Fall 2017 - Course Previews
These Course Previews are a very popular way for our members to see the upcoming attractions for the Winter semester. Registration starts on August 8 starting at 9:00 am, and classes start on Monday September 11. We will publicize more helpful info on Registration closer to the date.
The Previews are short write ups on each course, giving the instructor's name. You can use the Previews to look forward to what you can enjoy in the Winter months. And tell your friends about the great courses coming to OLLI at Duke.
Click on the names of the areas (below) to see the previews in that area, or just read all from the top.
You can find a course by using your browser "search" feature or "find in page", e.g. in Chrome on windows, use cntl-F to find some words in the course title or description.
ART & ARCHITECTURE
Frank Lloyd Wright: the Man and his Architecture promises to be an exciting and provocative course as Peter Blaufeux introduces you to one of America’s most famous architects. This designer of iconic masterpieces was also an author, philosopher, teacher, and lover of fast cars. Slides, videos, and handouts will highlight the designs of this prolific genius.
Join Ruth Caccavale as she explores Art and Women: 19th and 20th Century Art. Delve into feminist scholarship in art history and examine the differences between art made by women and by men and consider issues such as essentialism in art, art as protest, and appropriation in art. Men are welcome!
Women being censored in film, really? When did it begin, what did it mean for women, how did Hollywood respond? With Laura DeBar, in History of Censorship in American Film, you will screen and discuss films of different eras of the 20th century to understand the role censorship has played in the movie industry and its effects on women.
Join Kristine Door in American Art: From Colonial to Modern as she uses the vast collection of the North Carolina Museum of Art to survey American art from its colonial roots through portraits, still life, story paintings, Manifest Destiny, American Landscape painting, early American modern art, the Ash Can School, Impressionism, and Regionalism. Lectures in the Museum Auditorium will alternate with Gallery sessions that were discussed in the lectures.
It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In All Things Beautiful...to Japanese Eyes: Aesthetics, Mif Falharty will guide you through the Japanese concepts of beauty and aesthetics. By the course’s end you will gain an appreciation of the interplay of these concepts and how they shape Japan’s cultural identity.
How did society move from hand weaving and spinning into monofilament fibers that can make cloth as responsive as a smart phone? Learn from both guest experts and cloth designer Bonnie Fuchs in this class Threads of History: From Fiber to Fabric, from Chemistry to Cloth.
Ménage á trois, glorious gardens, and hidden political secrets—what was really going on in Chatsworth, the stateliest of England’s stately homes? Find out in this delightful two-hour course with Alva Horton entitled England's Treasure House: Chatsworth.
Get the inside story on local art: view it, study it, talk with the artists who make it. Chellie LaPointe offers the class Local Art in Focus to share her expertise in art analysis and the local creative scene.
Make an intellectual visit to four churches in Florence and explore some of the greatest works in that art-rich city with Norman Pendergraft and the class The Art of Four Florentine Churches—including work by Michelangelo, Masaccio, and Vasari.
Join Robert Vance, philosopher and accomplished photographer, in an investigation into the distinctive nature of the photograph and an exploration of its aesthetic dimensions in his course Photography, Beauty, and Meaning.
Frank Lloyd Wright: the Man and his Architecture promises to be an exciting and provocative course as Peter Blaufeux introduces you to one of America’s most famous architects. This designer of iconic masterpieces was also an author, philosopher, teacher, and lover of fast cars. Slides, videos, and handouts will highlight the designs of this prolific genius.
Join Ruth Caccavale as she explores Art and Women: 19th and 20th Century Art. Delve into feminist scholarship in art history and examine the differences between art made by women and by men and consider issues such as essentialism in art, art as protest, and appropriation in art. Men are welcome!
Women being censored in film, really? When did it begin, what did it mean for women, how did Hollywood respond? With Laura DeBar, in History of Censorship in American Film, you will screen and discuss films of different eras of the 20th century to understand the role censorship has played in the movie industry and its effects on women.
Join Kristine Door in American Art: From Colonial to Modern as she uses the vast collection of the North Carolina Museum of Art to survey American art from its colonial roots through portraits, still life, story paintings, Manifest Destiny, American Landscape painting, early American modern art, the Ash Can School, Impressionism, and Regionalism. Lectures in the Museum Auditorium will alternate with Gallery sessions that were discussed in the lectures.
It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In All Things Beautiful...to Japanese Eyes: Aesthetics, Mif Falharty will guide you through the Japanese concepts of beauty and aesthetics. By the course’s end you will gain an appreciation of the interplay of these concepts and how they shape Japan’s cultural identity.
How did society move from hand weaving and spinning into monofilament fibers that can make cloth as responsive as a smart phone? Learn from both guest experts and cloth designer Bonnie Fuchs in this class Threads of History: From Fiber to Fabric, from Chemistry to Cloth.
Ménage á trois, glorious gardens, and hidden political secrets—what was really going on in Chatsworth, the stateliest of England’s stately homes? Find out in this delightful two-hour course with Alva Horton entitled England's Treasure House: Chatsworth.
Get the inside story on local art: view it, study it, talk with the artists who make it. Chellie LaPointe offers the class Local Art in Focus to share her expertise in art analysis and the local creative scene.
Make an intellectual visit to four churches in Florence and explore some of the greatest works in that art-rich city with Norman Pendergraft and the class The Art of Four Florentine Churches—including work by Michelangelo, Masaccio, and Vasari.
Join Robert Vance, philosopher and accomplished photographer, in an investigation into the distinctive nature of the photograph and an exploration of its aesthetic dimensions in his course Photography, Beauty, and Meaning.
COMPUTERS & PHOTOGRAPHY
Take a peak into that little black box—your digital camera that is. If you are an aspiring digital photographer, consider taking Tom Benson’s course Introduction to Digital Photography. In this hands-on class, you will learn technical details about your camera and its internal operations and some good basic photography. From the discussion and first-hand experience you will soon be using your camera to make great pictures.
Going once, going twice, sold—or maybe bought. Whether it is shopping or de-shopping, the world is at your fingertips through the Internet. And with Kathy Davis’s knowledge and insights you can enhance your buying and selling experience. In her class Selling and Buying Treasures on the Internet: Using eBay and other Sites you will learn tricks of the trade and develop strategies to optimize your transactions.
Do you have a great vacation photo except for the strangers who photobombed you? Well, erase them and, while you’re at it, brighten up that cloudy sky a bit. Mary Jo Fickle will show you how to improve and correct your photos, as well as take on special projects like panoramas and collages, in Intro to Photoshop Elements: Photo Editing for Mac and PC.
Learn the technology to turn your design ideas into actual physical objects in this class by Howard Koslow that takes advantage of free software and the most interesting new hardware: Introduction to 3D Printing.
How secure is your computer right now? At a guess, you probably don’t know. In Cyber-Security 101: Practical Tips for Non-Techies, Carey Parker will explain the basics of computers, networking, security, and privacy—in plain English, using simple analogies—and then show what you can do at home to make your computer system and even mobile devices more secure.
Remember when developing a website was really a struggle—and you just didn’t bother? It is different now, and Greg Tenhover will give you step-by-step instructions on creating a website in his class Easy WordPress Websites: Professional-looking Websites without Advanced Technical Skills. In this hands-on class you will create a website using many of the easy to use WordPress features.
Would you like to take your photography to the next level? Do you understand why your camera didn’t capture the image you wanted? Then consider enrolling in Taking Your Photography to the Next Level: Photographic Composition and join John Sehon as he introduces you to the elements of design, the principles of composition, and photo editing software.
There is so much more to digital photography than just tapping the “shoot” button on your camera or smart phone. In Introduction to Digital Image Editing with Adobe Lightroom© you will learn how this software can organize, enhance, print, and publish your work. In the lab, using your own photographs, Dennis Szerszen will teach you how to make the software magic happen.
