This programme, "Challenges of Contemporary Society" is carefully designed to welcome international students to spend one semester at Hedmark University College, and to receive a full academic programme in English. The programme offers a unique combination of cultural and political investigations into core aspects of civic, economic and politic life. The programme originated as part of the tri-partite agreement between Pacific Lutheran University, Washington State, US, University of Namibia and Hedmark University College in 2002. Students from the three academic institutions should be given the chance to meet and study core questions of to day in an intimate and academically productive atmosphere. The programme is designed to meet the requirements for an international exchange semester in most universities.

experience and resolve situations of cross cultural problem solving and communication. In addition they will gain insight in the academic topics that the programme is focussing. 7.

7. Information Competence

The programme is based on an intense use of internet sources of information. The students will be expected to develop a good competence in using and evaluating different internet sources. The programme is also based on competence in supplementary use of information technology in the submission of written material and in oral presentations. The programme use Class Fronter as a digital learning platform.

8. Content, structure and organisation

The programme consists of three separate modules. All modules represent 10 ECTS.

Module 1 2SKU01 The Norwegian Welfare State; Historic Development and Contemporary Challenges Week 2 – 5 of study programme

Module 2 2SKU02 Democracy and Development Week 6 – 15 of study programme

Module 3 2SKU03 Conflict Management and field study Week 6 -15 of study programme

Internationalisation The programme is based on student body that is composed of international and Norwegian students working together throughout the programme. The core of the programme is thus to prepare the participants to be active partners in an internationalised world and to build relations across national boundaries and the continents.
 

Methods of work The methods of study will vary between lectures, seminars, individual guidance and work in groups. Information technology is integrated in most parts of the programme. Classfronter - a digital learning platform is used as a tool of communication between the college and the students.

Evaluation The students are challenged to demonstrate their academic qualifications and topical knowledge through a variety of tasks. They will be asked to produce written reports, essays, oral presentations, home exams and oral exams. 3

Code: S2SKU 01

The Norwegian Welfare State; Historic Development and Contemporary Challenges ECTS: 10

Semester: Autumn
Language: English

Goal After having completed this module, the students should have a basic understanding of the historic development of modern Norway, the growth and structure of the Norwegian/Nordic welfare state and the concurrent structural political debate of and changes to this model. "Case Norway" will act as a common point of reference throughout the programme when discussing various challenges of contemporary societies.

Content The first half of this module focuses on the relation between Norway’s history and the development of the nation’s political answers to historic and present challenges. The Constitution of 1814 and its ideological references, the political situation giving establishing parliamentarism in 1884 and the peaceful establishment of the sovereign Kingdom of Norway will be presented. The political and economic challenges of the last century will be introduced and discussed. The students will be familiarised with the structural and ideological frame work of the Norwegian/ Scandinavian Welfare model and how this is challenged and altered through both internal and external forces today. The second half of the module introduces and focuses International Politics and Norway’s approach political activities in international. Students should become familiar with core concepts and theories of international politics and use this in their studies of one or more relevant case studies. All through the module the students are challenged to reflect on and compare and contrast the knowledge they gain of Norway with that of their home/original country.

Learning Methods This module works through traditional lectures and seminars with high level of student participation. A five days excursion in mid Norway anchors the theoretical knowledge to experiential knowledge.

Attendance The module expects all students to participate in all activities.

Assignments The students will have to answer a selected set of questions on "Case Norway" including a request for a comparative reflection on one theme selected by the student. The excursion will be documented through oral group presentation on one or more aspects covered through the excursion. A four hours written exam will conclude the module.

Evaluation Assignment 1 25%, Oral presentation from field trip 25% Written exam 50% 4

Responsible academic unit: Social Science, LUNA

Curriculum Danielsen et al, (1994) Norway: A history from the Vikings to Our Own Times Scandinavian University Press (chpt 22 – 27 100 p) Einhorn, ES and Logue, J (2003) Modern welfare states Scandinavian politics and the policy in global age (London) Praeger Publishers (part 1 and 2, (140p)) Halvorsen, K, Stjernø, S, (2008) Work Oil and Welfare. The welfare state in Norway Oslo; Universitetsforlaget (160p)

Norwegian Government Official Web (2006) The Morarchy, Government and Political System http://www.odin.dep.no/odin/engelsk/norway/system/index-b-n-a.html(150p) Høgnes, G, 2002 Norway: From Solidarity to fragmentation Oslo Dept of Sociology, UiO, Peterson, O, 1994: "The beginning of things" in: The Government and politics of Nordic Countries Stockholm: Publica Chpt 1-3 80 pg Riste, Olav, 2001 Norways Foreign Relations - - a History, Oslo Universtetsforlaget (Chpt 11 and 12, pp 269 – 32, (55p)) Supplementary material will be handed out in class and published on fronter. 5

Code: S2SKU 02

Challenges of Contemporary Society Democracy and Development ECTS: 10

Semester: Autumn
Language: English

Goal The students should develop their capacity to understand and discuss challenges connected to the operation of democracy and development in contemporary societies. They should be able to demonstrate familiarity with key concepts and theories of democracy and development. They should also develop their capacity to recognize and understand the interconnection between ideology, theory and operational society and between action, myths and facts.

Content Through this module the students are introduced to a selection of theories and concepts that contribute to their understanding democracy, democratic institutions and their variations. They will also be introduced to and discuss theories of development. Relevant aspects of Norwegian society are used as examples and to give a common frame of reference to all students. This common focus opens for an active cross cultural investigation, as students will be requested to compare and contrast the Norwegian examples with those of the countries represented in the programme. Core questions that will be introduced are: What does "democracy" mean? What does "development" mean? Can any nation or political system claim to present the correct interpretation of democracy? Is economic development a basic prerequisite for the development of democratic institutions? Who is right and who is wrong in a situation where opposite interpretations give rise to conflicts? Who has the power to be right? Why do we interpret the particular situation the way we do?

