Circumpolar RegionGlobal Insight

The fourth annual Gustavus Global Insight program will highlight the Circumpolar Region throughout the 2011-2012 academic year. As a campus-wide initiative the Global Insight program is designed to increase cultural and international awareness. In the spirit of the liberal arts tradition, this interdisciplinary program will include class time and course offerings dedicated to the featured region, special presentations, lectures, and panel discussions by members of the Gustavus community and invited guests, fine arts events, and service-learning opportunities. The Circumpolar Region—Alaska, Northern Canada, Russia, Finland, Greenland, Norway, and Sweden—will be considered from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Topics addressed will range from issues of sustainability and climate change, indigenous peoples, education, business and trade, food, to literature, languages, film and the visual arts.

2010-2011 Global Insight Program: The Circumpolar Region Schedule

September - Introduction To Global Insight Circumpolar Region

October: Northern Norway

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 10/17 through Friday, 10/21
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 10/19, 7:00 pm., Confer 128: Insomnia [Norway] (introduced by Assistant Professor Kristian Braekkan, Department of Economics & Management)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 10/27, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: “From Herring to Oil: Economic Development in Northern Norway,” Assistant Professor Kristian Braekkan, Department of Economics & Management
  • Other events:
    • Wednesday, 10/12, 7:00 p.m., Olin 103: "Public Health Issues in Norway,” Kari Glavin, Associate Professor of Nursing Diakonova University College and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (Oslo, Norway), and "Public Health at the Top of the World," Doreen Leavitt, RN (Barrow, Alaska)
    • Friday, 10/21, 7:00 p.m., Melva Lind Interpretive Center: “In Cod We Trust: In Search of the Norwegian Dream,” Eric Dregni, author of In Cod We Trust and Vikings in the Attic

November - Northern Canada

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 11/14 through Friday, 11/18
  • Film series: Wednesday, 11/2, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat) [Canada] (introduced by Assistant Professor Seán Easton, Department of Classics & Peace Studies Program)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 11/17, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: “The Geology of the Canadian Arctic: 4.1 Billion Years in 45 Minutes,” Associate Professor Julie Bartley, Department of Geology, and Assistant Professor Laura Triplett, Departments of Geology and Environmental Studies
  • Other events:
    Tuesday, 11/8, 7:30 p.m., Olin 103: “Sounds of the Aurora and Other Persistent Mysteries,” Professor Dirk Lummerzheim, University of Alaska at Fairbanks

December - Northern Finland

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 12/12 through Friday, 12/16
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 12/7, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: The Lovers of the Arctic Circle (Los amantes del círculo polar) [Spain] (introduced by Assistant Professor Ana Adams, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Spanish)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 12/8, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: “Languages and Cultures Across the Finland-Sweden Border,” Assistant Professor Kjerstin Moody, Department of Scandinavian Studies
  • Other events:
  • Assistant Professor Kristian Braekkan’s International Management students’ final projects focus on international management in Alaska, Northern Russia, Northern Sweden, and Greenland. They will present their work in 301 Beck Hall on Tuesday, December 13 (1:30-2:20 p.m.), and Wednesday, December 14 (1:30-2:20 p.m.). All are welcome to attend.

Day-long Fall Semester Event “Indigenous Peoples and Cultures in the Circumpolar Region”

  • Thursday, 12/1, 4:00 p.m., Beck 101: "Education Practices and Methods in the Arctic: Indigenous Peoples and Cultures in the Circumpolar Region" Steve Culbertson, Public Relations Director for the North Slope Borough School District, Inupiak Community Liaison; Vanni Prichard, Chief Officer of Operations, North Slope Borough School District (Barrow, Alaska); Elizabeth J. Sandell, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Troy Storfjell, Associate Professor of Norwegian and Scandinavian Studies, Pacific Lutheran University, and Guest Researcher at the University of Tromsø, Norway
  • Thursday, 12/1, 7:00 p.m., Beck 101: "The Thief and the Storyteller: Sámi Knowledge in the 21st Century," Troy Storfjell, Associate Professor of Norwegian and Scandinavian Studies, Pacific Lutheran University, and Guest Researcher at the University of Tromsø, Norway