Want to know how to do more with your camera than just take a few snap shots every now and then? Take this class in Intermediate DSLR Photography: A Hands-on Exploration! with instructor John Vaeth for help from a lifelong professional photographer in getting to great pictures.
Take a peak into that little black box—your digital camera that is. If you are an aspiring digital photographer, consider taking Tom Benson’s course Introduction to Digital Photography. In this hands-on class, you will learn technical details about your camera and its internal operations and some good basic photography. From the discussion and first-hand experience you will soon be using your camera to make great pictures.
Going once, going twice, sold—or maybe bought. Whether it is shopping or de-shopping, the world is at your fingertips through the Internet. And with Kathy Davis’s knowledge and insights you can enhance your buying and selling experience. In her class Selling and Buying Treasures on the Internet: Using eBay and other Sites you will learn tricks of the trade and develop strategies to optimize your transactions.
Do you have a great vacation photo except for the strangers who photobombed you? Well, erase them and, while you’re at it, brighten up that cloudy sky a bit. Mary Jo Fickle will show you how to improve and correct your photos, as well as take on special projects like panoramas and collages, in Intro to Photoshop Elements: Photo Editing for Mac and PC.
Learn the technology to turn your design ideas into actual physical objects in this class by Howard Koslow that takes advantage of free software and the most interesting new hardware: Introduction to 3D Printing.
How secure is your computer right now? At a guess, you probably don’t know. In Cyber-Security 101: Practical Tips for Non-Techies, Carey Parker will explain the basics of computers, networking, security, and privacy—in plain English, using simple analogies—and then show what you can do at home to make your computer system and even mobile devices more secure.
Remember when developing a website was really a struggle—and you just didn’t bother? It is different now, and Greg Tenhover will give you step-by-step instructions on creating a website in his class Easy WordPress Websites: Professional-looking Websites without Advanced Technical Skills. In this hands-on class you will create a website using many of the easy to use WordPress features.
Would you like to take your photography to the next level? Do you understand why your camera didn’t capture the image you wanted? Then consider enrolling in Taking Your Photography to the Next Level: Photographic Composition and join John Sehon as he introduces you to the elements of design, the principles of composition, and photo editing software.
There is so much more to digital photography than just tapping the “shoot” button on your camera or smart phone. In Introduction to Digital Image Editing with Adobe Lightroom© you will learn how this software can organize, enhance, print, and publish your work. In the lab, using your own photographs, Dennis Szerszen will teach you how to make the software magic happen.
Want to know how to do more with your camera than just take a few snap shots every now and then? Take this class in Intermediate DSLR Photography: A Hands-on Exploration! with instructor John Vaeth for help from a lifelong professional photographer in getting to great pictures.
ECONOMICS, FINANCE & RETIREMENT
Retired - egad, no paycheck! What a crucial time to be certain that you have a solid investment plan for the many financial stages you may likely face in your retirement. Julie Kelly’s course, Thirty Years without a Paycheck: Navigating your Way through Retirement will identify these stages and guide you in preparing sound financial strategies for your years without a paycheck.
What shall we do and where shall we live as we get along in age? In Stay Put or Move On: Age-in-Place or Move to a Retirement Community, Margaret Riley and John DiMiceli will guide us through the available information on choices and visit some existing senior communities
Teri Rogowski wants to empower women to take control of their financial lives and invites you to join her in her course, Financial Fitness for Women. You will learn about investment choices, how to calculate your net worth and cash flow, and how to understand the relative risks of different investment vehicles. There will be guest speakers who will address tax and estate planning issues.
It’s been said that money makes the world go ‘round—but how does it do that? Join Stephan Wittkowsky for discussions on economics and globalism and what those mean for developments around the world in Trends and Perspectives in Economic Development: Issues in a Globalized World.
Retired - egad, no paycheck! What a crucial time to be certain that you have a solid investment plan for the many financial stages you may likely face in your retirement. Julie Kelly’s course, Thirty Years without a Paycheck: Navigating your Way through Retirement will identify these stages and guide you in preparing sound financial strategies for your years without a paycheck.
What shall we do and where shall we live as we get along in age? In Stay Put or Move On: Age-in-Place or Move to a Retirement Community, Margaret Riley and John DiMiceli will guide us through the available information on choices and visit some existing senior communities
Teri Rogowski wants to empower women to take control of their financial lives and invites you to join her in her course, Financial Fitness for Women. You will learn about investment choices, how to calculate your net worth and cash flow, and how to understand the relative risks of different investment vehicles. There will be guest speakers who will address tax and estate planning issues.
It’s been said that money makes the world go ‘round—but how does it do that? Join Stephan Wittkowsky for discussions on economics and globalism and what those mean for developments around the world in Trends and Perspectives in Economic Development: Issues in a Globalized World.
HANDS-ON-ART
If you are looking for a hobby that can be done anywhere that requires few supplies and for which inspiration is just outside your door, Nature in Pen and Ink with Color is just the class for you. Dot Wilbur-Brooks will instruct you in the techniques and materials needed to produce beautiful sketches of natural objects and plants
Are you interested in finding out more about stitching by hand? This easy-to-learn artistic craft is a rewarding way to embellish fabric and create something beautiful! Jo Darby’s class Hand Embroidery for Beginners is not only for beginners for those who want to brush up on their needlework skills.
If you paint, then it goes without saying that you want to get better at what you do. In this course Painting by Design: Improve Your Painting Skills Using Color, Composition, Design, and More with painter Nancy Darling, you will gain both skills and insight as you get “brush mileage” and overcome that fear of the blank surface.
Do you think you can't draw? You are wrong! Take Mary Kay Holterman's class in Basic Drawing, and you will learn that you CAN draw.
Learn a new art technique and become your own best critic in this workshop-plus-demonstrations class offered by Bernice Koff, The Marriage of Paint and Collage: Experimentation in Watermedia Painting.
Learn to make silver jewelry pieces while you learn how to use jewelers' tools for specialized techniques in Lynn Occhiuzzo's course, The Fundamentals of Silver Jewelry Making.
Knitters unite, and learn to make sweaters that actually fit! Join Amie Palmer and fellow knitters to produce your own custom sweater in Knit a Sweater That Fits.
Prepare for the chills of winter by learning to knit a warm hat in Amie Palmer's course, Learn to Knit a Warm Winter Hat. Beginning and former knitters are welcome.
Have you ever thought of making an afghan? Now is your chance. Join Amie Palmer's class Learn to Knit an Afghan. Beginners and experienced knitters are welcome.
Beginning Watercolor Painting with instructor Becky Raye Russell is a great opportunity to learn the basics of painting with watercolors for those who have always wanted to try it. Students will learn about the technical aspects of watercolor painting while practicing under Becky’s guidance and encouragement.
Local chef David Sovero believes you can create a gourmet yet good, healthy, and inexpensive meal using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Don’t believe it? Come have a hands-on cooking experience in The Art of Cooking 1 with David Sovero.
Local chef David Sovero believes you can create a gourmet yet good, healthy, and inexpensive meal using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Don’t believe it? Come have a hands-on cooking experience in The Art of Cooking 2 with David Sovero.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 1: Grace the Table.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 2: Celebrate the Autumn Equinox.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 3: Plein Air Art at the Farm.
Make beautiful cards from paintings you do yourself—learn the skills in
Chinese Brush Painting: Flowers, Birds, and Cards which will be taught by experienced instructor Alice Zhao.
If you are looking for a hobby that can be done anywhere that requires few supplies and for which inspiration is just outside your door, Nature in Pen and Ink with Color is just the class for you. Dot Wilbur-Brooks will instruct you in the techniques and materials needed to produce beautiful sketches of natural objects and plants
Are you interested in finding out more about stitching by hand? This easy-to-learn artistic craft is a rewarding way to embellish fabric and create something beautiful! Jo Darby’s class Hand Embroidery for Beginners is not only for beginners for those who want to brush up on their needlework skills.
