Online Courses   

Paris underwent fundamental political, social, and cultural changes in the 19th century, culminating in La Belle Époque and the birth of Modernism. The course begins with the story of "How Paris Became Paris," the city of our romantic imaginings, focusing on the ambitious modernization plans carried out under Napoleon III by Baron Haussmann, whose broad and open boulevards provided a new urban setting for a vibrant street life. A series of Paris expositions celebrated an increasingly globalized economy and technological innovations that would transform the new century. Members will experience an interdisciplinary immersion in the cultural cross-currents of 19th century Paris.

Turn-of-the-century Vienna can be seen as a laboratory of Modernism. The Habsburg capital's transition from a world of aristocratic Catholic conservatism to avant-garde experimentation culminated in an explosion of creativity in art, literature, music, philosophy and science. The course will survey the background of 18th century Baroque and 19th century bourgeois “Old Vienna.” We then turn to the distinctive innovations in art and architecture that take us from the middle-class successes of the Ringstrasse era, to the bolder work of the artists of the Viennese Secession and conclude with the starker work of expressionists on the eve of WWI.

This ten-week course is appropriate for participants who are comfortable and successful at communicating in Spanish and want to further develop their reading and conversational skills. Participants are expected to be able to use present, past and future tenses, and have significant vocabulary and understanding of syntax (or have successfully completed Intermediate Spanish). The course is taught in Spanish and focuses on analyzing and discussing reading material. Weekly class material is provided. NOTE: This course is often taken several times. This is a versatile course that includes different class material under the same goals and objects every term.

Members may only take one Spanish course at a time.

The Ghent Altarpiece, a monumental, multi-paneled 15th century artwork, ranks as a great masterpiece. The artist's innovative use of oil paint paved the way for the art of the High Renaissance. Over the centuries, the altarpiece's panels were stolen, sawed in half, and hidden in a salt mine. Thankfully, it survived and is undergoing state-of-the-art conservation. We will explore the history and cultural significance of the Ghent Altarpiece from the 15th century to the present, celebrating artist Jan van Eyck and encountering such historical figures as Martin Luther, Napolean and Monuments Men and Women along the way.

The Renaissance is a collaboration of widespread influences and traditions. Although associated with the art of Italy, its development is deeply impacted by the style and structure of the art of Northern Europe. The northern regions of Europe are known for their meticulous and naturally rendered art and the mastery of oil paint. Expansive trade and commerce created a thriving economy and resulted in rich cultural exchange and a burgeoning open art market. This course will focus on the origins and evolution of these artistic developments in the regions north of the Alps.

This course will explore the history, techniques, and science of fermentation to help members develop the skills to produce a wide range of products using simple and safe practices. The class will explore fermentation practices in hands-on and interactive class sessions. Members will also learn how fermentation has been used around the world, shaping the flavors of diverse culinary traditions. By the end of this course, members will be able to confidently talk about fermentation to friends and transform a seasonal harvest into delicious and nutritious fermented products.

This four-week course examines the recent history and development of one of the most dangerous places on the planet: Korea. Both North and South Korea have endured decades of colonization and war since 1950 to emerge as two exemplars of a modern state, one deeply capitalist and globalized, the other dystopically communist and closed off from the world. The course will explore their complicated and contradictory efforts at modernization, from the Korean War to the present with special emphasis on the leaders, policies, and types of societies that have come into being.

The 10 plays of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle dramatize African-American life through a century of comedy and tragedy, aspiration and despair. Creating a dramatic microcosm of America, they rank Wilson with the country’s greatest -- Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. All but one of the 10 are set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where Wilson (1945–2005) grew up and matured his artistic vision. This is part three of Rawson’s survey of Wilson’s work, begun in 2020. Included are Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Seven Guitars and How I Learned What I Learned (Wilson’s 11^th play, a coda). Movies of Ma Rainey and Fences are optional extras.

Authoritarianism is a political system where executive power is asserted at the expense of legislative and judicial branches of government, and where fascist leaders control and exploit everyone and everything for personal gain. This course examines the playbook for how these leaders obtain power and destroy democracies and what we can do to stop it. We will use the book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present (Ben-Ghiat, 2020), and other sources to study patterns of Western and non-Western fascist leaders over the past 100 years.

NOTE: This course will be hybrid, meeting in the Community Engagement Center in Homewood and on Zoom.

