Introduction to Swedish Culture and Society

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• explain the complexity of cultures and their development as the result of internal dynamics and external influences
• explain and make basic analyses of the construction of identities
• discuss historical and contemporary intercultural and multicultural trends and developments in Swedish society.

The main emphasis in the course is on the factors and processes that have been important for the development of Swedish culture and society over the last two hundred years. Key concepts such as culture and society are explained in relation to internal dynamics and external influences. An important part of the course deals with how cultures are created or constructed through discourses and different praxis, for example the issue of multiculturalism in relation to immigration and integration policies in Sweden.

Assessment is based on active participation in seminars and written assignments.

The forms of study are lectures and obligatory seminars. The language of instruction is English.

The Swedish grades U–VG.

Replaces HI1004.