If you paint, then it goes without saying that you want to get better at what you do. In this course Painting by Design: Improve Your Painting Skills Using Color, Composition, Design, and More with painter Nancy Darling, you will gain both skills and insight as you get “brush mileage” and overcome that fear of the blank surface.
Do you think you can't draw? You are wrong! Take Mary Kay Holterman's class in Basic Drawing, and you will learn that you CAN draw.
Learn a new art technique and become your own best critic in this workshop-plus-demonstrations class offered by Bernice Koff, The Marriage of Paint and Collage: Experimentation in Watermedia Painting.
Learn to make silver jewelry pieces while you learn how to use jewelers' tools for specialized techniques in Lynn Occhiuzzo's course, The Fundamentals of Silver Jewelry Making.
Knitters unite, and learn to make sweaters that actually fit! Join Amie Palmer and fellow knitters to produce your own custom sweater in Knit a Sweater That Fits.
Prepare for the chills of winter by learning to knit a warm hat in Amie Palmer's course, Learn to Knit a Warm Winter Hat. Beginning and former knitters are welcome.
Have you ever thought of making an afghan? Now is your chance. Join Amie Palmer's class Learn to Knit an Afghan. Beginners and experienced knitters are welcome.
Beginning Watercolor Painting with instructor Becky Raye Russell is a great opportunity to learn the basics of painting with watercolors for those who have always wanted to try it. Students will learn about the technical aspects of watercolor painting while practicing under Becky’s guidance and encouragement.
Local chef David Sovero believes you can create a gourmet yet good, healthy, and inexpensive meal using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Don’t believe it? Come have a hands-on cooking experience in The Art of Cooking 1 with David Sovero.
Local chef David Sovero believes you can create a gourmet yet good, healthy, and inexpensive meal using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Don’t believe it? Come have a hands-on cooking experience in The Art of Cooking 2 with David Sovero.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 1: Grace the Table.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 2: Celebrate the Autumn Equinox.
Join a group at the Duke Campus Farm for a program this fall and be surrounded by all the season has to offer. Fellowship with others and learn how to harvest and enjoy the bounty of this glorious season with food and art. Catherine Cross Tsintzos invites you to meet her for Seasons at the Farm 3: Plein Air Art at the Farm.
Make beautiful cards from paintings you do yourself—learn the skills in
Chinese Brush Painting: Flowers, Birds, and Cards which will be taught by experienced instructor Alice Zhao.
HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Join Rob Bauernfeind as he walks us through discussions of the past and present of Turkey, a country that is both Asian and European, forever at the crossroads between two rival worlds in Turkey: Between Two Worlds.
Shelley Bleiweiss leads this class entitled Holocaust and Human Behavior: It did not Start with Gas Chambers which asks us to look at bias and prejudice and try to understand what leads ordinary people into tolerating extraordinary behavior against others.
Whether you jump up and dance to “Devil with a Blue Dress” or whether you grind your teeth at a Duke athletics victory, you’ll have to admit that the school’s sports’ tradition is exciting. Join Lewis Bowling for a trip through Duke Sports History and get a complete picture.
Military air power, first used in WWI, not only changed the ultimate shape of that war but of all wars to come as new uses and new aircraft were developed. Take The Birth of Modern Air Power: The First Air War 1914-1945 with Joseph Caddell and get an overview of this critical evolution in warfare technology.
The enslavement of Black people in America has a complex history, beginning with the Pilgrims and continuing with economic and social slavery in the contemporary eras. Join John Canzanella in his class Free at Last! Free at Last? Slavery and U.S. Civil Rights for an absorbing intellectual journey.
What happened in North Carolina during the period before and after the American Civil War that still resonates in today’s political events? Join G. Wade Carmichael for a look at North Carolina and the American Civil War to pull back the curtain on the Nineteenth Century.
You may know about the Boston Tea Party and Fort Ticonderoga, but what do you know about the American Revolution in the southern colonies? Do you know why the Southern soldiers differed in thought and reason from those of the North? G. Wade Carmichael will lead us in learning about the American Revolution in the South.
Using a New Lens, Dick Chady will lead students to see the familiar in new ways. Malcolm Gladwell's books exemplify this innovative approach to common topics.
How did the framers of the Constitution actually come up with the document we now have as our Constitution? Obviously lots of discussions went into it—everything from Cato to the Algonquin Republic. Join Christopher Curley in The Origins of American Constitutional Thought: a History of Political Ideas for an engaging study.
In The Soviet State: Stalin through Gorbachev, William Davidshofer will introduce you to the domestic and foreign policies of Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev. Along the way you will encounter Stalin’s reign of terror, World War II, the Cold War, Detente, and Gorbachev’s efforts to normalize relations with the West while simultaneously reforming the Soviet state.
If you have an interest in current events, come share your knowledge and perspective with other similarly obsessed OLLI members in The World Today. Weekly class sessions will be facilitated by a rotating team of instructors--Richard Ellman, Henry Blinder, Dean Block, Doug Longman, and Rich Shepherd—who will bring to the discussions years of broad-based experience in public policy, governance, finance, law, economics, and the military.
Explore some of the cultural complexities of the United States in the 1950s through Peter Filene’s Coming of Age in the 1950s by reading a variety of memoirs, through contextualizing lectures on the period, and through mutual exploration of course participants’ memories of their experiences in this era.
The 1930s were influenced by WWI and the Great Depression, and the events of the decade led inexorably to WWII. In A World of Trouble: A History of the 1930s, Pat Gaegler and the class explore this critical period.
Got your airline ticket; ready to go? But what is going on behind the scenes to make that trip happen? Let Jack Gartner, a longtime airport industry expert give you the skinny on the inner workings of several major US airports. In How Airports Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Aviation and Airports, Gartner will cover both the routine and less than routine aspects of airport management, which are all a part of getting you to your next destination.
In Arnold Gordon's course on The Blood Libel and Anti-Semitic Show Trials you will learn the extent and the impact of these anti-Semitic trials on Jews from early history to the 20th century.
Even WWII buffs often misinterpret why Japanese engaged America in the war. Jeffrey Greenhut will discuss how Japan’s relationships with China, the British Empire, and India drove the decision to attack the US and how our resulting occupation changed Japan’s national focus. World War II: Asia and the Pacific
The revolution earned independence from Great Britain for the American colonies, but the experience of having been a British colony shaped many of the underlying principles of the American Constitution as the founders were writing it. Join Eric Johnson in The American Revolution and the Development of the Constitution to take a look at these ideas.
The History of Surgery: The Quest for Treatment of Injury and Disease promises you a fascinating overview of a fundamental tool of medicine. Ernie Kundert will guide you through the convoluted progress of surgery from earliest times to the present.
The story of American politics since 1932 has in many ways centered on the Presidency and the people who have occupied that office. George Lankevich explores this history with its dramatic events and strong personalities in Presidents and Politics: From the New Deal to Trumpism.
For the decade of the 1990’s, America was the dominant world power intervening in disputes around the world. In Richard Melanson’s course entitled America Astride the World: U.S. Foreign Policy 1990-2003, you will analyze what drove the critical foreign policy decisions of that time.
The Rise and Fall of Woodrow Wilson: Was he another Humpty Dumpty? Learn more about this president from Wendell Musser as he delves into the life and times of Woodrow Wilson.
Germany: enemy, ally, partner. George O’Keefe’s course German Political Currents 1648 to Present helps us make sense of the various religious, political, social, and artistic currents that have shaped that country’s culture over the past centuries.
