OLLI USA   

Six Exciting Lectures: Ansel Adams in the West, Rodeo Photography, 8 Great Female Photographers, Hemingway: A Life In Pictures, 50 Years of Rolling Stone Magazine, and Must Love Dogs.

Sports and politics have always been connected, even when athletes and fans try to claim they're separate. From the original Olympics to Jesse Owens competing in Nazi Germany in 1936, to Muhammad Ali's resistance to the Vietnam War draft, the two have been intertwined – whether we like it or not. This class explores the historical relationship between sports and political movements, as well as how politics has shaped the world of sports. We'll examine how teams, leagues, and athletes have navigated race, gender, laws, and nationalism in a seminar setting that encourages discussion and participation.

This all-new sequel to The Magic of Film Scores shifts the spotlight from the score to the songs, dance and lyrical storytelling that gave film musicals their unforgettable sparkle. From the nimble tread of the feet of Fred Astaire to the hip hop history of Hamilton, we'll journey through nearly a century of toe-tapping, heartstring-pulling movie magic. Explore the evolution of musicals on screen, from the glamour of MGM to bold, socially conscious stories. We'll also trace rock's rise in cinema, including a session on The Beatles films, spotlight pop and jukebox musicals of the 21st century, and dedicate a session to jazz in biographical and noir-inspired films.

The Weimar Republic (1918-1933) was an experiment in democracy between the Second and Third Reichs. It was conceived at the end of World War I, plagued by an abortive German revolution, hyperinflation, the Great Depression, and the growing cloud of Nazism. It was a social (see Broadway's Cabaret), artistic (the Bauhaus, German Expressionism [Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and more in cinema; Max Beckman, George Grosz and more in painting], and more) and political (socialists, communists, and Nazis being the major players) era of experimentation. We'll look at all of that, including its dreadful end with the Enabling Act of 1933. Draw parallels at your own risk.

In this class we will look at what research in neuroscience is teaching us about how the brain and mind work. We will also learn about using that knowledge to provide better care for patients. The role of AI, brain imaging, immunology, and genetics will be included. Selected topics on health, medicine and biotechnology may also be discussed.