Augustana symposium examines democracy in Sweden and U.S. on Oct. 23
Augustana College will host the 2026 O. Fritiof Ander Symposium on Friday, Oct. 23, bringing together scholars, journalists and public figures from Sweden and the United States to discuss democracy and the political forces shaping both countries.
The event — "Two Countries, Two Elections: Democracy, Policy, and the Road Ahead" — will take place from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at the Wilson Center on Augustana's campus in Rock Island. The symposium is free, open to the public and will feature a keynote lecture and panel discussion from 2 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a public reception from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Attendees can register to participate in person or online.
“We’re delighted to welcome such a distinguished group of speakers to campus and to bring the community into this conversation," said Kimberly La Palm of Augustana's Swenson Swedish American Research Center. "With both countries navigating consequential elections, this is a timely opportunity to consider what we can learn from one another about democracy and the challenges ahead.”
The symposium follows Sweden's parliamentary elections on Sept. 13 and comes ahead of the U.S. midterm congressional elections on Nov. 3. Speakers will examine how political institutions, public debate and shifting voter priorities are influencing democracy in both countries.
Dr. Joakim Palme, professor of political science at Uppsala University, will deliver the keynote address. His research focuses on the welfare state, social equality, migration policy and public policy. He has held leadership positions at Uppsala University and the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm and chaired Sweden's Welfare Commission from 1999 to 2001.
The panel will feature Dr. Benjamin R. Teitelbaum, professor of musicology and international affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder; Karin Henriksson, a Washington-based journalist and author who has covered American politics for Swedish media; and Dr. David Loebsack, a former U.S. representative for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District and professor emeritus at Cornell College.
The event is part of the O. Fritiof Ander Lecture Series, which brings scholars and public figures to Augustana to explore topics related to Sweden, Swedish America and the broader Scandinavian world.
The series honors O. Fritiof Ander (1908-1977), a longtime Augustana history professor whose scholarship helped establish Swedish-American studies as a field of academic inquiry and strengthened connections between the college and scholars in Sweden.
The 2026 Ander Lecture is presented with support from the Ellwood Curtis Family Lectureship in Public Affairs and the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study.
Register to attend in-person or online.