The Middle East in comparison with Europe is the subject of Ken Richard's course, Understanding the Middle East: Roots of the Culture Gap. A key question in the comparison is why the Enlightenment flourished in the West while the Golden Age lost momentum in the Middle East.
The Supreme Court makes decisions that affects all our lives and is the source of much political controversy—but how much do you really know about how it works and the forces that drive it? In the Douglas Shrader course The Supreme Court in the Twenty-first Century you can take a look at both the Court itself and this state’s legal adventures there in recent years.
In Civil Discourse or Civil Discord, Dale Steinaker presents the views
of contemporary American conservative thinkers in the hope that knowing more facts about their assumptions and policy prescriptions will help open our minds and stimulate further research about their ideas.
Ever wonder what happened to Kim Philby and other famous spies? Join August Thornton as he explores the world with Intelligence Studies: Introduction to Espionage Methods and Operations. Maybe you too can learn how to be a spy!
How do you define “American” music? Billy Yeargin will take a look at the many influences that have shaped the music that Americans call their own. In The Sound of Music: American Style, you will trace how musical imports have been blended to create an “American” sound. Guest performers, videos, lectures, and class talent will help highlight how we have benefitted from and uniquely enhanced musical cultures from around the world.
Join Rob Bauernfeind as he walks us through discussions of the past and present of Turkey, a country that is both Asian and European, forever at the crossroads between two rival worlds in Turkey: Between Two Worlds.
Shelley Bleiweiss leads this class entitled Holocaust and Human Behavior: It did not Start with Gas Chambers which asks us to look at bias and prejudice and try to understand what leads ordinary people into tolerating extraordinary behavior against others.
Whether you jump up and dance to “Devil with a Blue Dress” or whether you grind your teeth at a Duke athletics victory, you’ll have to admit that the school’s sports’ tradition is exciting. Join Lewis Bowling for a trip through Duke Sports History and get a complete picture.
Military air power, first used in WWI, not only changed the ultimate shape of that war but of all wars to come as new uses and new aircraft were developed. Take The Birth of Modern Air Power: The First Air War 1914-1945 with Joseph Caddell and get an overview of this critical evolution in warfare technology.
The enslavement of Black people in America has a complex history, beginning with the Pilgrims and continuing with economic and social slavery in the contemporary eras. Join John Canzanella in his class Free at Last! Free at Last? Slavery and U.S. Civil Rights for an absorbing intellectual journey.
What happened in North Carolina during the period before and after the American Civil War that still resonates in today’s political events? Join G. Wade Carmichael for a look at North Carolina and the American Civil War to pull back the curtain on the Nineteenth Century.
You may know about the Boston Tea Party and Fort Ticonderoga, but what do you know about the American Revolution in the southern colonies? Do you know why the Southern soldiers differed in thought and reason from those of the North? G. Wade Carmichael will lead us in learning about the American Revolution in the South.
Using a New Lens, Dick Chady will lead students to see the familiar in new ways. Malcolm Gladwell's books exemplify this innovative approach to common topics.
How did the framers of the Constitution actually come up with the document we now have as our Constitution? Obviously lots of discussions went into it—everything from Cato to the Algonquin Republic. Join Christopher Curley in The Origins of American Constitutional Thought: a History of Political Ideas for an engaging study.
In The Soviet State: Stalin through Gorbachev, William Davidshofer will introduce you to the domestic and foreign policies of Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev. Along the way you will encounter Stalin’s reign of terror, World War II, the Cold War, Detente, and Gorbachev’s efforts to normalize relations with the West while simultaneously reforming the Soviet state.
If you have an interest in current events, come share your knowledge and perspective with other similarly obsessed OLLI members in The World Today. Weekly class sessions will be facilitated by a rotating team of instructors--Richard Ellman, Henry Blinder, Dean Block, Doug Longman, and Rich Shepherd—who will bring to the discussions years of broad-based experience in public policy, governance, finance, law, economics, and the military.
Explore some of the cultural complexities of the United States in the 1950s through Peter Filene’s Coming of Age in the 1950s by reading a variety of memoirs, through contextualizing lectures on the period, and through mutual exploration of course participants’ memories of their experiences in this era.
The 1930s were influenced by WWI and the Great Depression, and the events of the decade led inexorably to WWII. In A World of Trouble: A History of the 1930s, Pat Gaegler and the class explore this critical period.
Got your airline ticket; ready to go? But what is going on behind the scenes to make that trip happen? Let Jack Gartner, a longtime airport industry expert give you the skinny on the inner workings of several major US airports. In How Airports Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Aviation and Airports, Gartner will cover both the routine and less than routine aspects of airport management, which are all a part of getting you to your next destination.
In Arnold Gordon's course on The Blood Libel and Anti-Semitic Show Trials you will learn the extent and the impact of these anti-Semitic trials on Jews from early history to the 20th century.
Even WWII buffs often misinterpret why Japanese engaged America in the war. Jeffrey Greenhut will discuss how Japan’s relationships with China, the British Empire, and India drove the decision to attack the US and how our resulting occupation changed Japan’s national focus. World War II: Asia and the Pacific
The revolution earned independence from Great Britain for the American colonies, but the experience of having been a British colony shaped many of the underlying principles of the American Constitution as the founders were writing it. Join Eric Johnson in The American Revolution and the Development of the Constitution to take a look at these ideas.
The History of Surgery: The Quest for Treatment of Injury and Disease promises you a fascinating overview of a fundamental tool of medicine. Ernie Kundert will guide you through the convoluted progress of surgery from earliest times to the present.
The story of American politics since 1932 has in many ways centered on the Presidency and the people who have occupied that office. George Lankevich explores this history with its dramatic events and strong personalities in Presidents and Politics: From the New Deal to Trumpism.
For the decade of the 1990’s, America was the dominant world power intervening in disputes around the world. In Richard Melanson’s course entitled America Astride the World: U.S. Foreign Policy 1990-2003, you will analyze what drove the critical foreign policy decisions of that time.
The Rise and Fall of Woodrow Wilson: Was he another Humpty Dumpty? Learn more about this president from Wendell Musser as he delves into the life and times of Woodrow Wilson.
Germany: enemy, ally, partner. George O’Keefe’s course German Political Currents 1648 to Present helps us make sense of the various religious, political, social, and artistic currents that have shaped that country’s culture over the past centuries.
The Middle East in comparison with Europe is the subject of Ken Richard's course, Understanding the Middle East: Roots of the Culture Gap. A key question in the comparison is why the Enlightenment flourished in the West while the Golden Age lost momentum in the Middle East.
The Supreme Court makes decisions that affects all our lives and is the source of much political controversy—but how much do you really know about how it works and the forces that drive it? In the Douglas Shrader course The Supreme Court in the Twenty-first Century you can take a look at both the Court itself and this state’s legal adventures there in recent years.
In Civil Discourse or Civil Discord, Dale Steinaker presents the views
of contemporary American conservative thinkers in the hope that knowing more facts about their assumptions and policy prescriptions will help open our minds and stimulate further research about their ideas.
Ever wonder what happened to Kim Philby and other famous spies? Join August Thornton as he explores the world with Intelligence Studies: Introduction to Espionage Methods and Operations. Maybe you too can learn how to be a spy!
How do you define “American” music? Billy Yeargin will take a look at the many influences that have shaped the music that Americans call their own. In The Sound of Music: American Style, you will trace how musical imports have been blended to create an “American” sound. Guest performers, videos, lectures, and class talent will help highlight how we have benefitted from and uniquely enhanced musical cultures from around the world.
LIFESTYLES
Eat food for your life: help control your cholesterol, diabetes, and blood pressure with your diet. Enjoy Dilip Barman’s course and sample some food in Food for Life Kickstart: Evidence-Based Nutrition Lessons with Easy Recipes and Food Sampling.
