18:50:23 GMT

The purpose of this scholarship will be to assist students who demonstrate scholastic excellence, in developing research projects in cultures of the North Atlantic.

Birgitta Linderoth Wallace was a Swedish-born Canadian archaeologist who devoted her life to understanding peoples of the North Atlantic through archaeology. Her research included work on Indigenous peoples of Atlantic Canada, early French Acadians, British colonial forces, and, most notably, the Norse in Newfoundland. She devoted more than 50 years to understanding the small but complex site of L’Anse aux Meadows, an eleventh-century Norse base for exploration in Vinland. This research included an understanding of the Norse occupation within the long chronological history of Indigenous cultures present on the site. She viewed the Norse individuals not as mythical bold adventurers, but as very real struggling Greenland colonists, in search of resources to sustain their fledgeling colony. She was inspired by the ability of archaeology to reveal real people and human situations at all the sites she researched.

In 2015, the Canadian Archaeological Association presented Birgitta with the Smith-Wintemberg Award for her contributions to Canadian archaeology. In 2018, she received an honorary doctorate from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Birgitta had a passion for students, and worked to assist many in thesis preparations, and in developing skills in field work. She delighted in innovative technologies and new theories.

More information here:

https://www.mun.ca/give/forms/tribute/birgitta-wallace/

Congratulations to the AASSC Publication Award Winners

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:15:50 GMT

This year, the AASSC Publication Awards Adjudication Committee was pleased to receive a number of high-quality submissions for both the undergraduate and graduate publication awards. Thanks to all of the professors who nominated students, and thanks to the students for sharing their work. We are delighted to announce the following winners:

Recipient of the AASSC Gurli Aagard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award: Aglaée-Louise Stroun (University of Lausanne)

For: "Deconstructing Höfler's Berserkr: The Shortcomings of the Männerbund Theory" / Nominated by Dr. Juliette Vuille

Aglaée-Louise Stroun is currently studying History and English literature in the University of Lausanne, and she has always been particularly interested in medieval history as well as how narratives and literature are built in relation to political movements or changes in certain historical periods. She is also very fond of comparative work and often tries to link her interests together.

Recipient of the AASSC Marna Feldt Graduate Publication Award: Jenikka Kirkland (University of Northern British Columbia)

For: "Indigenous Reindeer Herders and Liquefied Natural Gas: The Cases of Hámmarfeasta and the Yamal Peninsula" / Nominated by Dr. Tara Joly

Jenikka Kirkland recently graduated from their Master's in International Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia and previously completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Modern Languages and Cultural Studies at the University of Alberta. Their research interests include Indigenous rights, energy justice, and resource extraction, with a focus on the Arctic.

Congratulations to our winners! We look forward to reading their papers when they are published in Scandinavian-Canadian Studies / Études Scandinaves au Canada.

Call for Papers: Old Norse Forum, MLA Los Angeles Jan. 7-10, 2027

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:16:26 GMT

Call for Papers: Old Norse Forum at the MLA Conference in Los Angeles (Jan. 7-10, 2027)

Old Norse Afterlives: Transmission and Translation

We invite proposals on the subject of the afterlives of Old Norse texts, from marked-up and illustrated medieval manuscripts to thematic transfer into Romantic, Modern, and contemporary media, whether literary, artistic, or political in form.

Deadline for submissions: Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Please send proposals to Andrew McGillivray, University of Winnipeg (a.mcgillivray@uwinnipeg.ca )

In Memory of Birgitta Wallace Ferguson

Amy Poole — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 14:25:58 GMT

We are saddened to hear of the passing of longtime AASSC member Birgitta Wallace Ferguson, on May 20, 2025.

As stated in her obituary, Birgitta was "a pioneering Swedish-Canadian archaeologist renowned for her groundbreaking work in Norse archaeology," and she had "a distinguished career that spanned continents and reshaped our understanding of Norse exploration in North America." You can read her obituary in its entirety here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/halifax-ns/birgitta-ferguson-12384156

Birgitta served in numerous leadership positions through the years in our organization, and she was an amazing friend and supportive colleague to those of us who knew her. We will miss her.

Sincerely,

The AASSC Executive

March 17 Deadline for Call for Papers: Kinships and Relations in Global/Nordic Indigenous-Settler Spaces

Amy Poole — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:20:44 GMT

We are excited to share information about an upcoming conference taking place in 2026 in Toronto, Ontario! The CLCS Nordic Forum at the 2026 MLA Convention is inviting abstracts on the theme “Kinships and Relations in Global/Nordic Indigenous-Settler Spaces" due on Monday March 17, 2025.

This forum exists in relation to this particular neoimperialist moment of renewed U.S. interest in militaristic colonization: “taking over” sovereign Kalaallit lands, forcibly “relocating” Palestinians, and “annexing” the settler-colonial nation of Canada.Given the rise of neoimperialist and colonial ambitions, and the MLA 2026 presidential theme, “Family Resemblances,” this panel solicits paper proposals that explore, theorize, and connect notions of kinship and relationality, particularly as they exist across the Indigenous-settler divide. What divides Indigenous and settler notions of kinship? What tensions emerge within relations, as Indigenous people and settlers work together toward shared goals? What promises does the notion of kinship have in moving beyond virtue signaling, and actually mounting resistance against a rising autocratic world order, or creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world?

They particularly welcome papers involving Nordic colonialisms, kinship, and coming into relations in Norden (including Greenland and Sápmi) and abroad (including on Turtle Island)—especially as they are impacted by other neoimperialist efforts of our current moment.

Please submit your 250-word abstracts by Monday March 17, 2025 to Amanda Doxtater (CLCS Nordic Forum Chair) by sending them to doxtater@uw.edu.