In this course, designed for students with minimal prior knowledge of French, our focus will be on mastering phrases and set structures that may be useful for communicating across a variety of situations. Students will be encouraged to develop strategies to try to make themselves understood where language proficiency may be lacking. The material presented in the Beginning Level French course will vary each term according to the needs of the participants. 

Being health-smart is a forever path: planning, eating, and enjoying meals requires staying updated on nutrition and food news. This course will focus on food choices and guidelines for being health-smart when it comes to food and nutrition. Concepts covered include mindful eating, the microbiome, choices for diabetes, allergies, being heart-healthy, and food safety. Staying current with nutrition is a challenge this course helps address.

There is a long history of collections of rare, natural, and exotic cabinets of curiosities, which were encyclopedic collections of objects whose boundaries were undefined. The cabinets were used to store and show off items the collector had picked up along his or her travels. We will gather our own collections, arrange them, and create our own 3D portable cabinet. We will then learn the art techniques to draw and paint (watercolor) what is contained in it.

This gentle form of yoga is practiced using a chair as a prop/stabilizer for support during standing poses or adapted for sitting on a chair. It is especially beneficial for people concerned with balance or coordination issues or those who have felt they are unable to participate in other yoga experiences. The class includes poses for strength training, mobility in the joints, and more relaxing poses to help steady the mind. Modifications will be offered throughout the course so that participants learn to adapt to their personal situations and comfort as well as challenge themselves. The course is appropriate for all levels.  

 

This course moves through traditional yoga poses (or asanas) that align each individual chakra, moving up the spine from the root chakra to the crown chakra. Chakras are energy centers located across different points on our spinal column. When energy becomes blocked in a chakra, it triggers imbalances that manifest in symptoms such as anxiety, lethargy, or poor digestion. This course is for members who like fluid, mindful practice that links alignment, movement, and breath. Participants should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and have a yoga mat. While still accessible to a beginning student, this class is more challenging than the Gentle Yoga classes.

The industrial revolution in the United States created a change in the roles of children, particularly those of the poor and of immigrants. Children, sometimes under the age of ten, worked on the streets, in retail stores, in factories, mills, mines, or with adults in home-based industries. Campaigns for legal reform and child protection, often led by women, eventually won important victories. However, today major corporations and some states are undoing these gains.

Delve into the lives and personalities behind the music in this course on Richard Wagner, Clara Schumann, Ludwig van Beethoven, and the Mendelssohn siblings Felix and Fanny. We will uncover the fascinating stories, struggles, and creative passions that shaped these influential musicians, providing a deeper understanding of the human spirit that resonates through their masterpieces and performances.

In this course, members with previous watercolor experience will enjoy using household items and products to produce a variety of textural effects. Each class will open with a demonstration using a new technique. Members will engage in brainstorming possible applications for the techniques. Everyone will be encouraged to share their work at the end of class.

Since the 1890s, when Americans were beginning to develop their own traditions in classical music, composers have recognized the dilemma of creating the American sound. We will explore how not only classical musicians, but also Broadway and Hollywood composers of different origins and ethnicities alternated in creating a sound that has been defined as evocative of America and its people. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Still, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, Wynton Marsalis and others will be the protagonists of these lectures, supported with audiovisuals and anecdotes.

This American history lecture course will focus on the biographies of key founding fathers: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. The time periods of colonial, revolutionary, and early U.S. history will also be explored in the context of their lives.

This course is geared for those new to yoga, those interested in a slower and more gentle practice, or those recovering from illness or injury. It includes a combination of meditation, breath work, and flowing movement intended for all abilities. Participants will move from seated on the floor (or a chair) to standing and then will return to mats. Participants will experiment with balance, strength, flexibility, and stillness while practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques. 

NOTE: The Gentle Yoga A and B classes are companion courses. Members can just register for both or just one. 

This course is geared for those new to yoga, those interested in a slower and more gentle practice, or those recovering from illness or injury. It includes a combination of meditation, breath work, and flowing movement intended for all abilities. Participants will move from seated on the floor (or a chair) to standing and then will return to mats. Participants will experiment with balance, strength, flexibility, and stillness while practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques.

NOTE: The Gentle Yoga A and B classes are companion courses. Members can just register for both or just one.  

