Global Cultures: ICELAND--The Social Origins of Happiness
- SOC/ANTHRO 35 (3 credit hours)
- Cross listed as Political Science elective and Honors elective
- May 19th to 29th, 2023 (May 19th PM departure from New York)
Iceland consistently ranks among the happiest places on Earth. Along with the other Nordic countries, Iceland tops lists for standard of living, life expectancy, social cohesion, and political freedom and equality. And when asked about their lives, Nordic people report being very happy. What's so great about this part of the world? This course uses Iceland as a case study to explore sociological questions of well-being and happiness in a Nordic and international context. How do social scientists measure happiness, and why do Nordic countries like Iceland rank so highly? How do Icelanders culturally understand happiness and the “good life,” both in terms of private lives and public welfare? To what extent does the “Nordic Model” of economic and social governance offer lessons for the rest of the world? We'll have 24 hours of daylight on our trip--no nightime darkness in Iceland in late May--so we'll have ample opportunities to consider these questions.
A range experiences in Reykjavik and the surrounding areas will introduce students to Icelandic history and culture and to the features of Icelandic society commonly linked to measures of well-being. The course will include first hand experiences with Icelandic sociologists and political scientists, government officials, as well as service providers from education and heath care agencies. Several events will be held at the University of Iceland. In other cases, we'll do on-site visits to agencies, organizations, and museums. Some specific things on our schedule will include:
- A Visit to the National Museum of Iceland and Þingvellir National Park (the centuries-old site of Icelandic democracy).
- Talks by the University of Iceland sociologists and political scientists on topics including income inequality in Iceland, the Icelandic healthcare system, the Icelandic political system, and the great Icelandic banking collapse of 2008.
- Visits to mental health care agencies, a muslim immigration organization, and a gender-equality-themed kindergarten.
Excursions outside Reykjavik will take students through breathtaking landscapes of geysers, volcanoes, waterfalls, glaciers, and mountain rimmed valleys. We'll take two organized all day tours of natural and historic attractions: the Golden Circle Tour and the South Coast and Waterfalls Tour. Students will also have free time to experience Reykjavik area attractions of their choosing. A Reykjavik City Card offers three days of free admission to museums, galleries, all pools and city buses, and discounts at many other sites and shops.
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