This course provides an introduction to key turning points in Swedish history and politics. Sweden’s political history is examined and problematised using examples from different periods and placing them in the wider context of Swedish history. This includes the Viking and Great Power eras, the fate of Sweden's indigenous people, the Sami, interwar social engineering and the many challenges that face a small Nordic country in a globalised world..

Course design

The course is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, but may also take place outside the university, e.g. at a museum. Examination is conducted through active participation in seminars, written assignments and a take-home written examination.