Sweden Field School: Conversations with the Sami on Revitalizing Indigenous Lands and Cultures

The Sweden Field School will bring 10 U of G students (a mixture of Indigenous and non-Indigenous) and a local elder to Sweden so we can learn about cultural revitalization and land based practices with the Sámi, an indigenous people who traditionally inhabit parts of Scandinavia and Russia.  (See more information on the Sami in Sweden.)  The Guelph group will also share information with the Sámi about Indigenous issues in Canada including land-based work, the experiences of recovering Indigenous identity and culture, and bringing Indigenous knowledge into the universities.  The U of G group will visit various Sami organizations and some Swedish universities that are involved in research with Sámi people.  Additionally, the group will travel to northern Sweden to visit with people working in Sámi culture, education, art and reindeer herding.

See the tentative course outline at the bottom of this page.

Information Session

Monday, November 6, 2023
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Indigenous Student Centre -  Federal Building at 620 Gordon Street

Come in person, or follow the presentation virtually on Teams.
Click here to join the meeting

Field School Details

• Instructor: Dr. Kim Anderson, Family Relations & Applied Nutrition.  Dr. Anderson is an Indigenous (Metis) professor who does research on Indigenous relationships, land-based learning and Indigenous women and gender.

• Offered: Summer 2024 (previously offered in S22, S23)

• Prerequisite: 7.5 credits or permission of the instructor, 68% cumulative average,

• If you have any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Anderson or Allison Broadbent, Study Abroad Manager.

Program Dates (tentative)

• Three classes on U of G campus pre-departure in early May

• approx. 2.5 weeks in Sweden in May

Course 

Students will be registered in 1.0 credits at the third-year level. 

Costs

Students should budget for the following:

• Round-trip airfare to Sweden: estimated $1800
• Tuition at the University of Guelph for 1.0 credits
• The Sweden Field School fee: approximately $2700 which covers the following in Sweden - accommodations, a few meals, all transportation in-country, admission fees for venues. This amount is subject to change based on the fluctuating exchange rate.
• Meals estimated at $600
• Mandatory travel health and emergency insurance through the company Guard Me ($1.65 / day)
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, additional personal travel, etc)

Travel Grants

Students participating in this Field School, who identify as an Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) student, a student registered with Student Accessibility Services, and/or have demonstrated financial need are eligible to apply for the GSO Travel Grant which are up to $10,000. There are also other University of Guelph travel grants available.  

Eligibility

Students applying for the program must have completed a total of 7.5 undergraduate credits by the time the program begins in May 2024 (or permission from the instructor) and must have a 68% cumulative average.

The program is open to students from all disciplines at the University of Guelph, with a maximum of 10 students being accepted to the program. 

Apply to the Sweden Field School

Application Instructions