Throughout Fall Semester

  • First-term Seminar course “Nordic Exploration,” taught by Assistant Professor Glenn Kranking, Department of History & Department of Scandinavian Studies

January - SAPMI

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 1/23 through Friday, 11/27
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 1/11, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: Kautokeino Rebellion (Guovdageainnu Stuimmit/Kautokeino-opprøret) [Norway] (introduced by Visiting Professor Hanna Outakoski, Umeå University)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 1/19, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: “The Sami in the Past and Today,” Visiting Professor Hanna Outakoski, Umeå University

Throughout January Term

  • IEX course “Winter World; Frozen Natural History,” taught by Visiting Assistant Professor Shawn Dash, Department of Biology
  • IEX course “The Sami People,” taught by Visiting Professor Hanna Outakoski, Umeå University

February - Alaska

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 2/20 through Friday, 2/24
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 2/8, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: Extreme Ice [USA] (introduced by Assistant Professor Joel Carlin, Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 2/23, 4:00 p.m.: Confer 127: "Life Above and Below the Ice: Evolution and Conservation in Arctic Alaska," Assistant Professor Joel Carlin, Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies

March - Greenland

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 3/19 through Friday, 3/23
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 3/7, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: Heart of Light (Qaamarngup uummataa) [Greenland/Denmark] (introduced by Assistant Professor Helena Karlsson, Department of Scandinavian Studies)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 3/29, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: "In the Wake of the Vikings," Edi Thorstensson, Folke Bernadotte Library
  • Other events:
    Thursday, 3/15, 7:00 p.m., Beck 101: “The Arctic as a Canary in the Coal Mine: Circumpolar Change in a Warming World,” Jason Smerdon, Storke-Doherty Lecturer, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University

April - Northern Russia

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 4/16 through Friday, 4/20
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 4/11, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: We Were All Going to be Queens (Todas íbamos a ser reinas) [Cuba] (introduced by Assistant Professor Angelique Dwyer, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Spanish & LALACS)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 4/26, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: "The Spirits of the North: Native and Borrowed Spirituality in the Russian Northlands," Professor Denis Crnkovic, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures & Director of Russian & Eastern European Studies
  • Other events:
    Friday, 4/13, 4:00 p.m., International Center Kitchen, Pisanki! Easter Egg Decorating with the Russian Club
    Tuesday, 4/17, 6:00 p.m., Melva Lind Interpretive Center, Reception for Dobro Slovo
    Wednesday, 4/25, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: The Return (Vozvrashchenie) [Russia] (introduced by Professor Denis Crnkovic, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures & Director of Russian & Eastern European Studies)

May - Northern Sweden

  • Cuisine of region featured in the Marketplace:
    Monday, 5/14 through Friday, 5/18
  • Film series:
    Wednesday, 5/9, 7:00 p.m., Confer 128: The Hunters (Jägarna) [Sweden] (introduced by Assistant Professor Helena Karlsson, Department of Scandinavian Studies)
  • On-campus lecture series:
    Thursday, 5/3, 4:00 p.m., Confer 127: "Gustavus Semester in Sweden," Reflections of Gustavus students who were on the program in spring 2011
  • Other events:
    Thursday, 5/10, 4:00 p.m., Confer 128: "Margin as Meeting Place: Arctic Imaginary and Polar Reality in Northern Sweden," Assistant Professor Suzanne Martin, Mankato State University

Day-long Spring Semester Event “Sustainability and Economics in the Circumpolar Region”

  • Thursday, 4/19, 3:00 p.m., Confer 128: “Sustainability and Economics in the Circumpolar Region," Associate Professor Nicholas Breyfogle, Department of History, The Ohio State University, and Assistant Professor Jeffrey Owen, Departments of Economics and Management and Environmental Studies, Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Thursday, 4/19, 7:00 p.m., Beck 101: “Russia and the Race for the Arctic,” Associate Professor Nicholas Breyfogle, Department of History, The Ohio State University

Throughout Spring Semester

  • Special topics course “Picturing the North,” taught by Assistant Professor Kjerstin Moody, Department Scandinavian Studies

Global Insight Circumpolar Region Steering Committee: Helena Karlsson & Kjerstin Moody (co-chairs), Kristian Braekkan, Joel Carlin, Denis Crnkovic, Glenn Kranking, Deb Pitton