History & Current Events   

This class follows the history of American radicalism. The Lyrical Left faltered during World War I and its aftermath. The Old Left rose and fell, rooted around the ideal of the Russian Revolution and communism. Seeking to overcome its immediate predecessor's failings, the New Left flourished and then ebbed, particularly during the height of US involvement in Vietnam. The Movement of the 1960s evolved, or devolved, into "one, two, many movements." More recently, the American left has become part of the global left.

Come along on a remarkable visit to Uganda and Rwanda. In addition to great safari-game viewing, we will visit Murchison Falls where the Nile River is forced through a narrow gorge creating a phenomenal waterfall. Learn about the Rwandan Tutsi genocide and the attempts at reconciliation and forgiveness. Finally, we'll go for a trek and visit a family of mountain gorillas at 9,000 feet in the Volcanoes National Park.

In the years following the end of World War II, American aviation benefited from the infrastructure created by the needs of the military services. General aviation experienced a rapid growth of light aircraft production and operations. The airline industry benefited from a worldwide network of airports and trained personnel. The military embraced the performance of jet engines and the concept of long-range strategic airpower. This was a period of peaceful uses of aviation, with personal participation by the instructor.

The class will explore the varied styles of beer, from lager to bitter, gruit to porter. We will cover the style criteria, history, and brewing techniques of various styles. No background is necessary, just an inquiring and inquisitive mindset – and a love of beer, of course.

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions around the globe have impacted our world through changes in paleoclimate, geography, fauna and flora, and, later, human life. We will study several of these historic volcanoes, their origin and magnitude, and the changes wrought by their eruptions. Can we predict future eruptions?

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues addressed. Special guests are welcome to present.

In this class, we will look at old tales, their tellers, and transitions from spoken to written literature. Fairy tales, a.k.a. magic tales, are very old and both stable and shapeshifting. People have enjoyed them in cartoons, Victorian nurseries, peasant huts, and even courts like Versailles. The original, oral forms of magic tales are violent, coarse, and sexually explicit. Sometimes governments, priests, or schoolmarms compelled changes. Sometimes, writers. There will be nine tellers with at least nine tales sent to class members.

We will look at four films that document the struggles of the soviet people. Mr. Jones (2019) is based on the true story of the British journalist Gareth Jones who uncovers the truth of the devastating famine ('Holodomor') in 1933 Ukraine. The Way Back (2010) is about four prisoners who escape from a Soviet gulag in WWII. Bridge Of Spies (2015) is set during the Cold War and tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers in 1960 in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet KGB spy held by the US. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) focuses its story on the 1961 tragedy of the Soviet Hotel-class submarine K-19.

Since 1966, North Georgia has been the home of Foxfire, a magazine, book, and museum acting as a blend of education and living history centered on Appalachia. Foxfire explores how our past contributes to who we are and what we can become; how the past illuminates our present and inspires imagination. This class will explore Foxfire's practical approach to student-centered teaching and learning; its unrivalled collection of artifacts, archives, and oral history; and, ultimately, its influence on popular culture and our understanding of Appalachia.

Chico State's tradition of academic excellence goes back more than 130 years. Numbering over 1,000, Chico State's graduate students are often doing exciting and relevant work of their own. This class will give you a chance to hear some of them talk about their original research, centered around their theses.

Immigration is a major topic of national discussion. The goal of this class is to inform participants what US immigration is all about. We will include the various types of immigration, its history, its challenges, and its benefits. We will use professionals from various parts of the country who are involved in different aspects of current issues as well as firsthand experiences of refugees and asylum seekers. This class will provide a comprehensive unbiased picture of the current situation.

This introductory class will provide an overview of Hinduism, the religion of India that originated about 3000 years ago. It will include a brief history about the origin of Hinduism and the contributions to it from different sources, the religion of Hinduism and its many components, the different philosophies that underpin the religious practices, including the non-dualism of Vedanta; and the interactions between Hinduism and Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Also covered in the class are the rituals, practices, customs and festivals related to Hinduism.