Is 2 plus 2 still 4? It is, but you need to talk the talk of schools today to work with kids on math homework. Prof. Donald Burdick will help you understand the differences between math then and now in his course How to Help your Grandchildren Learn Math.
Imagine soft Pacific breezes wafting over you as you dance to graceful tropical melodies and enticing island beats—sounds more like a vacation than an exercise! And that’s how much fun it will be in Margaret Clemen’s class Women's Dance and Exercise: Pacific Island Dance.
Don’t depend on ads and gimmicks: base your health and longevity diet choices on valid research studies of what and what not to eat and drink. Edwin Cox will guide us through What to Eat—and Why! An Evidence-based Guide to Healthy Nutrition.
Take years off your body. Really! Not an ad for cosmetics. Instead attend Karen Dodd's course Change your Age: Use your Body and Brain to Feel Younger, Stronger, and More Fit.
Dance the night away or at least the class away. Let Bunnie Gordon teach you Israeli folk dance. Israeli Folk Dance for Beginners promises to be fun, active and a great time! No partner required.
Medicine—what’s in favor, what’s not! Today’s miracle cure is tomorrow’s bane. Two learned medical scholars, Bob Gutin and Ed Cox, and their invited guests will take a close look at some of the medical issues of the day. In their class Frontiers in Medicine: Exploring the Latest Findings and Controversies you can look forward to thought-provoking presentations followed by lively discussion.
Dust off your old chess board and join us for a good time in perfecting your strategies and tactics for playing this ageless game of navigating a battlefield. Rosalyn Katz and Charles Pole designed Chess for Seniors to be interactive and engaging. They will invite guest presenters who will add to the discussion and share knowledge about the local chess scene.
It is a run-away world, and understanding your connections to all that is going on out there can be enlightening and comforting. Celine Koropchak hopes you will join her in a thoughtful discussion of these connections. In her class Practical Wisdom: How to be Your Authentic Self in this Changing World you will learn about powerful tools to support a more compassionate, meaningful and contemplative way of life.
Postures, breathing, meditation and principles—the four main tools of yoga. Discover them to find ease in body and mind with Carol Krucoff as she guides you in her course Oh, My Aging Body: Using Yoga to Help Manage Health Challenges.
You can engage in new ways to enhance your "third act" years by taking Grace McCall's class Thrive in your “Third Act”: Develop your Passion, Embrace a New Purpose. You will learn strategies for enriching your life and have fun participating in Zumba Gold.
Lou Milllin invites you to share your own wisdom about subjects such as fear, newness, joy, and relationships as you study Joan Chittester’s book The Gift of Years in The Gift of Years: Exploring the Rewards of Conscious Aging.
If you like the idea of yoga but have never known how to get started, this is the course you need to take. Jeannie Minnick is a certified instructor and her class Beginner Yoga introduces the practice and poses so that everyone can participate.
If you have or are planning to get a pet, Veterinary Medicine for Pet People is the course for you. Among the topics veterinarian Lee Pickett will teach you are money-saving tips, how to read a pet food label, and common pet maladies.
If a specific, measurable program works to help addicts and alcoholics overcome their problems, can some version of that program help anyone to deal with other types of personal problems? Join Bill Rickard in this class Using the 12 Steps Program as a Way of Life to discover the potential strengths of this program for everyone.
If you need the support of a group to be motivated to stay fit with exercise and stretching, this class with Julia Rose in Strength and Power for 50
Plus: Resistance Training for Muscular Strength and Endurance is likely just the ticket for you.
Learn the exercise and nutrition skills that can increase not just the length of your life but also the quality of it. If you can walk to class and get on the floor, you can improve your physical condition with Sheila Tayrose and her class in Keeping Your Muscles and Bones Fit: How to Extend the Quality of Your Life.
If you’re still walking, you can get a great exercise session with all the fun of dancing to some familiar and some new genres! Sue Wartell will lead you and your friends in her course If You Can Walk, You Can Dance: Endless Duet with Space.
If you’ve run out of stories about the good ol’ days to enthrall your grandkids, come learn some impressive (but simple) magic tricks to impress them. Take Magic Tricks for Grandparents: Impress Your Grandkids with local performer Lee Werley and gain a new skill set.
Eat food for your life: help control your cholesterol, diabetes, and blood pressure with your diet. Enjoy Dilip Barman’s course and sample some food in Food for Life Kickstart: Evidence-Based Nutrition Lessons with Easy Recipes and Food Sampling.
Is 2 plus 2 still 4? It is, but you need to talk the talk of schools today to work with kids on math homework. Prof. Donald Burdick will help you understand the differences between math then and now in his course How to Help your Grandchildren Learn Math.
Imagine soft Pacific breezes wafting over you as you dance to graceful tropical melodies and enticing island beats—sounds more like a vacation than an exercise! And that’s how much fun it will be in Margaret Clemen’s class Women's Dance and Exercise: Pacific Island Dance.
Don’t depend on ads and gimmicks: base your health and longevity diet choices on valid research studies of what and what not to eat and drink. Edwin Cox will guide us through What to Eat—and Why! An Evidence-based Guide to Healthy Nutrition.
Take years off your body. Really! Not an ad for cosmetics. Instead attend Karen Dodd's course Change your Age: Use your Body and Brain to Feel Younger, Stronger, and More Fit.
Dance the night away or at least the class away. Let Bunnie Gordon teach you Israeli folk dance. Israeli Folk Dance for Beginners promises to be fun, active and a great time! No partner required.
Medicine—what’s in favor, what’s not! Today’s miracle cure is tomorrow’s bane. Two learned medical scholars, Bob Gutin and Ed Cox, and their invited guests will take a close look at some of the medical issues of the day. In their class Frontiers in Medicine: Exploring the Latest Findings and Controversies you can look forward to thought-provoking presentations followed by lively discussion.
Dust off your old chess board and join us for a good time in perfecting your strategies and tactics for playing this ageless game of navigating a battlefield. Rosalyn Katz and Charles Pole designed Chess for Seniors to be interactive and engaging. They will invite guest presenters who will add to the discussion and share knowledge about the local chess scene.
It is a run-away world, and understanding your connections to all that is going on out there can be enlightening and comforting. Celine Koropchak hopes you will join her in a thoughtful discussion of these connections. In her class Practical Wisdom: How to be Your Authentic Self in this Changing World you will learn about powerful tools to support a more compassionate, meaningful and contemplative way of life.
Postures, breathing, meditation and principles—the four main tools of yoga. Discover them to find ease in body and mind with Carol Krucoff as she guides you in her course Oh, My Aging Body: Using Yoga to Help Manage Health Challenges.
You can engage in new ways to enhance your "third act" years by taking Grace McCall's class Thrive in your “Third Act”: Develop your Passion, Embrace a New Purpose. You will learn strategies for enriching your life and have fun participating in Zumba Gold.
Lou Milllin invites you to share your own wisdom about subjects such as fear, newness, joy, and relationships as you study Joan Chittester’s book The Gift of Years in The Gift of Years: Exploring the Rewards of Conscious Aging.
If you like the idea of yoga but have never known how to get started, this is the course you need to take. Jeannie Minnick is a certified instructor and her class Beginner Yoga introduces the practice and poses so that everyone can participate.
If you have or are planning to get a pet, Veterinary Medicine for Pet People is the course for you. Among the topics veterinarian Lee Pickett will teach you are money-saving tips, how to read a pet food label, and common pet maladies.
If a specific, measurable program works to help addicts and alcoholics overcome their problems, can some version of that program help anyone to deal with other types of personal problems? Join Bill Rickard in this class Using the 12 Steps Program as a Way of Life to discover the potential strengths of this program for everyone.
