About Charles Peterson

Charles Peterson, PhD, created Nordic Studies Press with colleague Joan Zetterlund.

Dr. Peterson has been the Executive Director of the Center for Scandinavian Studies at North Park University in Chicago since 1993. He has lived and worked in Sweden and Norway, and traveled extensively in the Nordic countries.

He has considerable professional contacts in all five countries and the United States as the result of decades of experience in the interdisciplinary field of Nordic Studies.

 

Background

Dr. Peterson received his BA in music from North Park College in 1973; his MA in communications from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1980; and his PhD in Radio-Television-Film from Northwestern University in 1992. His dissertation was entitled The Political Economy of Television in Sweden. In 1988, Mr. Peterson became Academic Dean and Professor of International Mass Media at Danvik Folkehøgskole International Media Center in Drammen, Norway, where he served until 1993.

He returned to North Park University to become the Executive Director, Center for Scandinavian Studies and Professor of Communication Arts. Dr. Peterson also served as Dean of the College at North Park University, Chicago.

He is a frequent consultant on Scandinavian culture for corporations and individuals. He serves on the boards of several Scandinavian-American organizations including the Swedish Council of America, the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce, and the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce. His current research projects include Sámi and Eskimo Media, Culture, and Language.

 

Nordic Ancestry

Back in the good old days, my ancestors has mineral rights in Mt. Taberg – a relatively high hill in Småland, in Jönköpingslän, Månsarp Parish.

Today there is a lovely coffee shop and outdoor park with a great view over the region. From Mt. Taberg's top, one can see many of the family farms that belonged to my family.