 

This course will present a summary of the most outstanding geological features of each state. What type of rocks, minerals, and fossils are found within each state? What is the geologic history that can be interpreted from the rocks and geographic features within the state? Find out in this lecture course.

This course will continue to present a summary of the most outstanding geological features of each state that were not covered during part 1. What type of rocks, minerals, and fossils are found within each state? What is the geologic history that can be interpreted from the rocks and geographic features within the state? Part 1 is not a prerequisite for Part 2.

Despite the costly failure of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, the Germans launched another offensive in the summer of 1942. What were the reasons for and the goals of this offensive? How is the failure of the offensive to be explained? Did its failure, particularly the destruction of the 6th Army at Stalingrad, constitute a decisive turning point in the struggle or was a German victory, or at least a stalemate in the East, still possible? These and other questions, which spawned When Titans Clashed, will be addressed in this course.

This course explores the depth of spiritual themes woven throughout Charles M. Schulz's beloved Peanuts comic strip. Through readings and selected comic strips, we will examine how Schulz, through his iconic characters and their everyday struggles, addresses profound questions about faith, doubt, hope, relationships, and the search for meaning. We will also explore how Peanuts offers us comfort, hope, and challenge.

This course examines the history of Iran from the 19th to the 21st centuries with special focus on its gradual opening up to European influences and its battles with Britain and Russia. It will also explore internal struggles over how Iran (then Persia) was to modernize, whether they should westernize, and yet still keep their independence and their Islamic faith. Pressures and instability only mounted as the demand for oil rose in the 20th century and new powers such as the United States scrambled domestic politics, leading to revolution, war and isolation.

When we hear, read, or think about the Holocaust, we naturally recall the horrific words and deeds of the evildoers. In fact, even during this ugliest period of recent human history, very few know that there were many unknown brave and altruistic people who broke the law and risked their lives to save persecuted people. Why don’t we know the names and deeds of the good? This uplifting course will tell the inspiring stories of these extraordinary rescuers and their deep morality and goodness.

Dominated by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, the High Italian Renaissance is considered the culmination of the goals and techniques developed during the Early Renaissance. Centered in Rome, it lasted from about 1490 to the sack of Rome in 1527. While earlier Renaissance artists would stress the perspective of a work and the technical aspects of a painting, High Renaissance artists also strove for innovation and originality as we will see as we look at some of the world's most iconic works such as The Last Supper, the statue of David, and the School of Athens.

This course examines the history of the United States’ use of military commissions from the aftermath of 9/11 to today. Military commissions and their rationale are placed in historical context. The course will look at executive orders, Supreme Court decisions, and legistlative actions.

This course will look at the ways that photography changed the world in the first half of the 20th century, when photography became an essential part of everyday life. We will look at a range of photography styles that were intended to be seen as art, as well as snapshots, postcards, and illustrated magazines. The hand-held camera opened the doors to photojournalism and street photography, leading to achievements in documentary photography. This is a visual class with lots to enjoy, from the avant-garde and surrealist to the sharp-focus approaches we know and love today.

From Ancient Rome, with its marble arches, temples and amphitheaters, to the much diminished Christian city of shrines and churches in the Middle Ages, to the glorious urban design of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, this course will trace the growth, decline, and rebirth of the city on the Tiber river. This is not (mainly) a political history, but a history of art, architecture, and urban design that influenced other great cities around the world.

On the surface, most mystics, visionaries, and even monastics seem foolish to the world. Yet the identification as a 'holy fool' is one that has deep and profound spiritual meaning in history. This course will introduce concepts like mysticism, spirituality, and monastic persons who, in many ways, are in the world but not of the world. This includes mystics like Thomas Merton, monastics like St. Anthony of the desert, and Mary of Egypt. The course wraps up with spiritual figures known as starets (holy man), as well as modern manifestations of mystics operating outside canonical church boundaries.

This course will explore the roles and jobs of lead producers. For example, David Merrick was known for his publicity stunts while Arthur Freed transformed MGM musicals, bringing talent from Broadway to Hollywood. The course will follow the famous classic producer Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. as well as Cameron Macintosh, the commercially successful producer of many modern shows. Join us as we watch, learn about, and enjoy musicals from the “cheap seats.”

This 10-week course is appropriate for participants who are comfortable with basic Spanish conversation using the present tense (or members who have successfully completed several cycles of the Beginning Spanish course). The course focuses on the use of the past and future tenses, more extensive vocabulary, and structures and syntax. At the end of the course, members are expected to feel comfortable with standard Spanish conversation.