AASSC 2024 Virtual Conference Program Available

Amy Poole — Thu, 02 May 2024 16:05:00 GMT

The AASSC Executive would like to share the 2024 program for our upcoming virtual conference, taking place May 23 - 24, 2024. Please see the attached program here, or visit our webpage for more details.

We will send out a Zoom link in the coming weeks. Looking forward to hearing everyone's insightful presentations!

CFP Deadline EXTENDED!

Amy Poole — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:23:18 GMT

The AASSC Call for Papers deadline for our upcoming 42nd annual virtual conference has been EXTENDED to Friday March 29, 2024!

If you would like to submit a paper for the conference happening May 23 - 25, 2024, please submit your paper by the deadline. We invite submissions on any Scandinavian-/Nordic-related topic in any discipline. In recent years, our conferences have included research from the fields of anthropology, archaeology, business studies, folkloristics, geography, history, Indigenous studies, linguistics, literary studies, medieval studies, philosophy, political science, religious studies, and sociology, among others.

Please see conference and submission details below:

https://www.aassc.com/AASSC-2024-Conference

Please share widely!

CFP for AASSC 2024!

Amy Poole — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:13:50 GMT

We are excited to announce that the AASSC 42nd Annual Conference will be taking place virtually from May 23 - 25, 2024! We are also now accepting papers/proposals for this upcoming conference; see this page for more details.

The deadline to submit proposals is February 15, 2024. We hope you will consider submitting a paper for our conference!

New Online Viking Age Course

Amy Poole — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:57:21 GMT

We would like to share a new online course opportunity! DanmarksHistorien.dk is offering a free online course ”A History of Denmark from the Viking Age to the 21st Century”, and it is available translated into English at https://danmarkshistorien.dk/en/open-online-course.

The course has been produced by researchers from Aarhus University, and it is suitable for anyone who is interested in the history of Denmark. It begins with the emergence of the Danish kingdom during the Viking age, and focuses on the history of Denmark as a political entity from the 8th century to the modern day!

The course consists of a general introduction and nine modules, all of which include a mixture of text and short films featuring the authors. We hope you enjoy!

SASS 2024 in Seattle!

Amy Poole — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:43:31 GMT

SASS 2024 will take place in Seattle, Washington at the Renaissance Seattle hotel, hosted by the University of Washington from May 9-11th, 2024. Some members of the AASSC Executive will be in attendance, and we wanted to share information about the event for all of our members in case it is of interest!

For more information on SASS' Call for Papers for the 2024 conference, click here.

AASSC 41st Annual Conference Programme Available

Amy Poole — Thu, 04 May 2023 11:36:22 GMT

The programme for the AASSC 41st Annual Conference, taking place from Monday May 29 - Thursday June 1 at York University's Keele Campus, is available now! You can view the programme on the conference webpage. We look forward to all of the interesting and exciting papers to be presented at the conference!

If you have any questions about the upcoming conference, please contact the AASSC Executive. Thank you!

Upcoming Free-To-Attend Virtual Book Launch!

Amy Poole — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:38:12 GMT

Join us on Tuesday November 15 at 3:00 PM MT as collaborators Gerd Kjustad Mortensen, Dr. Daniel Sims, and Dr. Ingrid Urberg elaborate on the process and contributions to this recent critical edition of Einar Odd Mortensen Sr.’s personal narrative detailing his time as a free trader in Oxford Lake and Pine Bluff in 1920s Manitoba in The Fur Trader: From Oslo to Oxford House.

For information on how to register, please click here!

Call for Papers: AASSC 41st Annual Conference

Amy Poole — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:18:39 GMT

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for the upcoming AASSC 41st Annual Conference, May 29 - June 1, 2023!

For more information on conference theme, submission guidelines, and deadlines, please see our webpage.

AASSC 40th Annual Conference Program

Amy Poole — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 22:47:38 GMT

We are pleased to present the AASSC 40th Annual Conference Program! The Conference will be taking place online May 16 - 19, 2022, and this conference is free for all AASSC members!

Program (AASSC 2022).pdf

Congratulations to the AASSC Publication Award Winners

Amy Poole — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:07:54 GMT

This year the AASSC Publication Awards Adjudication Committee was pleased to receive a number of high-quality submissions for both the undergraduate and graduate publication awards. Thanks to all of the professors who nominated students, and thanks to the students for sharing their work. We are delighted to announce the following winners:

Recipient of the AASSC Gurli Aagard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award: Linnie McGuire (Bishop’s University) for “The Fragmentation of Sápmi: a Nordic Model of Settler Colonialism” / Nominated by Dr. Trygve Ugland.

Linnie McGuire is a final semester undergraduate student completing an Honours in Political Studies with minors in English and Economics at Bishop's University. Her main research interests include settler-colonialism, public policy, and political violence. She will be pursuing these interests this fall in the MA in Political Studies programme at Queen's University.

Recipient of the AASSC Marna Feldt Graduate Publication Award: Karin Filipsson (University of Washington, Seattle) for “Shadows and Silences in Göran Rosenberg’s Memoir: Jewish ‘Postmemory’ in the Swedish Welfare State” / Nominated by Dr. Marianne Stecher-Hansen.

Karin Filipsson is a PhD student and she teaches Swedish in the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington. She has two Master’s Degrees; in English literature and in Creative Writing and she is also a literary translator and a writer. Her PhD project explores postmigrant Swedish literature; particularly the connection between cultural memory and postmemory narratives in Holocaust-memoirs. She is the winner of the Aurora Borealis Award in 2021 from the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study for best graduate student paper in Language and Literature for the paper “’Welcome to my Body’: Construction of Racialized Identity through the Transgressing of Boundaries in Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s work”. She is currently one of six fellows in the Joff Hanauer for Excellence in Western Civilization Graduate Fellowship 2021-22 at the University of Washington.

