ABOUT SVARTÁRKOT CULTURE — NATURE
The project has no secure funding but is supported by tuition fees and occasionally by research grants obtained by group members. The SCN courses offer unique learning experiences combining high-quality academic lectures with the spectacular local landscapes. The Svartárkot farm, the Bárðardalur Valley and the neighbouring Lake Mývatn region are situated in areas of diverse natural features: lakes with unique bird-life, wilderness, lava fields, glacial rivers, and waterfalls. The history, literature and folklore of the area are fascinating, containing stories of ghosts and trolls as well as a long history of human resilience and innovation. The climatology and unique ecosystems of the area are also presented.
Currently, SCN operates in two arenas with a third under development:
1. Offering summer courses to small groups of international graduate and post-graduate students, professors and scholars looking for new insights and inspirations in post-and transdisciplinary methods.
2. Offering lectures and services to professors and universities who bring their students as a part of their curriculum. This may include travels in Iceland that SCN organizes, and a stay at Kiðagil for a certain amount of time.
SCN has held 6 annual academic courses: One in 2007, two courses in 2009 and one in each year of 2014, 2015 and 2018. Furthermore, SCN has received a number of student groups from the USA and United Kingdom in this period.
LOCATIONS
HISTORY
The idea to run academic courses at the border between human habitation and wilderness was conceived after Viðar Hreinsson’s visit to Svartárkot in 2005. A demo-course for scholars and professors was held in Kiðagil in June 2007. Since then 5 signature academic courses have been held and the project has organized a number of other courses for student groups from individual universities in the USA and the UK.