Members may only take one level of Spanish at a time.

This course delves into Czech literary tradition and will explore early Czech writings along with what is considered to be the turning point in the development of Czech literature, namely the 19th century Czech National Revival. Emphasis will be placed on the events leading up to this milestone and the role of authors like Karel Hynek Mácha, Karel JaromÍr Erben, Božena Němcová, and Jan Neruda.

This course offers an exciting journey through the vibrant and diverse world of Latin American music. Members will gain an introduction to the rich musical traditions of Latin America, exploring genres like cumbia, salsa, and contemporary Latin American music from 1950 to 2020. Members will learn about the cultural, historical, and social contexts that have shaped these musical styles and their influence on global music trends, particularly in the United States.

Joyce's comic masterpiece takes us through a day in Dublin in 1904 through the thoughts of a Jewish ad salesman. Participants will learn how Joyce pioneered the "mythical method," using Homer's Odyssey as an ironic contrast with our tawdry modern age. As the novel is too long to completely cover in five sessions, we will focus on a few episodes. In the lyrical "Proteus," Stephen Dedalus struggles with his mother's death. In "Nausicaa," Leopold Bloom enjoys a strange intimacy with Gerty MacDowell. In "Cyclops," he confronts an irate super-patriot and anti-Semite. In "Penelope," Molly Bloom fantasizes about Blazes Boylan as well as her "Poldy."

While learning about what happened to the Jews in Scandinavia during WWII, we often overlook how those events were impacted by the centuries-long history in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). And yet, we must not forget the many non-Jews, heroes and villains alike, who influenced the war-time fate of the Jewish population. The vignettes presented in this course about these actors delve deeper into their personalities and actions than other lectures on this war-time topic have done.

In this online discussion course, we will delve into the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers, exploring themes of sibling rivalry, the potential for individuals to grow into better people, the importance of forgiveness, and the concept of free will. We will look at parenting advice from a book on sibling rivalry, and we will discuss how painters, novelists and filmmakers have used creativity and imagination to bring Joseph’s story to life. Please bring a Bible (hard copy or digital) to class.

Composition in art refers to how elements are placed in relation to one another within a picture. Those elements can be representational—a tree or figure, or they can be abstract shapes and lines. The goal is that all the elements work together so that the whole is greater than the parts. Composition can seem elusive, but there are keys, or strategies, to make your pictures more visually engaging, drawing the viewer in and holding their attention. This hands-on course will use water-based paint and collage and is suitable for beginners as well as experienced artists.

We continue the survey of master architects from different generations and genres. The course will explore the work of such giants as Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, as well as I.M. Pei, Louis Kahn, the firm of Skidmore Owings and Merrill, as well as a few other, less well-known masters whose work deserves attention. Class lectures will be illustrated by video segments as well as striking architectural photography. Discussions around design approach, execution, and functionality will be encouraged.

This course explores the geography of Africa, the Americas, and Australia/Oceania. Each class will highlight a different region of the globe as we discuss the land, resources, borders, languages, cultures, flags, and history of every country. This is the second part of a two-part course, paired with Map of the World, Part 1 (offered in Fall 2024), which covered Europe and Asia. The two parts can be taken in any order. It is not necessary to take part 1 before part 2.

The music of Finland has a rich history that includes many notable composers and performers. From the folk music traditions of Kalevala and Pelimanni, to the classical music of Sibelius and Salonen, the music of Finland is nothing short of wondrous. In this course, we will learn not only about the musicians that Finland has produced, but also about how the music reflects culture and even geography. We will also explore the contemporary styles that are popular in Finland today. For those attending OLLI at Pitt's upcoming trip to Finland, this course may also support the travel experience.

This course examines music, media, and culture at a time of profound social upheaval. The intersection where they met in post-WWII America was pivotal. The effect they had on each other was unprecedented and altered them in ways that still impact society today. At the core is a classic struggle between art and commerce, innovation and orthodoxy, freedom, and control. With a mix of lectures, audio-visual elements, music, and discussion, this course will study why it is a story worth remembering and retelling through our personal narrative of the time.