Recipient of the AASSC Marna Feldt Graduate Publication Award: Arwen Thysse 陳藹文 (University of Alberta) for "Men and Trolls: A Discussion of Race and the Depiction of the Sámi in the Hrafnistumannasögur” / Nominated by Dr. Natalie Van Deusen.

Arwen Thysse is a doctoral student in the Department of History, Classics, and Religion at the University of Alberta. Her research interests include intercultural and mixed-race relations in medieval Scandinavia, cross-cultural contacts in the global Middle Ages, as well as questions of personal and social identities. She is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Congratulations to our three winners! We look forward to reading their papers when they are published in Scandinavian-Canadian Studies.

Upcoming AASSC Virtual Series Presentation on April 20, 2022

Amy Poole — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:11:54 GMT

We are pleased to announce a presentation by author Henry Milner in a new online session as part of the AASSC Virtual Series, which will take place on Wednesday, April 20 at 12:00 PM EDT / 10:00 AM CST / 4:00 PM GMT / 5:00 PM CET.

Milner, author of Participant Observer: An Unconventional Life in Politics and Academia, will draw on his experience as a close observer of Nordic politics to share what he has learned about the relationship between participating in politics on the inside and observing politics from the outside. Several chapters in the memoir are set in Finland and Sweden.

About the Speaker:

Henry Milner has published nine books, the most recent of which is his political memoir, Participant Observer: An Unconventional Life in Academia and Politics, and edited four others. He has written numerous articles, both scholarly and journalistic, specializing in political participation and electoral reform, notably in Inroads, a journal founded in 1991 with John Richards.

He obtained his BA from McGill University and completed his MA and PhD at Carleton, also spending a year at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC. In the 1980s his interests took him to the Nordic countries and led to books focusing on social democracy in Scandinavia. Between 1999 and 2013 he spent each fall term as a Visiting Professor of Political Science at Umea University in Sweden, and in 2012 came to the l’Université de Montréal, where he is now Research Fellow at the Chair in Electoral Studies in the Department of Political Science.

If you are interested in registering for this Virtual Series session, please first ensure you are a paid up AASSC member for 2022 and then contact Amy Poole, Webmaster, at aassccommunications@gmail.com.

You can check your membership with your AASSC login information, or signing up at:

https://www.aassc.com/membership

Deadline Extended! AASSC 2022 Virtual Conference

Amy Poole — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:14:54 GMT

The deadline for submission of proposals is for the AASSC 2022 Virtual Conference has been extended to Monday, March 7, 2022.

The fortieth annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC) will be held virtually from Monday, May 16–Thursday, May 19, 2022.

Theme: The 2022 conference has an open theme, and we invite submissions on any Scandinavian / Nordic related topic in any discipline. In recent years, our conferences have included research from the fields of
anthropology, archaeology, business studies, folkloristics, geography, history, Indigenous studies, linguistics, literary studies, medieval studies, philosophy, political science, religious studies, and sociology,
among others.

Keynote speaker: We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for our 2022 conference will be Dr. Sayaka Osanami Törngren, Associate Professor in International Migration and Ethnic Relations and Senior
Researcher at the Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity, and Welfare at Malmö University. Dr. Osanami Törngren is an expert on race and racialization’s effects on interpersonal encounters.

Submissions should include the title of the paper/presentation(s), an abstract (150–250 words), the author’s or authors’ name(s) and affiliation(s), a very brief bio or bios, and updated contact information. Please email
your submission to the Chair of the AASSC Program Committee at: cwe1@hi.is.

Undergraduate Submissions for NAHA Odd S. Lovoll Award Open!

Amy Poole — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 19:27:17 GMT

The following information has been shared with the AASSC on behalf of The Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA):

NAHA is excited to announce that applications are open for its Odd S. Lovoll Award, which recognizes originality, excellence, and creativity in undergraduate research and writing on any aspect of Norwegian-American studies.

The winner of the award will receive a cash prize of $500 and a one-year student membership in NAHA. Interested applicants should submit an interpretive essay based on original research of between 2,000 and 10,000 words in length, which conforms to Chicago style (using endnotes). Essays must be written as an undergraduate and submitted within one year of graduation from an undergraduate institution. Preference will be given to essays that explore previously neglected topics or new approaches to previously treated topics.

The award-winning essay will be considered for publication in NAHA’s academic journal, Norwegian-American Studies. The deadline for student submissions for the award is June 1 of each year. The NAHA publications committee, in consultation with the editor of Norwegian-American Studies, will select the winner. Award-winning essays will be announced September 1.

For full details, please visit https://naha.stolaf.edu/publications/. Any questions can be directed to me, NAHA's editor, at naha-editor@stolaf.edu.

AASSC Annual General Meeting Agenda

Amy Poole — Fri, 28 May 2021 23:02:16 GMT

Please see the attached Annual General Meeting Agenda as part of the AASSC Conference. The Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 2, at 9:00 AM MST.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the 39th annual AASSC conference virtually from May 31 - June 3, 2021!

Reminder: AASSC Conference May 31 - June 3, 2021

Amy Poole — Tue, 11 May 2021 19:51:06 GMT

As a kind reminder, the 39th annual AASSC conference will be happening virtually Monday, May 31 - Thursday, June 3, 2021. There are lots of exciting papers planned ahead, and we hope that you will consider joining us. Registration is open to all AASSC members (paid as of 2021), so if you are interested, please contact AASSC President Natalie Van Deusen at vandeuse@ualberta.ca to register and receive the Zoom link.

Our Conference program is included here as well, should you wish to see what's on schedule! Please be aware that the scheduled times are shown in this program in MDT. Please convert accordingly to your timezone so that you do not miss out on the fantastic upcoming papers!

