Denmark: Home of the Danish
(Not Just the Breakfast Pastry Sort)

Summer 2010: July 19 to August 6 (tentative dates)

Program Location

Denmark, a tiny Scandinavian country located on a peninsula north of Germany, is known historically as the land of the Vikings. Small in size but big in spirit, modern-day Denmark offers rich opportunities for students aiming to understand what makes the “happiest people in the world” tick. The 2007 survey that found the Danes to be the healthiest and most content group drew unprecedented attention to this country most often associated with Shakespeare’s fictional but famously moody prince, Hamlet. Denmark attracted recent notoriety with the 2005 publication of comics depicting Muhammad in the newspaper Jyllands Posten, which sparked violence in the Muslim world. The Danes have a long history as independent spirits who resist attempts at censorship or oppression, most notably during the Nazi occupation of World War II.

Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen—a beautiful, vibrant city located on an island adjacent to the Jutland peninsula—is globally recognized for its cleanliness and safety. The growing metropolis is famous for its architectural richness, trendy fashion and design, and active lifestyle with residents who ride their bikes to work and school year-round. The popularity of bicycle riding is just one dimension of Denmark’s forward-thinking sustainability efforts. Wind turbines dot the seascape and countryside, generating a significant portion of the country’s power (more than any other country in the world). And recycling efforts rank Denmark in the top echelon of environmentally sound countries.

Home base for the program will be Copenhagen, which students will first become acquainted with on a bicycle tour of the city. Mini-excursions will include trips by ferry to the mainland peninsula, a weekend trip to Sweden, and a trip south to Hamburg, Germany.

Academic Program

With an eye to understanding Danish culture, history, and influence, Great Danes (GHUM 200) will study Danish writers, artists, historical figures, and literary characters. Proposed texts include Beowulf, Norse myths, Hamlet, the Hans Christian Andersen oeuvre (“The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Ugly Ducking,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Princess and the Pea,” etc.), a selection by philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa, Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars, and the Jyllands-Posten controversial comics and related news stories/commentary. (Taught by Karen McDonnell, pending course approval)

Focusing on travel writing, The Rhetoric and Practice of the Personal Narrative (WRTC 325) will give students the opportunity to develop their authorial voice. Students will learn to use writing to think more deeply about their experiences, to unpack characteristics of culture and place, to engage readers in their experiences abroad, and to cultivate rhetorical savvy. In addition to developing a final portfolio, students will study various subgenres of the personal narrative through extensive readings and experimentation. (Taught by Laura Schubert, pending course approval)

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, journal assignment and/or papers.

Tentative course offerings:
GHUM 200: Great Danes, 3 credits
WRTC 325: The Rhetoric and Practice of the Personal Narrative, 3 credits

Accommodations

Students will reside in hotels, hostels, and residence halls in Copenhagen. Group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students will meet with the program directors for a personal interview. Applicants must have a 2.5 minimum GPA within their major field of study.

For More Information

For additional information about the Denmark program, please contact the program directors:

Karen McDonnell
Instructor
School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication
Tel.: 540-568-7941
E-mail: mcdonnkm@jmu.edu

Laura Schubert
Instructor
School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication
Tel.: 540-568-2335
E-mail: schubelk@jmu.edu