Kai S. Swanson - the Swedish footprint of Augustana College - and everything in between
Augustana College planted its Swedish roots in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1875, with an increasingly large Swedish American community supporting a new institution and aiming to foster a proud Swedishness in the United States. Early on, all students had to be born in Sweden, but today applications are open to all, and the college describes itself as "a leading liberal arts and sciences college in Illinois".
I sat down with Kai S. Swanson, Special Assistant to the President of Augustana College, to talk about its history and connection to Bishop Hill, and we ended up talking about everything from the Marlboro Man to modern-day politics, social media - and Kai's American spin on the Swedish concept of "Jantelagen".
- And what is the essence of a country?
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