We look forward to exploring the wonders of virtual space with you all!

Note from the AASSC Executive Regarding 2021 Conference

Amy Poole — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 01:15:19 GMT

In solidarity with the Black Canadian Studies Association (BCSA), the AASSC Executive has made the decision to withdraw from and to hold our annual conference outside of Congress 2021.

While this has been a difficult decision and we have been encouraged by some of the steps Congress has taken toward the BCSA’s requests, we continue to have concerns over Congress’ accountability, commitment toward, and communication of these actions to students and community members. The AASSC executive also recognizes our specific responsibility to act in light of the fact that the material on which many of our members conduct their research has been and sometimes continues to be appropriated to support anti-black, anti-Indigenous, and other forms of racism. We recognize the importance of critically engaging with this aspect of the legacy of the material many of us work with and our responsibility to raise awareness of how Scandinavian and Nordic culture and history are weaponized by white supremacists to support racist ideologies.

At our AGM this year, we plan to have an open discussion about whether or not the AASSC will continue our affiliation with the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. All registered presenters and attendees for the AASSC conference have been contacted with details on the next steps moving forward. Please refer to this e-mail for all details. The AASSC Executive will continue to keep members updated via e-mail.

Odd S. Lovoll Award from NAHA

Amy Poole — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:23:09 GMT

The Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) is excited to open applications for the Odd S. Lovoll Award, which recognizes originality, excellence, and creativity in undergraduate research and writing on any aspect of Norwegian-American studies.

The chosen winner will receive $500.00 as well as a 1-year student membership with NAHA. The award-winning essay will also be considered for publication in NAHA's academic journal.

The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, June 1, 2021, and more information can be found at https://naha.stolaf.edu/publications/?fbclid=IwAR0JbKgnGIZLxkFfeGkxLVhYK6Qq5TEDLx57T_EGrbtQLbEkxm4b89QIT60

AASSC Statement on Congress 2021

Amy Poole — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:23:43 GMT

The Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC/AAESC) executive would like to express our solidarity with our colleagues in the Black Canadian Studies Association (BCSA). While we are encouraged by Congress’ decision to meet the requests put to them by the BCSA, we have serious concerns that they were met unilaterally only after the BCSA had withdrawn from Congress 2021 and made the difficult but necessary choice to make public Congress’ original denial of these requests. Like the BCSA and a number of other associations, we were puzzled and disappointed by Congress’ decision not to carry the 2020 theme of “Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism” over to the 2021 event. Because of this, we decided to still include the theme in our Call for Papers. We are pleased with the programming that we have developed around this theme including the topics of Decolonization and indigenization in a Canadian context, cultural heritage, Indigenous resurgence and decolonization in Greenland, and reactionary conservatism and racial politics in Scandinavia. Yet, we do understand and support the BCSA’s decision to opt out of participating in Congress 2021. We also recognize our ongoing responsibility to create an environment where such programming remains central to our association’s future events.

At present, in large part due to our members’ hard work to develop programming around the theme of “Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism,” we are planning to hold our conference as a part of Congress 2021. However, we wish to call upon the leadership of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences to engage in meaningful dialogue with the BCSA to ensure that the Congress becomes an environment where the BCSA and its members are both safe and feel welcome in the future. We will continue to monitor the situation as our planning continues. Members of our executive have also used this opportunity to make individual donations to local or national non-profit groups dedicated to serving and supporting Black and Indigenous communities in Canada, including groups focused on food security issues and addressing health inequalities. We only add this detail in the hope that those who read this statement, and who are in a position to do so, will use this opportunity to show similar support.

MA & PhD Student Opportunity: Magic & Memory in the Pre-Modern North

Amy Poole — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:08:14 GMT

The Autumn School and Centre for Nordic Studies at the University of Helsinki in cooperation with Glossa (the Society for Medieval Studies in Finland) is offering a course for all MA & PhD level students: 'Magic & Memory in the Pre-Modern North.' This course focuses on magic in medieval and early modern Scandinavia.

'Magic and Memory' is happening October 25 - 29, 2021 at the University of Helsinki.

Fifteen students will be accepted into the course. Students are invited to submit a cover letter and one-page project abstract by Monday, May 31, 2021. More details of the course can be found at: http://www.glossa.fi/wp/?page_id=1877

Reminder: Nominations for Publication Awards Due January 15, 2021

Amy Poole — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 19:18:12 GMT

For those of you who are teaching Scandinavian Studies this semester—keep an eye out for quality student work. If you have a student who has submitted or may still submit an excellent paper in 2020, please consider nominating it for one of the two AASSC Publication Awards by the Friday, January 15, 2021 deadline!

(1) The AASSC Gurli Aagaard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award for the best essay written for an undergraduate course relating to Scandinavia.

(2) The AASSC Marna Feldt Graduate Publication Award for the best essay written for a graduate course relating to Scandinavia.

The award-winning essays will be published in Scandinavian-Canadian Studies/Études scandinaves au Canada.

Instructors who teach Scandinavian-content courses are invited to nominate one essay per year for consideration by the prize jury.

Undergraduate student essays between 2000 to 4000 words in length and graduate student essays between 5000 to 7000 words in length (excluding footnotes and bibliography) should be submitted in Chicago style (using in-text references).

Papers written and submitted to their instructors in the year 2020 are eligible for nomination. The deadline for nominations and submissions for the award is Friday, January 15, 2021.

The instructor making the nomination must remove the students’ name from the submitted essay. Please attach a title sheet to the submission with the following information: the student’s name and contact information, the instructor’s name, institutional affiliation, and contact information, and the title and dates of the course in which the work was produced.

