The literary studies podcast nordlitt has been produced at the Institute for Northern European Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since winter 2020. It stems from the desire not to see digital teaching merely as an unwelcome constraint, but to utilise its very special requirements and opportunities and to create synergy effects, in this case among the Scandinavian Studies departments.
In the podcast, Stefanie v. Schnurbein and her student assistants Alva Reifenstein and Cecilia Falkman present representatives and approaches of Scandinavian literary studies in the form of informal, collegial discussions. Their research interests, approaches and theoretical-methodological orientation take centre stage. nordlitt introduces us to eras, important authors, genres, texts and theories. Above all, however, the podcast aims to make it possible to experience our discipline as a dialogue and open process.
The podcast is aimed at students, academics and laypeople. It is used in various formats in teaching at the Northern European Institute and can be used for self-study. It can also be used for academic communication and scholarly entertainment. We introduced nordlitt-Podcast and its important contributions to the field of Gender Studies in a previous article at Genderblog.
Trans Writing – Trans Reading. From Victoria Benedictsson to New Danish Literature. In conversation with Mons Bissenbakker
In this newer episode, Mons Bissenbakker, Copenhagen University, invites nordlitt to a conversation about new Danish literature on trans experiences. We discuss how trans writers navigate existing narratives and seek alternative modes of expression within a system that resists ambivalence – both its own and that of others. We also speculate about the problem of masculinity and find resonances between being on testosterone and menopause. Revisiting a story by Victoria Benedictsson/Ernst Ahlgren, Mons Bissenbakker demonstrates a new trans reading, navigating between resonance and recognition, and offering insights into 19th century sexology and the figure of the invert. Last but not least, he outs nordlitt’s final question as a rather “trans” enquiry.
You can listen to the episode here: https://exgeist.hypotheses.org/1502
Stefanie v. Schnurbein is the founder of the podcast nordlitt. She has been Professor of Modern Scandinavian Literatures at the Nordeuropa-Institut at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 2000. Her research focuses on modern Scandinavian literatures, gender studies, Germanic ideology and neo-pagan movements.
Cecilia Falkman, born in Stockholm in 1996, is studying for a Master’s degree in European Literatures at Humboldt University. She previously studied literature at Lund University, among others. She has been part of the nordlitt team since 2022.
Alva Reifenstein, born in 1993, studied Scandinavian Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin until 2022. She worked with Stefanie v. Schnurbein on the nordlitt podcast project during the first Covid lockdown and now lives and works in Vienna.
