Academic Activities

The Swenson Center promotes and initiates new research in Swedish-American studies in several ways. Academic conferences have been sponsored or co-sponsored by the Center on a continuing basis since 1987.  Many of the conferences are documented in book form or in academic journals.

The Center also promotes Swedish-American studies through involvement with and assistance to a number of scholars who over the years have used our resources. A selected list of such research topics include Swedes in the Civil War, the development of a Swedish-American educational system, the history of Swedish immigration to Texas, aspects of the history of Swedish female immigration, the development of a Swedish-American labor movement, and many studies of Swedish local communities throughout the U.S.

A fellowship in the amount of $1,500, is open to scholars interested in conducting research on any aspect of Swedish-American history. The scholarship is awarded on an annual basis and applications are due May 1. For further information please read the following link: Nils William and Dagmar Olsson Fellowship.

Through the annual O. Fritiof Ander Lecture Series the Center invites a prominent scholar in the field of immigration studies to give a lecture on the Augustana campus. Past Ander lecturers have explored the role of memory for ethnic groups, Swedish-American art, the writing of Swedish-American history, and the use of names among Swedish immigrants.