If you need the support of a group to be motivated to stay fit with exercise and stretching, this class with Julia Rose in Strength and Power for 50
Plus: Resistance Training for Muscular Strength and Endurance is likely just the ticket for you.
Learn the exercise and nutrition skills that can increase not just the length of your life but also the quality of it. If you can walk to class and get on the floor, you can improve your physical condition with Sheila Tayrose and her class in Keeping Your Muscles and Bones Fit: How to Extend the Quality of Your Life.
If you’re still walking, you can get a great exercise session with all the fun of dancing to some familiar and some new genres! Sue Wartell will lead you and your friends in her course If You Can Walk, You Can Dance: Endless Duet with Space.
If you’ve run out of stories about the good ol’ days to enthrall your grandkids, come learn some impressive (but simple) magic tricks to impress them. Take Magic Tricks for Grandparents: Impress Your Grandkids with local performer Lee Werley and gain a new skill set.
LITERATURE, LANGUAGE & DRAMA
Harry Brown and Preston Martin, two NC poets and teachers, will lead class discussions on the work of two Irish poets who were both Nobel prize winners. Class conversations in Poetry of William Butler Yeats and Seamus Heaney: Irish Nobel Prize Recipients will cover the poets’ themes, unique styles, and use of Irish culture in their verse
Some critics argue that Shakespeare’s King Lear “may be the greatest play ever written.” Join Janice Ching and the class on King Lear: Internal and External Storms to study this compelling and complex drama.
We know words can hurt—but can they also heal? Is your dialogue with yourself about an illness part of what helps you get over it? Explore language and well-being with Sandra Clifton in this course Metaphor as Medicine: Poetry Therapy.
France in the 17th century is a model for the ferment that roiled all of Europe. Take Le XVIIe siècle en France with instructor Claire Davidshofer and enjoy art, literature, and music from that période passionnante.
Let Alan Dessen challenge your knowledge of Shakespeare’s comedies. In Dessen’s Shakespeare’s Other Comedies: the Road to Twelfth Night you will tease apart Shakespeare’s four lesser known comedies and then apply what you have learned to Twelfth Night.
Tennessee Williams has been widely hailed as one of the greatest American dramatists of the twentieth century. Discuss the recurring passions in his plays with Charles Joseph Del Dotto in his course: The Plays of Tennessee Williams: Sex, Subjectivity, and the South from The Glass Menagerie to A House Not Meant to Stand.
We’ve read stories about immigrants who come to the United States and learn to adapt and thrive here. This course with Bobbie Hardaker and Carol Sirota looks at Two Novels: The Immigrant Experience after 9/11 and discusses how those people fare who might choose to return home.
Three of the greatest modern poets—Neruda, Szymborska, and Amichai—had lives immersed in war and turmoil, yet all managed to create accessible poetry about ordinary existence. Read and discuss their works with Arnie Johanson in Reading Poetry: Three Great Twentieth Century Voices.
Experience complementary pairings—not fine dining and good wine, but rather visual arts and written words. Marjorie Lancaster combines her expertise in and passion for works of great American art, in Reading Literature and Art: Pairings of Prose, Poetry, Painting, and Photography. Join her and your classmates in contemplating possible messages the different American artists were seeking to express in areas of gender, race and class.
They say revenge is sweet…but is it? Marjorie Lancaster has assembled a collection of novels, plays, short stories and films that hinge on seeking revenge…the injuries provoking it, the actions taken, the resulting after-effects and the morality of getting even. Join her for some spirited discussions in “An Eye for an Eye": Looking at the Theme of Revenge in Literature.
Once upon a time, and not so very long ago, there was … Angela Carter. She would re-spin a yarn better than most letting her imaginative mind delve into beauty and the surreal. You are bound to find Angela Carter Novels: Feminism Meets Magical Realism fascinating, seductive and intriguing. Join Louise Masurat in the study of this important and influential literary figure.
Listen, read, learn and eat! Stay in the present tense of speaking and enjoying Spanish culture with Char Murphy as she continues her Conversational Spanish class.
Harry Brown and Preston Martin, two NC poets and teachers, will lead class discussions on the work of two Irish poets who were both Nobel prize winners. Class conversations in Poetry of William Butler Yeats and Seamus Heaney: Irish Nobel Prize Recipients will cover the poets’ themes, unique styles, and use of Irish culture in their verse
Some critics argue that Shakespeare’s King Lear “may be the greatest play ever written.” Join Janice Ching and the class on King Lear: Internal and External Storms to study this compelling and complex drama.
We know words can hurt—but can they also heal? Is your dialogue with yourself about an illness part of what helps you get over it? Explore language and well-being with Sandra Clifton in this course Metaphor as Medicine: Poetry Therapy.
France in the 17th century is a model for the ferment that roiled all of Europe. Take Le XVIIe siècle en France with instructor Claire Davidshofer and enjoy art, literature, and music from that période passionnante.
Let Alan Dessen challenge your knowledge of Shakespeare’s comedies. In Dessen’s Shakespeare’s Other Comedies: the Road to Twelfth Night you will tease apart Shakespeare’s four lesser known comedies and then apply what you have learned to Twelfth Night.
Tennessee Williams has been widely hailed as one of the greatest American dramatists of the twentieth century. Discuss the recurring passions in his plays with Charles Joseph Del Dotto in his course: The Plays of Tennessee Williams: Sex, Subjectivity, and the South from The Glass Menagerie to A House Not Meant to Stand.
We’ve read stories about immigrants who come to the United States and learn to adapt and thrive here. This course with Bobbie Hardaker and Carol Sirota looks at Two Novels: The Immigrant Experience after 9/11 and discusses how those people fare who might choose to return home.
Three of the greatest modern poets—Neruda, Szymborska, and Amichai—had lives immersed in war and turmoil, yet all managed to create accessible poetry about ordinary existence. Read and discuss their works with Arnie Johanson in Reading Poetry: Three Great Twentieth Century Voices.
Experience complementary pairings—not fine dining and good wine, but rather visual arts and written words. Marjorie Lancaster combines her expertise in and passion for works of great American art, in Reading Literature and Art: Pairings of Prose, Poetry, Painting, and Photography. Join her and your classmates in contemplating possible messages the different American artists were seeking to express in areas of gender, race and class.
They say revenge is sweet…but is it? Marjorie Lancaster has assembled a collection of novels, plays, short stories and films that hinge on seeking revenge…the injuries provoking it, the actions taken, the resulting after-effects and the morality of getting even. Join her for some spirited discussions in “An Eye for an Eye": Looking at the Theme of Revenge in Literature.
Once upon a time, and not so very long ago, there was … Angela Carter. She would re-spin a yarn better than most letting her imaginative mind delve into beauty and the surreal. You are bound to find Angela Carter Novels: Feminism Meets Magical Realism fascinating, seductive and intriguing. Join Louise Masurat in the study of this important and influential literary figure.
Listen, read, learn and eat! Stay in the present tense of speaking and enjoying Spanish culture with Char Murphy as she continues her Conversational Spanish class.
PERFORMING ARTS
Larry Berger invites you into the colorful world of the Ballet Russe in his course, The Legacies of the Ballets Russes' Sergei Diaghilev: The First Lord of the Dance. You will find out who Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev was and how his extraordinary company and dancers influenced the world of ballet forever.
Ballet with Betsy…a class with material the way she knows it, and she really knows it! It’s Ballet Smorgasbord: A Mixed Bill of Ballet, Tap, and Other Thoughts on Dance with popular instructor Betsy Bullen.
Expand your knowledge of the local jazz scene. Some of the best musicians come from our area. This is your Guide to Local Jazz: The Who, What, When, and Where of Jazz Locally. Let local jazz cognoscenti Peter Burke guide you through the maze of local jazz musicians and performances!