Call for Papers: 39th Annual AASSC Conference May 31 - June 3, 2021

Amy Poole — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:52:14 GMT

Call for Papers

39th annual AASSC Conference

May 31–June 3, 2021

The thirty-ninth annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC) will be held virtually from Monday, May 31–Thursday, June 3, 2021 in conjunction with the University of Alberta and the meetings of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences / Fédération Canadienne des Sciences Humaines.

Virtual Congress: After much deliberation and planning, arrangements have been made so that Congress 2021 will take place virtually. The Task Force on Congress Contingency Planning has developed a complete plan for facilitating Virtual Congress, more details of which will soon be made available here (https://congress2021.ca/virtual-experience). The AASSC executive is excited by the new opportunities a virtual meeting opens up for us, including the participation of those who may otherwise have been unable to attend an in-person event.

Congress Theme: As stated on the Congress website, the 2021 overall theme is “Northern Relations”: “As one of Canada’s major northward-facing research institutions, the University of Alberta will invite Congress delegates to turn their attention to the North, and invite northern peoples—Indigenous and non Indigenous—to lead the conversation. As a theme, “Northern Relations” encourages delegates to explore the connections between peoples, communities, cultures, and ways of knowing, while also listening to those voices that speak directly to some of the most pressing matters of relation (to the land, to each other) in the North: climate change, governance, social justice, reconciliation, reciprocity, education, and much more. A relation is not only an association and an affiliation, it is also an act of telling or reporting; relations are at the heart of how peoples communicate, organize knowledge, and understand their place in the world. Edmonton, for thousands of years a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples, is an ideal location to consider not only relations across the North, but also relations between the North and the South. Join us to listen, learn, and relate.”

Submissions: The AASSC invites papers of 15–20 minutes duration, to be followed by an additional 10 minutes of discussion time. Papers may be given in English or French on a Scandinavian / Nordic related topic in any discipline. Papers will be given as part of ‘simu-live’ sessions: You will be expected to pre-record your paper and upload the recording prior to Congress to the virtual event platform. Sessions will start with a brief live introduction by the panel chair, followed by the broadcast of the pre-recorded presentations, and end with a live Q & A discussion. Presenters will also be given the option of making their recordings accessible to the other conference participants to view on-demand prior to their live broadcast. Further details and instructions will be available closer to the conference, but don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions in the meantime.

We also encourage participants to think about different ways to present their research that take advantage of the virtual format of the conference. For example, a panel session in which a group of presenters make their research material available (e.g. written papers, PowerPoints, recordings, etc.) to the other conference participants on demand and engage in a live discussion/Q & A session; a virtual poster session; or a film showing followed by a panel discussion. We welcome other kinds of creative proposals that part from traditional academic formats and research methods.

The AASSC encourages participants to situate their proposals in relation to the overall theme – “Northern Relations” – as expressed by the Federation, in a Scandinavian/Nordic context. But, in order to address the important missed opportunity of last year’s congress theme (“Bridging Divides: Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism”), we also welcome panels dealing with this theme. However, papers / panels are NOT limited to these themes, and we welcome all contributions within Scandinavian Studies, including on Sami, Finnish, Greenlandic, Faroese, and Icelandic topics and more, as well as proposals for interdisciplinary colloquia or special sessions on the level of the overall Congress of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Let the AASSC Program Committee Chair know if you wish your panel to be a part of the overall Congress and/or an interdisciplinary session in collaboration with another scholarly association.

Deadline: The deadline for submission of proposals for panels/abstracts is January 15, 2021, through e-mail only. As announced in spring 2020, all acceptances from the cancelled 2020 meeting will be honoured for the 2021 meeting. Should presenters wish to deliver in 2021 papers accepted for 2020 presentation, they are invited to do so without further adjudication but are asked to signal their intentions to do so by January 15, 2021. If they would prefer to present a different paper, their submissions will be reviewed by the Program Committee together with all other new submissions.

Submissions should include the title of the paper, an abstract or summary of the proposed session (150–250 words), the author’s or authors’ name(s) and affiliation(s), a very brief bio or bios, and updated contact information. Please email your submission to the Chair of the AASSC Program Committee at: cwe1@hi.is

Time Differences: We are aware that differences in time zones will be a factor for conference participants this year, which will be taken into account as we develop our schedule. The programming of live events will mainly be developed around working hours in Middle and Western Canadian time zones. However, we are eager to accommodate those who wish to participate in the conference living in other time zones. In particular, presenters living in these other time zones will be given priority in timeslots that are most convenient for their participation.

Fees and Funding: By moving Congress online, many of the costs associated with an in-person event are avoidable. However, the move online also introduces many new expenses. As a result, the Virtual Congress registration fee will be offered at a roughly 25% decrease from the regular Congress fee. Although we can not offer specific details at the moment, the AASSC is optimistic that we will be able to reallocate some of the costs that we normally incur for catering and room rentals to support even more student and other underfunded presenters than usual with funding to offset their Virtual Congress registration fee. More information about this will be available in the Winter/Spring.

Please note that all presenters must be paid-up AASSC members by May 31, 2021. You can become a member or renew your membership through the association’s website at the following link: (https://www.aassc.com/membership). Presenters on joint panels with other organizations must be paid-up members of either the AASSC or the co-sponsoring organization.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any comments or questions you might have.

See you in online!

Christopher Crocker, University of Iceland

cwe1@hi.is

Congratulations to the Winners of the AASSC 2020 Publication Award

Amy Poole — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 13:48:22 GMT

The AASSC Executive Board would like to congratulate the 2020 winners of the AASSC Gurli Aagaard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award: Tukummeq Jensen Hansen for her paper on “Inuit Tattoos in Greenland Today: A Marker of Cultural Identity” and Iris Thatcher for her paper “From Economic Grievances to Cultural Cleavages: Exploring Reactionary Conservatism in Finland, Scandinavia and Europe.”

