History/Social Sciences   

This course will walk through one of the most famous studies of fascism across time, Robert Paxton's Anatomy of Fascism. Each week, will cover the main ideas from a chapter of the book, as well as advances in the field since its publication in 2004. Learners are invited but not obligated to read each chapter at home before each class. Note: this class meets twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Recommended reading: The Anatomy of Fascism, by Robert Paxton, Vintage, any edition. 

 

10-6: Sherrie Gette: More Everything Forever by Adam Becker. 

10-13: Maureen Smith: All the President’s Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money, by Megan Gorman.

10-20: Merrily Mazza: The Think Tank Racket by Glenn Diesen.

10-27: Deborah Dillon/Steve Ballinger: Peak Higher Education: How to Survive the Looming Crisis by Bryan Alexander.

11-3: Phil Fishman: Suffrage by Ellen Dubois

11-10: Dan Hunt: King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild

11-17: Ann Knapp: The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt

 

When Animal Farm was originally published, Stalin's Russia was the target. Today its themes about attacks on personal freedoms, the rewriting of history, and ways of governing compromised, seems particularly relevant.  Let's examine Orwell's allegorical masterpiece in terms of its relevancy in our times.

Recommended reading: Animal Farm by George Orwell, any edition.

 

Economics plays a central role in  every aspect of society. This course addresses a set of prominent policy issues where economics is at their core. We will explore their origins as policy matters, the underlying data and evidence, and what policy levers are available to deal with them. Lectures will be standalone, taught by a subject matter expert – all of whom have a Ph.D. in Economics. Potential topics include Climate Change, Social Security, Economic Inequality, and many more. The topics will be determined by what is most topical at the time of the course.  No reading is required. Course guide correction: The first meeting of this course is on Thursday, October 8th. 

Jews, Christians, and Muslims are often in the news, but it's sometimes unclear what these traditions have to do with each other. This course offers a very brief introduction to three religions that have had an outsized influence on world events, both historically and in recent memory. Students will gain knowledge about the origins of these traditions, as well as some orientation to how they continue to relate today. We will not begin to solve any ongoing political disputes, but we will chip away at ignorance in hopes of better understanding. 

Recommended reading: Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters (Omid Safi, 2010); The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (Marcus Borg and NT Wright, 2007); Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Norman Solomon, 2014). 

 

Executive functioning (EF) and self-regulation (SR) involve the highest level of human brain function, are required to perform new and challenging activities and are activated when we encounter obstacles in interpersonal interactions. Learn how the brain develops to provide EF/SR and its trajectory across the life span. How do relationships impact EF/SR? Trauma? How do EF/SR contribute to resilience? The course provides a nontechnical and comprehensive view of recent findings and their applications. Small group discussions will explore implications for you and your community. 

Jackson was a military leader and the President of the United States. This course will discuss all aspects of Jackson's life, including but not limited to: his early life, plus his marriage and family, his status as a slave owner, involvement in pistol duels, his experiences in the War of 1812 (including the major battle at New Orleans and treatment of troops), involvement in Native-American removal westward, his presidency, controversies, an assassination attempt, and the Slave Revolt by Nat Turner with Jackson's response.

In this course, you will explore the full sweep of the religion of Islam. The course will begin with the basic tenets of Islam, followed by its sources, the life of Muhammad, and a brief history of Islam. Next, we will analyze the concept of Jihad in Islam, & Islam in the later days. You will learn about the Islamic understanding of Jesus, Mary, & the People of the Book. Finally, we will discuss Islam in the current world. Ideal for beginners, this course answers questions of particular concern to those who care about the West’s relation with Islam. 

Citizenship in the US is a complex issue. What is it, and what happens to people who are denied citizenship and are stateless? This is a 3-part course.1: Why citizenship matters, why vulnerable minorities are excluded, efforts to end statelessness, and the impact of wars and conflicts; 2: Citizenship manipulation from Nazi Germany to the US; and international laws guaranteeing citizenship. 3: Statelessness today: the impact of 'climate migrants', wars and borders, and anti-immigration movements. Course fee: $10

 

The Nobel Conference is a 2-day conference held at Gustavus Adolphus College. This fall’s topic is the Mississippi River and will be held on 6-7 Oct.  Lectures will explore racial, historical, geological, and biological facets of the Mississippi River and its inhabitants. OLLI participants can watch the free conference either in person or through streaming and then we will have three Zoom meetings to discuss the lectures.  For more info about the Conference go to: https://gustavus.edu/about/nobel-conference. Attending in person includes other conference activities.