Learning methods The module is taught through lectures, seminars and shorter excursions. The lecturing methods are based on a high level of student participation. Case studies will used to focus contemporary challenges of society throughout the module. The formal programme also involves some interaction with representatives from relevant private and public bodies. Some seminars might be run with students from other programmes. Topics for discussion online will be made available for groups to comment on via Class Fronter.

Entrance qualifications Students must have completed a minimum of one year of studies with a relevant academic profile at a recognised academic institution.

Attendance Students are expected to play an active role in the programme throughout the module. For a successful completion of the module, they must attend no less than 80% of the classes.

Assignments The students have to document the achievement of the course requirements through the combination of a case study and an individual oral exam. 6

Evaluation An oral individual exam constitutes 40% and a written presentation of a case study 60% of the grade.

Responsible academic unit Social Science, LUNA

Curriculum Dahl, RA (2000): On democracy, New Haven & London; Yale University Press, (150p) Newton, K. and Van Deth, J.W (2005) Foundations of Comparative Politics Democracies in the Modern World Cambridge; Cambridge University Press (Part I hpt 1,2, Part IIchpt 3,4,5, Part III chpt 11,12, IV chpt 13,14 (180p)) Held, David (2002) "Democracy and the Global Order" London: Polity, chpt 1 (20p) Willis, K (2005) Theories and Practices of Development London, Routledge (209p) Eriksen, TL, (2006) Globalisation: Controversies and debates Oslo: SEFIA/HiO Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development; Updated links to relevant policy section. Ca 100 p The constitutions of the participating nations in the programme (50-100p)

Hungary http://www.lectlaw.com/files/int05.htm

Namibia http://www.orusovo.com/namcon/

Norway http://www.stortinget.no/english/constitution.html

Tanzania http://www.scribd.com/doc/18309/THE-CONSTITUTION-OF-THE-UNITED-REPUBLIC-OF-TANZANIA

Contemporary challenges represented through a case study Approximately 100 p related to case study selected by the individual student.

Code: S2SKU 03

Challenges of Contemporary Society Conflict Management and Field Study ECTS: 10
Semester: Autumn
Language: English

Goal Through participating in this module, the students should gain a tentative understanding of how and why conflicts are part of contemporary society. They should also develop a critical and analytical approach to how and why conflicts are maintained, and be able to identify some core relations between the way a conflict is understood and the way it is mediated and sought resolved.

Content The students will be introduced to a selection of theories of reconciliation, peace building and conflict mediation Emphasis will also be placed on giving the students insight in how our approach to and understanding of a conflict influence our analysis of and eventual methods of mediating the conflict. Emphasis will be placed on working through relevant case studies, and give the students first hand insight into the Norwegian tradition of working with conflicts both within the Norwegian Society and internationally. The students will be introduced to the ideas behind and the practical operation of the Mediation and Reconciliation Service. They will also work with the approach and praxis of the official Norway as well as the work done by NGOs such as "The Dialogue Project" and the Nansen Network. The role of the media will be discussed.

Field study In the second half of the semester, students will be offered a field study period. The field study is supervised and arranged to supplement the students’ theoretical understanding of their host community and to match their academic field of interest. The field study equivalents ten working days and run parallel with lectures and will be regularly debriefed in weekly seminars. Advanced students can substitute the field study with theoretical studies in agreement with their tutor and home academic institution. The field study will be reported back in accordance with a pre designed report guide.

Structure and Study Methods The students will participate in seminars and smaller workshops. In addition they will receive ordinary lectures introducing core academic theories and concepts. Through their individual work, they will work closely with their supervisor. Topics and cases for discussion will be made available on Class Fronter.

Entrance qualifications Students should be 2nd or 3rd years student and be able to document previous political or social science studies from a recognised academic institution.

Participation and assignments The students will have to participate in 80% of the seminars and to give an oral group presentation of a given case. A researched essay designed in agreement with a member of faculty 8

Evaluation Report from field study or field research essay 49% Four hours written exam 51%%

Academic responsible unit Social Science, LUNA

Litterature Ho-Won Jeong: Peacebuilding in Postconflict Societies: Strategy and Process (chapters: 2-6) p. 19-186, London: Lynne Rienner Publishers. 167 pages. Siri Gloppen: Roads to Reconciliation: A Conceptual Framework in Skaar, Gloppen, Suhrke (eds): Roads to Reconciliation (2005) p. 17-50. Lanham: Lexington Books. 33 pages. Erik Cleven: Between Stories and Faces: Facilitating dialogue through narratives and relationship building in Heidrun Sørlie Røhr: Dialog - mer enn ord (2005) Nansenskolen p. 35-49. 14 pages.

Smith, Dan (2004) Trends and Causes of Armed Conflict, Alex Austin, Martina Fisher and Norbert Ropers (eds) Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict: the Berghof Handbook, Wiesbaden, p. 1-14. Available on the net here. 14 pages. Hareide, Dag (2006) Conflict Mediation A Nordic Perspective København/Oslo: Nordic Forum for Mediation and Conflict Management (150p) Updated articles approx 100 p Student selected relevant to field research study/field study approx 200 p 9

APPENDIX 1

GRADING SYSTEM

Hedmark University College uses the ECTS credit system with letters A-F. The grades have been translated into English by the University of Oslo, and are presented below.