Improv is a popular, informal theater art form that uses a playful mindset and the accepting environment of "Yes…and" to unleash creativity, discovery, and fun. Improv Theater: Discover your Creativity with Carolyn Cole is energizing and full of joyful play.
Let your playfulness emerge using the “Yes...and” improv philosophy with Theater Games that are easily learned and fun to play without any reason other than to have a good time. Improv Theater Games Workshop with Carolyn Cole is a great way to get a taste of this acting technique.
Learn to build relationships in worlds that you create and live more in the moment, discovering what is present right now and how to work off that to create an improv scene. Improv Theater: Scenework with Carolyn Cole will teach the thrill of working collaboration in theater.
Play the harp at last! This course is designed to introduce the novice player to the joy and challenge of playing the harp. All styles of music will be experienced and the course will end with a harp concert. Join Winifred Garrett in Harp Ensemble I.
The harp journey continues! This course is designed to build on the foundational harp techniques introduced in the Harp Ensemble I class and will feature the music of cultures from around the world. Join Winifred Garrett in Harp Ensemble II and get set for a Holiday Harps concert!
Music has had a long and winding road from plainsong to hip-hop. Trace its forms and rhythms through history with Ken Hoover in this class The Evolution of Music 101: A Broad Overview of Classical Music from Chant to “What's Cooking Now.”
Opera lovers gather around. Margie Satinsky has a fabulous line-up for you in Highlights of the 2017-2018 Metropolitan Opera and NC Opera Seasons. You will study classic and contemporary works, and you will be treated to a long list of guests from performers, directors to commentators. This course promises to be a real treat for everyone from aficionados to those interested in learning about this dramatic art form.
Explore some exciting and eye-opening films you’ve probably never seen and discuss them and their context with your class colleagues and instructor Ken Wetherington in this class Exploring Cinema.
Larry Berger invites you into the colorful world of the Ballet Russe in his course, The Legacies of the Ballets Russes' Sergei Diaghilev: The First Lord of the Dance. You will find out who Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev was and how his extraordinary company and dancers influenced the world of ballet forever.
Ballet with Betsy…a class with material the way she knows it, and she really knows it! It’s Ballet Smorgasbord: A Mixed Bill of Ballet, Tap, and Other Thoughts on Dance with popular instructor Betsy Bullen.
Expand your knowledge of the local jazz scene. Some of the best musicians come from our area. This is your Guide to Local Jazz: The Who, What, When, and Where of Jazz Locally. Let local jazz cognoscenti Peter Burke guide you through the maze of local jazz musicians and performances!
Improv is a popular, informal theater art form that uses a playful mindset and the accepting environment of "Yes…and" to unleash creativity, discovery, and fun. Improv Theater: Discover your Creativity with Carolyn Cole is energizing and full of joyful play.
Let your playfulness emerge using the “Yes...and” improv philosophy with Theater Games that are easily learned and fun to play without any reason other than to have a good time. Improv Theater Games Workshop with Carolyn Cole is a great way to get a taste of this acting technique.
Learn to build relationships in worlds that you create and live more in the moment, discovering what is present right now and how to work off that to create an improv scene. Improv Theater: Scenework with Carolyn Cole will teach the thrill of working collaboration in theater.
Play the harp at last! This course is designed to introduce the novice player to the joy and challenge of playing the harp. All styles of music will be experienced and the course will end with a harp concert. Join Winifred Garrett in Harp Ensemble I.
The harp journey continues! This course is designed to build on the foundational harp techniques introduced in the Harp Ensemble I class and will feature the music of cultures from around the world. Join Winifred Garrett in Harp Ensemble II and get set for a Holiday Harps concert!
Music has had a long and winding road from plainsong to hip-hop. Trace its forms and rhythms through history with Ken Hoover in this class The Evolution of Music 101: A Broad Overview of Classical Music from Chant to “What's Cooking Now.”
Opera lovers gather around. Margie Satinsky has a fabulous line-up for you in Highlights of the 2017-2018 Metropolitan Opera and NC Opera Seasons. You will study classic and contemporary works, and you will be treated to a long list of guests from performers, directors to commentators. This course promises to be a real treat for everyone from aficionados to those interested in learning about this dramatic art form.
Explore some exciting and eye-opening films you’ve probably never seen and discuss them and their context with your class colleagues and instructor Ken Wetherington in this class Exploring Cinema.
RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
Explore the possibilities of post-death consciousness and paranormal phenomena with Steve Barrell in The “Mind Wars” Debate over the Source of Consciousness.
Is there life after life? If so, what form does it take? Is it a universal privilege or just the reward for believers in certain creeds? Explore these and other questions in Matters of Life and Death: An Esoteric Perspective with Jerold Clack, who has spent more than thirty years leading others through such philosophical reflections.
Is there life after death? What do you think and what do you know? And, how do you know what you know and why do you think what you think? Discuss Afterlife and Eschatology: The End of All Things with instructor Thomas N. Colley.
The saying goes “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime,” but under what circumstances is it defensible to hold someone indefinitely? Who has the authority or moral right to decide? In Punishment and Moral Responsibility: the Philosophy of H.L.A. Hart, Michael Corrodo will lead discussion in reviewing Hart’s arguments on the longstanding debate on criminal punishment and criminal responsibility.
What is the Second Axial Age? Join Melissa Mills, instructor in Prophets of the 2nd Axial Age, to find out. Adam Smith and de Tocqueville were early prophets. Learn who are listed as contemporary prophets and why.
You can have an active part in preserving the environment as an inaugural member of Climate Cooperators, the newly-formed intergenerational group being developed in Launch the Future: Your Empowerment as a Climate Cooperator. Join this class being taught by Melissa J. Mills and Robert Karski to become a part of solving climate and environmental problems.
Join Richard Prust in this course on Justice for a discussion based on challenging reading and scintillating conversation. Try to explain how you have reached your own ideas on what is “just” or “unjust” in this world.
Murat Tasar leads this journey on the development of Islamic philosophy and its surprisingly strong influence on European thought from the twelfth century through the Renaissance in Muslim Philosophers' Influence on Western Thought.
The religion of Islam can be confusing for many Westerners—it claims to be about peace and yet many horrific acts of terrorism are committed in its name. Take this class with Abdul Hafeez Waheed and gain A New Perspective of Islam: Hopeful Visions for Our Times as you learn to understand some of the true values of Islam from this long-time Muslim instructor.
Explore the possibilities of post-death consciousness and paranormal phenomena with Steve Barrell in The “Mind Wars” Debate over the Source of Consciousness.
Is there life after life? If so, what form does it take? Is it a universal privilege or just the reward for believers in certain creeds? Explore these and other questions in Matters of Life and Death: An Esoteric Perspective with Jerold Clack, who has spent more than thirty years leading others through such philosophical reflections.
Is there life after death? What do you think and what do you know? And, how do you know what you know and why do you think what you think? Discuss Afterlife and Eschatology: The End of All Things with instructor Thomas N. Colley.
The saying goes “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime,” but under what circumstances is it defensible to hold someone indefinitely? Who has the authority or moral right to decide? In Punishment and Moral Responsibility: the Philosophy of H.L.A. Hart, Michael Corrodo will lead discussion in reviewing Hart’s arguments on the longstanding debate on criminal punishment and criminal responsibility.
What is the Second Axial Age? Join Melissa Mills, instructor in Prophets of the 2nd Axial Age, to find out. Adam Smith and de Tocqueville were early prophets. Learn who are listed as contemporary prophets and why.
You can have an active part in preserving the environment as an inaugural member of Climate Cooperators, the newly-formed intergenerational group being developed in Launch the Future: Your Empowerment as a Climate Cooperator. Join this class being taught by Melissa J. Mills and Robert Karski to become a part of solving climate and environmental problems.
