History & Social Science   

This course will focus on the life and political career of Claude D. Pepper (1900-1989) and will include an examination of primary source material generated by the Senator, along with a screening of "The Legacy of Claude Pepper."

By Marshall Bouldin III - http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000218, Public Domain, Link

Journey into the vibrant world of early 20^th century art and witness the birth of abstraction. This transformative period reshaped the cultural landscape, from the bold colors of Fauvism, the fractured forms of Cubism, to the dreamlike realms of Surrealism. Each class focuses on the movements’ leading artists--Matisse, Kandinsky, Picasso, Mondrian, Boccioni, Duchamp, and Dali--and explores their aesthetic goals and the social and cultural currents that influenced them. 

This course will explore the theme of empire by focusing on six major case-studies: Athenian, Persian, Mongol, Byzantine, Aztec, and British. It examines how they functioned, the lives of their subjects, and the reasons for their successes and failures. It will introduce students to the rich breadth of economic strength, military ambition, and cultural expansion that characterized imperial experiences around the world before industrialization and the emergence of the modern nation-state.

Suggested Reading: Jane Burbank and Frederick Cooper, Empires in World History: Power and the Politics of Difference (2010); James Muldoon, Empire and Order: The Concept of Empire, 800–1800 (1999); Herfried Münkler, Empires: The Logic of World Domination from Ancient Rome to the United States (2007)

David Proctor's History of Leon County Part course will start with the Civil War Era and conclude with the brave new world of 2026. Dr. Proctor is a sixth generation Florida Man and lifelong Tallahasseean who loves local history. Join him on a grand tour that will be fun for natives and newcomers alike. Be sure to bring your own Leon County stories, because audience participation is encouraged!

Suggested Reading: Ellis, Mary Louise, and Rogers, William: Favored Land: A History of Tallahassee and Leon County, 1999, 2nd Edition.

Some of the most prominent folk singers of the twentieth century, Woody Guthrie, Sis Cunningham, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Burl Ives, etc., were also political activists with various associations with the American Communist Party. Using FBI documents, video footage, and music, the lectures will bring to life these artists and the systematic way they were subject to government surveillance and suppression.

By May be found at the following website: https://repeaterbooks.com/product/the-folk-singers-and-the-bureau-the-fbi-the-folk-artists-and-the-suppression-of-the-communist-party-usa-1939-1956/., Fair use, Link

In this course, we will examine the last 100 years of Russian history through a closer look at the personalities of its rulers: Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khruschev, Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Vladimir Putin. Each week, we will consider one of these major Soviet or post-Soviet leaders. We will explore their personal backgrounds, how each of them came to power and held on to power, and how their personalities and peculiarities affected the course of Russian history.

By Unknown author - [1] [2], Public Domain, Link

What happens when violinists become composers? This five-week course explores works written by violinist-composers across history—from Baroque brilliance to Romantic opera fantasies to contemporary expressions of identity. Through listening, discussion, and guided insights, we’ll examine how these composer-performers used the violin to push musical boundaries and share personal stories. No prior musical experience is required—just a love of music and curiosity about the creative mind.

Discover Walt Disney, the person, and his works, over six decades: from the young Walt – and his brother, Roy-- and their incredible journey from Chicago to Missouri and Los Angeles, exploring the innovative animated films, live-action features, television and theme parks created by his remarkable staff under his visionary guidance.

Suggested Reading: Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

By Boy Scouts of America - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, Link