Listed below are biographies of the winners and their abstracts.

Tukummeq Jensen Hansen

About the Author

Tukummeq Jensen Hansen is a born and raised Nuuk with a strong interest in her cultural heritage and decolonization. She considers herself a part of the Indigenous community, believing it is important for the Indigenous youth to practice their cultural heritage, to heal from the colonial violence that has left many with identity crisis. In Greenland, the main problem has been the clash between the Greenlandic and Danish identity, which the author herself has experienced in her adolescence. After watching the documentary “Tunniit: Retracing the Lines of Inuit” she was determined to get her own Inuit tattoos, to proudly claim her Inuk identity. After getting her Inuit tattoos, Tukummeq began wondering whether or not other young Inuit got their Inuit tattoos for the same reason, and this is how her essay “Inuit Tattoos in Greenland Today: A Marker of Cultural Identity” became a research project for an exam paper that later became the essay it is today. She is currently studying at the University of Greenland, Ilisimatusarfik, where she just finished the second year of her bachelor and is about to start on her third and last year of her bachelor’s degree. This summer she participated in an archaeological field school that was situated in the capital of Nuuk, where the main focus of the excavation was about how the Moravians influenced the Inuit way of living around the beginning of the colonization of Greenland. She considers herself very lucky to have been able to participate in an archaeological excavation, considering the state of the world due to Covid-19.

Abstract: Inuit Tattoos in Greenland Today: A Marker of Cultural Identity

The essay “Inuit Tattoos in Greenland Today: A Marker of Cultural Identity,” written by Indigenous author Tukummeq J. Hansen, is about the young Inuit in Greenland who have chosen to get Inuit tattoos to claim the identity that has been taken away from the Inuit when the colonization by the Danish Rule took place around year 1721. For years, Greenland has been under Danish colonial rule, which has left the Indigenous People of Greenland with trauma that still haunts them today, both socially and psychologically. Many of the youths in Greenland, especially in Nuuk have been asking themselves the same question: Am I Greenlandic or Danish? The search for identity that has left many young Inuit angry and confused has been difficult to express, before now. Many young Inuit have chosen to use Inuit tattoos to heal and strengthen their cultural identity, proudly flaunting their beautiful markings on their hands and faces. This phenomenon has been seen in Indigenous communities around the world that have experienced similar colonial violence, which is also why the documentary Tunniit: Retracing the Line of Inuit Tattoos by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, is mentioned in the essay. After scouring through social media posts that focus on Inuit tattoos and speaking with both tattooed and non-tattooed Inuit, the essay “Inuit Tattoos in Greenland Today: A Marker of Cultural Identity” came to be.

Iris Thatcher

About the Author

Iris is from the greater Seattle area and has been surrounded by Nordic culture for all of her life. Her mom is from Finland, and she learned how to speak Finnish at a young age. With this strong connection to the Nordic region, she translated her personal interests to academic ones.

In 2019, she received her BA in Political Economy and Finnish Language with a minor in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Washington, Seattle. This allowed her to cultivate an academic niche, where she generally looked at European affairs, but with a Nordic emphasis. Throughout her time as an undergraduate, she delved into topics like Nordic innovation, culture, and European Union relations. In summer 2018, she studied abroad in Berlin, Germany and examined the rise of right-wing movements both in the U.S. and in Europe. This experience ultimately inspired her senior capstone, which won the Gurli Aagaard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award.

Following her graduation from the University of Washington, Iris has been working in the nonprofit sector in the Seattle area. Particularly, she has centered her attention on those organizations that have a global focus due to her abiding commitment to the Nordic region. In the fall, she will be attending Georgetown University to start her Master of Arts in German and European Studies at the Walsh School of Foreign Service. She is looking forward to furthering her Nordic focus and bettering her Finnish language comprehension while in DC.

Abstract: From Economic Grievances to Cultural Cleavages: Exploring Reactionary Conservatism in Finland, Scandinavia and Europe

Right-wing populism has become a defining concept of 21^st century Europe. With the 2010 Eurozone Crisis, 2015 Refugee Crisis, and the fallout from Brexit, many radical right-wing parties are calling for a transfer of power from European Union elites to the people. However, is the theoretical concept of populism specific enough to describe the rhetoric, sentiments, actions, and consequences of these contemporary movements?

This paper argues that an alternative theory should be used: reactionary conservatism. Drawing on Christopher Parker’s and Mark Barreto’s Change They Can’t Believe In, this paper elucidates the difference between populism and reactionary conservatism by using Finland as a case study. Specifically, it looks at Finland’s dominant right-wing party, the Perussuomalaiset or Finns Party (PS). The PS is typically overlooked due to its lack of outward xenophobia under the careful supervision of Timo Soini. Nonetheless, a strong radical faction of the PS has emerged, spearheaded by Jussi Halla-aho.

A fundamental shift can be seen in the party’s policy focus by comparing the transfer of leadership from the economically minded Timo Soini to the cultural preservationist Jussi Halla-aho. Issues like immigration, “Finnishness,” and cultural belonging to welfare are now emphasized in racially divided ways. As a result, this paper asserts that Soini embodies more traditional populist elements, whereas Halla-aho represents the reactionary conservative.

With the findings from this case study in Finland, a useful theoretical distinction can be made for future analyses of radical right-wing parties in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. Applying reactionary conservatism will be critical in understanding these parties’ goals, methods, and policy focuses and in predicting how these parties might respond to future political events.

Volume 27 of Scandinavian-Canadian Studies Now Available

Amy Poole — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 15:27:56 GMT

The most recent issue of Scandinavian-Canadian Studies, volume 27, is now available.

