Franklin Furlong at Comparative Politics

Furlong was motivated to travel to the University of Bergen by Dr. Christine Ingebrigtsen of the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle.

- She instilled in me an intense interest in Modern Scandinavian Politics. That interest joined with my last seven years of my career working at University of Washington Medicine. I am seeking to continue research I began in Seattle on the historical Norwegian involvement in Global Health based on it's on Health Care System, particularly in relationship to the 2014 West African Ebola Outbreak.

Conversations between visiting and local scholars

But Furlong’s main project is to complete a series of audio podcasts of conversations between University of Washington visitors and the Bergen faculty on topics of great urgency:  Comparative studies of right wing political movements, the arctic, the Church of Norway, the qualities of a successful academic exchange and global and domestic health care systems.

- Recording 30 minute podcasts of scholars speaking with a particular pitch or timbre of voice, their hesitations and pauses, the lilt of their speech rhythm might add that personal travel dimension to what we read in scholarly articles here and back home. That is the secret, most important quality of a successful academic exchange: real-time personal encounters that resonate throughout the rest of our academic careers and lives.

Research stay in Bergen

Quoting Marin Buber, that “all journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware", Furlong’s secret destinations have been the unexpected new colleagues and friends he has and will meet in Norway. 

- I try to give priority to my daily, real-time encounters with staff at the Department and friends I make in Bergen.

If you are interested in learning more about Wood’s research projects, feel free to contact him on furlof@uw.edu.