2020’s two seminal historical events – the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 30th anniversary of the German unification – present us with the perfect opportunity to explore the striking transformation of Germany from a brutal belligerent dictatorship to a flourishing and pacifist democracy. Join German Historian and Ex-Berliner, Anette Isaacs, for a fascinating discussion of how key events like the Potsdam Conference, the Berlin Airlift, and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall played a crucial role in this remarkable process.

This class, the fourth in the series, will explore some of the most important courtroom trials in American history. These cases – and the people involved (judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and defendants) – have shaped American jurisprudence and offer fascinating glimpses into an ever-evolving American society. The study of these cases will provide an in-depth look at judicial milestones in our country’s history. Case studies will include: the Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer; the Plenty Horses trial in the wake of Wounded Knee; the Black Sox trial for throwing the 1919 World Series; the Sam Sheppard homicide trial; and the trial of Patty Hearst (a two-part unit).

Since the earliest films, Hollywood has helped shape the public's image of the journalist. Of course, many movies stretch the truth, but they also uncover aspects of newsroom culture that news consumers seldom encounter in real life. Despite the exaggerations in most of these films, they have fanned a kind of fascination with the scoundrels and heroes who populate cinematic newsrooms. This course will examine some of the classic scenes of movie journalists plying their trade, and we will compare those depictions with the real world of reporting, editing and podcasting the news. All films discussed in this class are available online through a variety of streaming services. Students are encouraged to watch as many of the key films as possible outside of class, as this will improve their understanding of the material. During the Zoom presentation of the class, the instructor will include viewings of key clips from central films, and will describe other films in some detail.