This course will be devoted to a wide range of poetry and the artwork that helps readers understand poetry better. Poets range from William Shakespeare and John Donne in the 16th and 17th centuries, to Thomas Gray in the 18th century, and Keats, Byron, and Wordsworth in the 19th century. Participants will also read some American poetry, including Dickinson, Poe, and Eliot.

Both Puritanism and Quakerism developed amid religious controversy, social change, and political strife in England in the 17th century—which also provoked migration to New England. Objects of establishment scorn and royal persecution in England, Puritans sought to realize their vision of a godly society— and transformed themselves into a persecuting officialdom. Puritan treatment of Quakers in New England of the 17th century raises still pertinent questions about religious toleration and the tension between rights of conscience and pursuit of spiritual perfection.

This creative writing course will help members refocus, reimagine, and reinvigorate their lives through writing from prompts and discussion designed to employ imagination and insight. Participants can write in any genre they wish, and no writing experience is necessary. The course will give members the space and encouragement they need to enhance creativity. Writing tools and ideas to continue work in class and inspire further discovery will be offered.

Note: This class has two sections and members may only sign up for ONE section. 

This course focuses on the explosive rise of extreme right wing and left wing political and social movements from 1879 to 1945 in Europe. Among the key questions to be examined are what happened to the Enlightenment belief in human rationality and human progress? Why did Marx's revolution occur in Russia? What accounts for the rise of fascism in post-WWI Italy? Why were the Nazis successful in achieving power in such a highly educated and cultured nation? Was the Great Depression responsible for Nazi success? Who supported the Nazis? Why were so many Europeans indifferent to the fate of the Jews?

Learn gentle, restorative and regenerative movements to ease life’s aches and pains. Class will begin with brief introductions, and a short description of somatic movement education principles. After the didactics, you will participate in a gentle somatics (movement) class mostly on the floor, or in a chair, for most of the classroom time. Be sure to have blankets, pillows, or other props so you are comfortable.

Build on your foundational spreadsheet knowledge with this hands-on course. Through practical exercises and real world scenarios, you will deepen your skills in data management, analysis, and reporting. This course emphasizes applying what participants have learned to solve practical problems and streamline everyday tasks like personal budgets, vacation planning, health trackers, and more.

Note: This virtual class requires a computer with access to a spreadsheet program (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.) to fully participate.

Pittsburgh's garden guru Doug Oster gets you ready for gardening season. Winter is the best time to get things in order to have a great garden. He will discuss ordering seeds, starting them under lights, windowsill growing, winter planting projects for inside, soil amendments, getting the garden ready for planting, and much more.

As the Civil War drew to a close with the Confederacy clearly headed for defeat, a number of men developed a concept that glorified the Confederacy as waging a holy war and noble crusade. This collective memory, built and strengthened by politics, religion, racism, and patriotism, enabled practices of discrimination and inequality to become normative, and obscure the reality of slavery as a major factor in the war. Its consequences remain a major factor today in our culture and society.

This course explores the Psalms as a rich tapestry of human experience. We will delve into the diverse emotions, struggles, and triumphs expressed in these ancient poems, examining their relevance for understanding the human condition today. Through reading, discussion, and reflection, we will explore how the Psalms speak to universal themes such as love, loss, joy, anger, doubt, and faith.

Most of Africa was generally unknown to the rest of the world until the 1880s. Then, an ambitious and ruthless king from a minor European country “sparked” a rush for glory and riches that years later would be known infamously as the “Scramble for Africa.” The result was a carving up of the great continent first into colonies and later nation-states that generally ignored the cultures and histories of the indigenous peoples who lived there. We will examine the Scramble's roots and legacy, specifically how the map of Africa evolved into the configuration we recognize today.

In this course we will look at three trials that captured Americans' attention and are now regarded as landmark events in U.S. history: the 1925 Scopes "monkey trial," where William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow fought over Tennessee's attempt to prohibit teaching evolution in the public schools; the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial involving a controversial defense trial strategy that led to an acquittal of the defendant but divided the country; and the 1969 trial of the "Chicago Seven," protesters at the 1968 Democratic Convention who continued their protests in a federal Chicago courtroom.

Note: This course will be offered twice, once in person and once online. It is the same course.

In this course we will look at three trials that captured Americans' attention and are now regarded as landmark events in U.S. history: the 1925 Scopes "monkey trial," where William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow fought over Tennessee's attempt to prohibit teaching evolution in the public schools; the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial involving a controversial defense trial strategy that led to an acquittal of the defendant but divided the country; and the 1969 trial of the "Chicago Seven," protesters at the 1968 Democratic Convention who continued their protests in a federal Chicago courtroom.