The volume begins with a translation of Jarlmanns saga og Hermanns introduced by Philip Lavender and translated by Philip Lavender, Alaric Hall, Garry Harrop, Védís Ragnheiðardóttir, and members of the Old Norse Reading Group organized through the University of Leeds. Volume 27 also contains an essay by Allison Wolf, the 2018 winner of the AASSC Gurli Aagaard Woods undergraduate student publication award, on Loki as a liminal figure; an article by John Lingard on Henning Mankell’s Den orolige mannen (2013) [The Troubled Man]; Juliane Egerer’s transcultural comparison of Maren Uthaug’s Og sådan blev det (2013) [And so it turned out] and Medicine Walk (2014) by Richard Wagamese; and sixteen book reviews.

Studentship in Norwegian Studies: UCL

Amy Poole — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 18:29:24 GMT

University College London (UCL) is currently offering studentship in Norwegian studies with a value of: £2,500 per annum for 2 years (for a part-time MA programme) or for 6 years (for a PhD programme) + salary remuneration associated to the provision of 160 contact hours in Norwegian language (Grade 6).

To be eligible for this studentship, you must hold an offer for either an MA or a PhD programme with UCL that includes a Norwegian component, and fluency in the Norwegian language is required.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, August 26, 2020. For more information, see the website below:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/news/2020/aug/studentship-norwegian-studies

Sincerely,

Amy Poole

Assistant Webmaster and Member-at-Large

Norwegian Studies Abroad: Call for Applications

Amy Poole — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 18:15:43 GMT

AASSC would like to bring to attention that The Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) is welcoming applications for grants to activities (conferences, seminars, student excursions, guests lecturers etc.) at universities outside of Norway that are offering courses in Norwegian language and literature.

For more information, including detailed and updated guidelines and the link to the online application form, please see the website below:
https://diku.no/programmer/norgeskunnskap-i-utlandet-arrangementsstoette
The application deadline is 15 September 2020. Applications must be submitted through “Espresso”.

Warm Regards,

Amy Poole

Assistant Webmaster and Member-at-Large

Cancellation - AASSC 2020 Meeting

Natalie Van Deusen — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:07:26 GMT

After reviewing the Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences’ plan to facilitate a virtual Congress in place of the in-person meeting scheduled for June 2020, the AASSC executive has decided against holding our annual conference virtually this year. Some of the reasons guiding the executive’s decision include:

The already increased workload for many of us now adapting to online teaching for the current and forthcoming semesters.
Other increased, variable, or still uncertain responsibilities both inside and outside of work due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The lack of sufficient time to account for, confidently plan, and convert the annual meeting to a virtual format (though, we will begin to considering virtual options for those unable to physically come to Congress but wanting to participate in future meetings).

While the executive regrets that we will not be able to share our research this year as we have done and much enjoyed over the past 38 years, we feel that in the current situation it is best to forgo our conference altogether this year and to plan to meet each other again to share our research next year at Congress 2021 in Edmonton.

Deferred acceptance and CV lines

We, of course, appreciate the time and effort you put into your submissions for this year’s meeting and would like to offer all presenters the option of a deferred acceptance to our meeting at Congress 2021 in Edmonton. There is, however, no need to confirm your participation now. I will offer a reminder of this to each of you when the call for papers for next year’s meeting is sent out in the autumn. In the interim, if you should choose to do so, we encourage you (particularly graduate students and early career researchers) to add or retain a line in your CV acknowledging that your proposal to present your research at this year’s AASSC meeting was successful and did not go ahead as planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cancellations and Congress registration reimbursement

If you have not already done so, please cancel any booked flights and accommodations you have made to travel to London, ON. We are currently uncertain and are awaiting further information from the Congress committee whether your registration fees will be automatically reimbursed or whether registrants should individually cancel their participation. This might be more complicated if registrants registered for several association meetings, so bear with us till the Federation gives clear advice, which might take a few weeks. The Federation has said that the refund deadline has been extended to April 30, 2020 and that they are waiving the $25 administration fee. Thus, in any case you will be reimbursed for your congress registration fees.

AGM

We still anticipate holding our AGM some time during the year in a virtual format, though we cannot provide confirmation or specific details about that meeting at the moment. We will be in touch with the AASSC membership after we’ve examined our options for the AGM over the coming weeks.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions you might have. In the meantime, we want to thank you for your patience and understanding during this uncertain time and wish you all a safe and healthy spring.

All the best,

Chris Crocker

cwe1@hi.is

Publication Awards

Natalie Van Deusen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 16:32:02 GMT

For those of you who are teaching Scandinavian Studies this semester—keep an eye out for quality student work. If you have a student who has submitted or may still submit an excellent paper in 2019, please consider nominating it for one of the two AASSC Publication Awards by the January 15, 2020 deadline!

(1) The AASSC Gurli Aagaard Woods Undergraduate Publication Award for the best essay written for an undergraduate course relating to Scandinavia.

(2) The AASSC Marna Feldt Graduate Publication Award for the best essay written for a graduate course relating to Scandinavia.

The award-winning essays will be published in Scandinavian-Canadian Studies/Études scandinaves au Canada.

Instructors who teach Scandinavian-content courses are invited to nominate one essay per year for consideration by the prize jury.

Papers written and submitted to their instructors in the year 2019 are eligible for nomination. The deadline for nominations and submissions for the award is January 15, 2020.

Scottish Society for Northern Studies

Natalie Van Deusen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 18:31:48 GMT

The Scottish Society for Northern Studies, our sister organization in the UK, has a new website and new options for membership! Please consider joining and encouraging your institutional libraries to subscribe to their annual journal.

