Wednesday   

Biochemistry converts DNA genomes into RNA, and this RNA gets transcribed into protein. Since the 1990s, we have learned that this is only part of the story. Scientists have found that RNA does much more than carry information. It can regulate expression of genes, act as an enzyme, and bind to specific targets - just like proteins - and each of these roles has been engineered in the lab. This course will provide a short survey of some of the surprising new roles researchers have found for RNA.

 

In February 1964, over 70 million Americans watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan — and nothing was the same again. This seven-session course takes a deep dive into the musical earthquake that followed: from the Beatles' ascendancy to the Rolling Stones' dangerous swagger, from Dusty Springfield's blue-eyed soul to the Who's amplifier-smashing fury. We'll explore not only the music, but also the music business, the technological changes, and the cultural forces that made it all possible. Beatle boots or go-go boots — optional.  

 

In February 1964, over 70 million Americans watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan — and nothing was the same again. This seven-session course takes a deep dive into the musical earthquake that followed: from the Beatles' ascendancy to the Rolling Stones' dangerous swagger, from Dusty Springfield's blue-eyed soul to the Who's amplifier-smashing fury. We'll explore not only the music, but also the music business, the technological changes, and the cultural forces that made it all possible. Beatle boots or go-go boots — optional.  

 

This 1975 novel follows a group of workers in 1937 Berlin struggling to resist fascist society.  They confront ancient art, contemporary culture, failed revolution, and everyday horrors in a project of self-education to inspire their own history-changing practice.  The course will aim to find resonant passages in this poetic and philosophic novel, to inspire our interpretations and perhaps challenge our commitments. Contextual information will focus on the art, selected historical figures and events. This course will read as far as Part I of Volume I. 

Required reading: The Aesthetics of Resistance by Peter Weiss (J Neugroschel & J Scott, trans), Duke University Press, 2005. Vol. 1.

 

We are all blessed with rich life experiences but often lack comfortable opportunities to share what we have learned.  Each session will begin with one brief story.  The story is not the lesson.  It is the doorway into a meaningful conversation.  We will share our stories of life and living as a group. This will be discussion based rather than lecture heavy.  It will be community building through personal reflection and listening to each other. 

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. 

 

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.

The adoption of new technologies and the mass commercialization of culture has opened the door for more deceptive advertising. This course will examine how deceit and scams manifest in multiple forms of contemporary advertising, from ads that don’t look like ads, misleading verbiage, consumer tracking/targeting, ponzi schemes, and plain old snake oil peddling. What are the rhetorical strategies of deceptive ads? Are devices really listening to you? How do we regulate advertising? And most importantly, how do you spot a scam? 

Recommended reading: Doublespeak: From “Revenue Enhancement” to “Terminal Living”: How Government, Business, Advertisers, and Others Use Language to Deceive You by W. Lutz, Ig Publishing, 2015; "The Importance of Being a Complainer: You have the Power to Hold Deceptive Marketers Accountable," B. Patten, 2024, https://truthinadvertising.org/blog/the-importance-of-being-a-complainer/.

 

On Nov 4, we will visit the Raptor Center for a program in which Raptor Center staff show live birds. Afterwards, we will go into the area where the birds are kept. On Nov. 11th, we will visit the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory. The staff will show us the public display gardens and talk about the Conservatory. Then, we will visit the research collection and do a treasure hunt. There may be an option to join lunch outings after each session (own expense). 

Oct 7--Davu Seru, Givens Collection of African American Literature and Life

Oct 14--Ellen Engseth, Immigration History Research Center Archives

Oct 21--Aiden Bettine, Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies

Oct 28--Erik Moore, University Archives

Nov 4--Kate Dietrick, Upper Midwest Jewish Archives

Nov 11--Maggie Ragnow, James Ford Bell Library and Special Collections and Rare Books