Note: This course will be offered twice, once in person and once online. It is the same course.

This course views capitalism as an evolutionary system and examines the modern American era from the 1990s to the 2020s. The course identifies the modern era as "rentier capitalism," a system consisting of seven key institutional features. In particular, the course emphasizes the political economy pressures on the central bank. The final week looks at modern monetary theory in detail. Some technical economics is employed but concepts will be explained and delivered at a moderate pace. No outside readings are required but members are encouraged to take notes so that course content can be considered and retained.

This course offers a deep dive into the fundamentals of the Internet, tailored for adults 50 and older. Members will explore the evolution of the Internet, from its architecture and network structures to the latest in Web 4.0 and 5G technologies. Emphasis will be on practical applications in education, digital citizenship, and safe online practices. Interactive sessions will cover essential concepts, the role of cloud computing in education, and the impact of artificial intelligence on future learning. No prior technical experience is required, making this an enriching journey into the digital age.

Five Indian cooking classes will be offered: Indian cooking basics, introduction to Indian breads, South Indian dishes, North Indian dishes, and Indian festival dishes. Upon successful completion of the course, members will become familiar with ingredients used in Indian cooking, comfortably shop at Indian grocery stores, prepare dishes taught in class on their own, and understand differences in Indian regional cooking and dishes. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to: Indian food history (briefly covered), Indian spices and how they are used, regional Indian dishes, typical equipment used in Indian cooking, and adapting to Indian cooking in North America.

This course will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of one of the oldest spiritual pursuits known to our species and will eliminate common misconceptions. Thousands of years prior to the birth of the three primary monotheistic religions, shamans provided their ancient, indigenous communities with access to spiritual realms to seek guidance, healing, and protection. Present day shamanic practitioners use these same ancient techniques to engage with compassionate helping spirits to help heal the pains of modern existence.

This course examines episodes of cultural collision, moments when different world views – ideas about human origins, cultural values and practices, systems of politics, theories of science – encounter one another. We will study instances of cultural collision and exchange to consider some fundamental questions: How are human knowledge, values, and beliefs shaped? How do they evolve and spread? What can we learn about the values and belief systems of different cultures when they come into contact with one another? What can we learn about ourselves by exploring our encounters with other cultures?

 

Explore the songs and times of the great songwriters of stage and screen. Using clips from Broadway, film, and television, we will share life stories, hits and misses, and appreciate their genius. Included in this course will be Wittman and Shaiman (Hairspray, Some Like it Hot), Lerner and Loewe (Brigadoon, Camelot), Jerome Kern (Showboat), Irving Caesar (Tea for Two), Harold Arlen (Somewhere Over the Rainbow) and others.

Often overlooked in traditional design and architecture courses, the women designers of the 20th century have had a profound influence upon the way we perceive, experience, and enjoy our built environments, interiors, and decorative objects. This course explores and richly illustrates the work and influence of such designers and architects as Julia Morgan, Elsie de Wolfe, Eileen Gray, Lilly Reich, Charlotte Perriand, Dorothy Draper, Ray Eames, Zaha Hadid, and many others. Their lives and the beauty of their enduring designs are documented within the context of the social and political issues they faced.

Jim Morrison, Miriam Makeba, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and other artists transformed pop music in the 1960s, but they did not do so without a fight. At every turn they were confronted by entrenched forces within the status quo who pushed back. This course charts the rise of these artists and the opposition they encountered amid the upheaval of the Black freedom movement, opposition to the war in Vietnam, and the rising counterculture. Using previously unreleased FBI files, government documents, interviews, and the media of the day, we will shine a light on a period in history that continues to impact our world.

This course will look at the past, present, and future of unions and work. In the late 19th century, unions established a presence despite regular violence and opposition. Workers organized on an unprecedented scale in the 1930s, leading to a period of prosperity and labor peace in the post WWII era.  In the late 1970s and 1980s the business community launched an assault on union influence that has reduced American union workers from 35% to 10%. Finally, the course will focus on today’s increasingly precarious conditions at work, the gig economy, some of the new forms of organizing, and whether organized labor can address income inequality and global corporate power.