Monday   

The Berlin Wall opened in November 1989, ending forty years of German division following the Second World War. But what came after the celebration? A proliferation of Holocaust memorials in Berlin post-1989 served to help Germany atone for its dark past and educate the world on the horrors of genocide. For many East Germans, reunification was a time of great disruption and loss. The return of German nationalism was also accompanied by a spike in xenophobic violence against refugees and asylum seekers and the surging support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party.

 

This is the second part of a multi-part series on US Presidents. (No prior course required.) This term will include four talks including 1) The best prepared presidents 2) The most impactful presidents 3) The unexpected presidents and 4) post-presidencies. 

In this class we’ll explore the folk music of Spain (Andalusia, Galicia), Portugal, Italy (Liguria, Puglia, Tuscany), and France (Provence, Auvergne, Brittany) along with one or two side trips to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. We’ll examine the instruments, including the hurdy-gurdy, accordion, tamboura, cajon, guitar, etc. discuss the relationships between folk, classical, and popular styles, and provide information about where such music can be heard live in the Twin Cities today.

Every composer of music approaches the creative process differently, based on a range of considerations: personal experiences, technical training, place in history, preferred media, professional circumstances. Contrast, for example, the description of moonlight found in Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata and in Debussy’s "Clair de Lune," or the portrayal of impoverished young artists in La Boheme and RENT. In this class we’ll look at and listen to a variety of musical interpretations of existing tunes, texts, and entities, each one reflecting the unique background and outlook of its creator. 

 

Seamus Heaney came into international prominence during Ulster's sectarian Troubles of the 80's and 90's. This caused him to explore the costs and advantages of belonging to a particular group in a time of conflict without succumbing to mere partisanship. We will track his struggle through six of his most famous poems. No special knowledge is needed. Please join us for this examination of an artist reflecting his time and place in art that seeks to be universal.

Do you or someone you know plan to roast a turkey this November? Did you know there is a science behind this? Empirical rules in cookbooks suggest times and temperatures for roasting turkeys. These rules can be predicted from the physics and chemistry of turkey flesh. Doing so shows how science can be used to correlate, predict and extend knowledge to other situations, like cooking a dinosaur!

Discover how, for the health of all of us, American medicine must shift from reactive "healthcare" to proactive health. We’ll first explore the critical need for primary care alongside game-changing innovations like AI and groundbreaking GLP-1 therapies. We'll uncover the hopeful science of epigenetics. You'll learn how everyday choices—sleep, movement, connection, and purpose—act as powerful levers to extend your health span through the epigenetic influences of your daily life decisions on the expression of “good” and “bad genes.”  

Recommended reading: The Great Healthcare Disruption by Dr, Marschall Runge,  Forbes Books, 2025.

 

When we think of animals that provide the greatest insights into animal cognition and behavior, primates and honeybees come to mind, or perhaps whales or octopuses. What about the raccoons that plunder our rubbish at night, or the coyotes that threaten pets and livestock, or the gulls that divebomb for snacks at the beach? Based on Marlene Zuk’s new book, Outsider Animals, this talk challenges everything you thought you knew about the overlooked animals that live in proximity to humans, sharing the stories that each has to tell about adaptation and cohabitation on our increasingly crowded planet.

Recommended reading: Outsider Animals by Marlene Zuk, Princeton University Press, 2026.

YWCA St. Paul, located in the Summit Hill neighborhood, has been a staple of the community for over 100 years.  This course will explain what we know helps vulnerable families transition out of crisis, homelessness, and/or domestic violence situations into self-sufficient and stable living. We will discuss the intricacies of supporting vulnerable families,  Supportive Housing Programs, Youth Leadership Programs, Foster Care Youth Transition Programs, Career Pathways, and, most importantly, what you as an individual can do to support families in these situations.

 

Cannabis policy, products, and conversations are changing quickly in Minnesota, leaving many people confused. In this session, staff from the University of Minnesota's Cannabis Research Center bring clarity to the topic of cannabis in Minnesota by sharing cannabis basics, including key terminology, product types, and an overview of the cannabis policy landscape. They will also highlight current Minnesota-centered research on who is using cannabis and how use patterns are evolving.

Apples, apricots, plums, pears, cherries and even peaches! A surprising variety of fruit trees can be grown in Minnesota, and especially in the Twin Cities. Discover what to keep in mind when considering the planting of a fruit tree(s), sources of fruit trees, as well as the siting, planting and caring for your fruit trees. 

Calling all event-goers interested in downtown Minneapolis spaces – especially you Timberwolves, Lynx, and concert fans! Tour the Target Center and explore spaces rarely open to the public, including the arena floor, backstage area, locker room corridor, Lynx locker room, media press conference room, suite level, and Crunch's Den. Learn about the history of professional basketball in Minneapolis, how the arena was built, and how crews transform the venue between events in a matter of hours. Finally, if we all behave during the tour, we’ll enjoy an on-court “shoot-around”! Course guide correction: This tour takes place at the Target Center, not on Zoom.