Representatives from various local news organizations will join us to discuss their processes and the challenges and opportunities for local news agencies. Bring your questions!

Join us for an outdoor adventure exploring an interesting place in our community. Our walk will be approximately 1-3 miles on relatively flat, even surfaces. We will meander at a leisurely pace. Participants should be comfortable walking and standing for up to two hours. We will be visiting the Mendocino National Forest Chico Seed Orchard where Vickie Stoll will lead us on a tour focusing on the flora, fauna, and history of the Chico Seed Orchard.

We will engage in respectful, facilitated political conversations exploring the issues we care about and discover the humanity behind each other's perspectives. Each week we will discuss the "two sides" of a political topic, first evaluating who stands for what and why, then shifting to sharing our own personal experiences that have shaped our perspectives and beliefs. By cultivating curiosity we can slow down our conversations to strengthen communication and possibly learn, grow, and appreciate our differences.

Writing was invented about 5,500 years ago. Not long after it probably occurred to people that they would want to keep some things they wrote private. From then until now – from teenager's diaries, to personal financial data and medical records, to national defense secrets – there has been an 'arms race' between those who want to keep secrets and those who want to steal them. This class explores that history from wax tablets in the Classical era to sophisticated computers in the 21st century.

To understand the arts is to know the mind and spirit of the people. In this class, we will explore Japan's artistic history through its profound and elegant creations. We will explore Japan's best contributions to the visual arts from prehistory, the earliest Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and sculpture and paintings until the time of the last feudal ruler. In so many creative fields, Japan's artistry has greatly influenced artists in our modern world. It is important to identify and credit those absorbed influences.

In 1825 the State of New York officially opened the Erie Canal with wild celebrations. Building this waterway was an incredible undertaking that included many obstacles, but "Clinton's Ditch" became an overnight success. Now the Erie is 200 years old. Is it still relevant today? We will discuss this and other topics in this class.

The Victorians made a spectacle out of death. They both feared it and were fascinated by it. The hothouse atmosphere of romanticism combined with growing urbanization and increasing life spans contributed to a culture of death that demanded elaborate public and personal displays of inconsolable loss. Our own rituals of death and mourning directly descend from the practices put in place by the Victorians.

Join the class leader as she discusses her recent visit to Tunisia. When visiting North Africa, tourists often visit Morocco but rarely add Tunisia to their travels which means they often miss a unique opportunity. She will discuss her perceptions of the modern country as well as share her research of its history with special focus on Tunis and Carthage. Videos and her own photos will assist with our understanding of the complex history and culture of the country.

The intent of this class is to assess the first three months of the Trump administration. The class will examine what is meant by "Trumpism," outline the domestic and foreign policy initiatives the Trump administration has implemented, and evaluate the effect of the Trump administration's policies on United States society and geopolitics.

Vaccination is a major successful public health measure. Smallpox is gone; polio is on its way out; and the incidence of the childhood diseases that the older of us had is way down. We'll look at the history of many infectious diseases, their causes, and their vaccines; how the immune system works' and how vaccines work (in cooperation with the immune system). We may digress into other public health issues, and we'll spend a day or so on the connection between vaccines and autism (spoiler: there is none). Let's agree to avoid politics!

Join us to explore the many aspects of identity using Chico State's Book in Common, Héctor Tobar's Our Migrant Souls: Meditations on Our Race and the Meaning of "Latino," as the springboard. Each of the four sessions of this class will use Tobar's insights as a frame for discussions about what identity means to us as individuals, family members, residents of our communities, and citizens of the world. This class is for anyone from any recent or historical country of origin.

It was a time of radical change, a time of violence. England was under siege internally and externally. Being on the wrong side, politically or religiously, could result in torture and death. Into this confusing and disordered world strode a young married man who had left his home of Stratford-upon-Avon to attempt his hand at playwriting for the London stage. His name was William Shakespeare. Join us for a discussion of the TV show Will, described as "Shakespeare on sex, drugs, and rock and roll."