Social Sciences   

The Foreign Policy Association sponsors the annual Great Decisions program to encourage citizens to participate in the foreign policy process. We will discuss eight critical global issues facing the U.S. today: the U.S. and the world; Trump’s tariffs; U.S.-China relations; alliances and nuclear proliferation; Ukraine and European security; multilateral institutions; the U.S. and Africa; and human rights in a divided world. Recommended textbook: Great Decisions 2026 Briefing Book by the Foreign Policy Association, available through the FPA’s website; approximately $35. Participants will receive a background article (7-10 pages) to prepare for each class discussion.

How do children view and experience life in the 21st century? We will discuss topics such as technology, its rapid pace of change and its impact on children both individually and socially; economic growth, resource acquisition and income inequality; education, its rising costs and lifelong learning; and psychological challenges in achieving personal maturity. Prerequisites: Participants should be willing to contribute to in-class discussions by sharing their personal experiences.

We will explore feminism as it deals with the backlash against women’s rights with emphasis on reproductive care, health and safety, and the gender pay gap. We will also examine how the interests of feminism and the environment intersect. We will draw on ancient fierce goddesses—archetypes in the Jungian sense—as a way to reinvigorate a flagging feminist movement for women and their male allies. Textbooks: Righteous Rage: Why Feminism Needs the Fierce Goddesses by Susan Foster (2025), ISBN: 978-1685035808 (required); Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920-2020 by Elisabeth Griffith (2022), ISBN: 978-1639361892 and Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi (1991), ISBN: 978-0307345424 (recommended).

We will consider unclassified case files to explore six subfields of the intelligence profession: collection, analysis, counterintelligence, deception, counterterrorism and covert action. Cases include Manuel Ortega, the D.C. Beltway snipers, an exfiltration from Tehran and more. We will read each case carefully, think critically about its dynamics and discuss it in detail with the instructor as our guide.

In order to make an educated choice in the 2026 elections, we will take a close look at the new political landscape. Through lecture, discussion and supplemental readings, we will discuss voter suppression, gerrymandering, how to read candidate financial reports and the role of media and AI in the upcoming elections. Finally, we will discuss the role of the Electoral College. Note: There are both an in-person and an online option for this course. Participants must choose only one option to attend; please ensure that you are registering for the option you prefer, as we may not be able to accommodate changes.

In order to make an educated choice in the 2026 elections, we will take a close look at the new political landscape. Through lecture, discussion and supplemental readings, we will discuss voter suppression, gerrymandering, how to read candidate financial reports and the role of media and AI in the upcoming elections. Finally, we will discuss the role of the Electoral College. Note: There are both an in-person and an online option for this course. Participants must choose only one option to attend; please ensure that you are registering for the option you prefer, as we may not be able to accommodate changes.

We will take a critical look at paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, and seek to understand why so many people believe them. Topics include extrasensory perception, unidentified aerial phenomena, astrology, faith-healing, ghosts, numerology and alternative medicine. Required textbook: Everyday Extraordinary: A Scientist Ponders a Lifetime of Magical, Bizarre and Paranormal Experiences by Barry Markovsky (2026), ISBN: 978-1493093793.

We will explore topics related to mental illness including anatomy; diagnosis and measurement; pharmacological and behavioral interventions; violence; mood disorders; delirium and dementia; personality disorders; and addiction.