CINS Graduate Scholarships - DEADLINE EXTENDED

Natalie Van Deusen — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 15:27:28 GMT

The application deadline for the Canadian Initiative for Nordic Studies MA and PhD scholarships has been extended to November 12. Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found here:

http://cins.artsrn.ualberta.ca/

Chris Hale Remembered

Natalie Van Deusen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:39:36 GMT

The late Professor Christopher Hale, who passed away in July 2019, was born in 1942 in Michigan. He was educated at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he received a BA in 1964. He then went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where he received his MA in 1967 and his PhD in 1972 in Germanic Languages (specializing primarily in Norwegian and Icelandic philology). He came to the University of Alberta in 1970 as Assistant Professor in Scandinavian Studies in the Department of Germanic Languages, where he taught a variety of courses in Scandinavian language, literature, and culture. Chris retired from the University of Alberta in 2012, and had a post-retirement appointment until 2014.

Chris’s academic research centered on Norwegian language and Scandinavian philology, literature, and culture. His publications ranged from Norwegian and Icelandic naming traditions to Scandinavian immigration to Canada to the works of Aksel Sandelmose. He was a founding member and first president of the Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (est. 1982), and was a long-standing member of the Canadian Institute for Nordic Studies.

Chris’s tireless efforts to promote Scandinavian language and culture in Canada were recognized formally in 2008, when the King of Norway named Chris an Officer of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for his contributions to the advancement of knowledge about Norwegian language and culture in Canada.

Above all, Chris loved teaching, and was beloved by his students. The announcement of his passing was met with an outpouring of messages the many undergraduate and graduate students Chris taught during the course of his long career, which emphasize the deep impact Chris made on their experience at the University of Alberta.

In memory of Chris, and in recognition of his many contributions to the society, a conference paper that corresponds with Chris’ research interests will be selected annually by the Program Committee and introduced during the conference as the Honorary Chris Hale Paper, beginning in 2020.

Joan Magee Remembered

Natalie Van Deusen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 15:15:25 GMT

Joan Una Magee passed away on August 6, 2018 at the age of 90 years. Joan was one of the distinguished group that founded the AASSC and maintained her passion for the organization throughout her academic career. She was awarded Life Time Membership by the AASSC in 2005. Joan earned Master of Library Science Degree and worked as Children’s Librarian at Willistead Public Library and later as Head of the Reference Department at the University of Windsor Library. She also taught Scandinavian Studies at the University of Windsor and engaged and supported many students and faculty colleagues into the significance of Scandinavian and Netherlandic Studies in their careers.

Joan has written several books relating to emigration to Canada. (Including those by Dundurn Press: Industry in the Wilderness, A Scandinavian Heritage, The Loyalist Mosaic, The Belgians in Ontario.) In 1992 she was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 125^th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation and in 1993 she was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Netherlands.

Beloved by the AASSC, we are saddened by her loss, but maintain our work on the shoulders of her enthusiasm and dedication.

(written by Susan Gold Smith)

Agenda and Minutes for AASSC AGM

Natalie Van Deusen — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 15:20:39 GMT

The AASSC / AAÉSC Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, 12:00p - 2:00p, in CHOI 120. The agenda and the minutes from last year's AGM can be accessed below. All members are welcome to attend.

AGM Agenda - 2019.pdf

AASSC AGM Minutes Regina 2018.pdf

Scandinavian Translators’ Networks - roundtable and panel at Congress 2019

Natalie Van Deusen — Tue, 21 May 2019 20:28:49 GMT

I would like to draw your attention to a public roundtable and networking reception at this year’s Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver on 4 June 2019. This should be of interest to members of your faculty, especially students who may be considering a career in translation.

Chairs on Chairs: A Guide to Scandinavian Literary Translators’ Networks will feature representatives from DELT, SELTA and STiNA discussing the role played by translator networks in promoting Scandinavian literary culture in English, and more generally the current state of Scandinavian literature in translation. This roundtable session will be directly followed by a networking reception. Both elements are open to the public and you are very welcome!

The event is kindly supported by the Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC), the Danish Arts Foundation and the Swedish Arts Council.

Full details, including timings, venue and participants, are available here: https://danishtranslation.org/news/delt-vancouver

Program for 2019 AASSC Conference - UBC

Natalie Van Deusen — Sun, 05 May 2019 20:16:51 GMT

The program for the thirty-eighth annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC), which will be held at the University of British Columbia from Monday, June 3– Thursday, June 6, 2019 in conjunction with the meetings of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences / Fédération Canadienne des Sciences Humaines, is now available and can be downloaded here:

2019 AASSC Final Program.pdf

AASSC Slate for 2019 Election (2019-2021)

Natalie Van Deusen — Wed, 01 May 2019 13:12:17 GMT

AASSC Slate for the 2019 election (2019-2021)

The following AASSC members have agreed to let their names stand for the indicated Executive Board positions:

President – Natalie Van Deusen (University of Alberta)

Vice-President and Programming Chair – Christopher Crocker (University of Iceland)

Treasurer - John T. Nilson (Regina, Saskatchewan – retired)

Secretary – Matthew Etherington (Trinity Western University)

AASSC Webmaster and Newsletter Editor – Laurie Prange (Capilano University)

Members at Large (2 positions) – Christine Ekholst (Uppsala University) and Amy Poole (Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario)

Continuing Executive Board positions:

Editor, Scandinavian-Canadian Studies – Helga Thorson (University of Victoria)

Past President – Ingrid Urberg (University of Alberta, Augustana Campus)

Please note: Nominations will also be accepted from the floor during our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at the University of British Columbia-Vancouver.

Respectfully submitted,

Ingrid Urberg, Chair, Susan Gold/Smith and Birgitta Wallace – 2019 AASSC Nominating Committee

Registration for Congress 2019 is open!

Natalie Van Deusen — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 18:06:41 GMT

Details about the AASSC banquet will be forthcoming closer to the conference date.