Join Richard Prust in this course on Justice for a discussion based on challenging reading and scintillating conversation. Try to explain how you have reached your own ideas on what is “just” or “unjust” in this world.
Murat Tasar leads this journey on the development of Islamic philosophy and its surprisingly strong influence on European thought from the twelfth century through the Renaissance in Muslim Philosophers' Influence on Western Thought.
The religion of Islam can be confusing for many Westerners—it claims to be about peace and yet many horrific acts of terrorism are committed in its name. Take this class with Abdul Hafeez Waheed and gain A New Perspective of Islam: Hopeful Visions for Our Times as you learn to understand some of the true values of Islam from this long-time Muslim instructor.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Richard Feynman was one of the world’s most brilliant physicists, though a friend complained of him, “He begins working calculus problems in his head as soon as he awakens. He did calculus while driving in his car, while sitting in the living room, and while lying in bed at night.” What did this genius envision for the developing field of nanotechnology? Explore the question with Nancy Birkner in this class Feynman's Dream: An Introduction to Nanotechnology.
Geometric Topology: what is it? How do we find it and what do we know anyway? Frank Brown will definitely expand your knowledge of this “universal” subject. Enjoy and learn.
Which side are you on – supportive of nuclear power or against? Either way, John Orth will provide thoughtful insights on the state-of-the-science of nuclear power. Orth is a knowledgeable expert in this area and is prepared to share his insights in the course Nuclear Power, An Introduction, Analysis, and Promise for the Future. You are certain enrich your knowledge about this hot topic!
You may think you know this planet, but likely yours is just a surface acquaintance. Join Arch Reid in this class Earth, Life, and Man: An Introduction to Our Planet for a deeper knowledge of the forces that created and sustain this sphere we call home.
Richard Feynman was one of the world’s most brilliant physicists, though a friend complained of him, “He begins working calculus problems in his head as soon as he awakens. He did calculus while driving in his car, while sitting in the living room, and while lying in bed at night.” What did this genius envision for the developing field of nanotechnology? Explore the question with Nancy Birkner in this class Feynman's Dream: An Introduction to Nanotechnology.
Geometric Topology: what is it? How do we find it and what do we know anyway? Frank Brown will definitely expand your knowledge of this “universal” subject. Enjoy and learn.
Which side are you on – supportive of nuclear power or against? Either way, John Orth will provide thoughtful insights on the state-of-the-science of nuclear power. Orth is a knowledgeable expert in this area and is prepared to share his insights in the course Nuclear Power, An Introduction, Analysis, and Promise for the Future. You are certain enrich your knowledge about this hot topic!
You may think you know this planet, but likely yours is just a surface acquaintance. Join Arch Reid in this class Earth, Life, and Man: An Introduction to Our Planet for a deeper knowledge of the forces that created and sustain this sphere we call home.
SOCIAL SCIENCES & CULTURE
Recent tweets about “McCarthyism” and the call for re-instituting the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), last year’s release of the film Trumbo about the “Hollywood Ten,” and this year’s publication of High Noon on the making of the film during the HUAC hearings—what’s going around? Join Larry Charny in "Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been…:" HUAC and the Hollywood Blacklist for a look at films inspired by this slice of history.
Did you know that for $250,000 you can buy the rights to shoot an endangered black rhino? That in the EU, companies can buy the right, by the metric ton, to release polluting carbon dioxide emissions? Do you find these facts disturbing? Gail Corrado will guide your readings and discussions on the “anything is for sale” trend in Priceless: How Is Value Created and How Do We Set Limits on the Sale of What We Value?
Can you use your brain to understand just how your brain works? Take this class Think Again: How our Brains Really Work taught by Matt Epstein and ponder just what the human brain can and cannot do.
Bring discussions of sexuality and sex out of the psychological dark with Kenneth R. Haslam in his class, A Survey Course in Human Sexuality.
They say love makes the world go round, but how much do we really know about love? Loving your children, your spouse, your dog, your neighborhood, your garden, yourself—what is the common denominator and what are the crucial differences? Juanita Johnson has developed an OLLI course, Love Actually, that examines the many different forms of love and explores the distinctions between them.
If you are an OLLI student, then you no doubt have pearls of wisdom to share or at least lessons that you have learned. Perhaps now is a good time to let Juanita Johnson guide you in capturing your message through writing your Ethical Will. During You Know who Got Grandma's Pearls, but who Got her Pearls of Wisdom? you will learn about yourself as well as begin to create your legacy in your own words.
Come and enjoy a good joke or two in Lawrence E. Mintz's class Through the Lens of Laughter: American Humor in Historical, Cultural, and Social Context, a history of humor in America from the founding of the nation to today. You will also consider the influence and appropriateness of humor.
Time for some great movies you may not have seen! In More Contemporary Latin American Cinema: Some Recent Selections instructor Kathleen B. Morrison will show six contemporary Latin American films and lead class discussions of these outstanding and prize-winning works.
If laughter is the best medicine, then Paul Rohde has some strong medicine for you in his class Humor: What We Laugh at and Why. Here you will experience different styles of American humor and how it changes over time. You will learn about the interplay of humor and culture. And, most importantly, you will get a weekly dose of laughter.
Where in the world did you put that cup of coffee that you just had in your hand? Are you way too familiar with 3:00 a.m. in the morning after years of sleeping like a log? Paul Rohde can shed some light on these phenomena, as well as research-based methods to optimize your mental fitness in The Healthy Aging Brain: Good News from Modern Neuroscience
Bob Dylan just won the Nobel Prize for literature—what’s this! A rock singer winning a Nobel Prize! Join Cabell Smith for an exploration of the amazingly wide range of Dylan’s work in The Many Sides of Bob Dylan.
It is hard to imagine a century with more technological advances than the twentieth century, but this century is sure to be even more of a whirlwind. In Technology--Just Imagine! Alan Vaux and Gordon Pitz will lead discussions about new applications of scientific research that will affect our day-to-day life in the near future—think 3-D printers and self-driving cars --and then imagine much, much more.
Book Culture in European History: From Cuneiform to Gutenberg follows the winding path in the publishing world from clay tablets to today’s electronic books. Have fun and become a bibliophile—if only for a term—with Barbara Williams Ellertson as she guides you through history.
Barbeque, blues, and basketball—is this Southern culture? And is there such a thing as a unique and recognizable Southern culture any longer in an increasingly homogenized America? Join Jim Wise for Down Homes: More Varieties of the Southern Experience for an ongoing discussion.
Recent tweets about “McCarthyism” and the call for re-instituting the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), last year’s release of the film Trumbo about the “Hollywood Ten,” and this year’s publication of High Noon on the making of the film during the HUAC hearings—what’s going around? Join Larry Charny in "Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been…:" HUAC and the Hollywood Blacklist for a look at films inspired by this slice of history.
Did you know that for $250,000 you can buy the rights to shoot an endangered black rhino? That in the EU, companies can buy the right, by the metric ton, to release polluting carbon dioxide emissions? Do you find these facts disturbing? Gail Corrado will guide your readings and discussions on the “anything is for sale” trend in Priceless: How Is Value Created and How Do We Set Limits on the Sale of What We Value?
Can you use your brain to understand just how your brain works? Take this class Think Again: How our Brains Really Work taught by Matt Epstein and ponder just what the human brain can and cannot do.
Bring discussions of sexuality and sex out of the psychological dark with Kenneth R. Haslam in his class, A Survey Course in Human Sexuality.
They say love makes the world go round, but how much do we really know about love? Loving your children, your spouse, your dog, your neighborhood, your garden, yourself—what is the common denominator and what are the crucial differences? Juanita Johnson has developed an OLLI course, Love Actually, that examines the many different forms of love and explores the distinctions between them.
If you are an OLLI student, then you no doubt have pearls of wisdom to share or at least lessons that you have learned. Perhaps now is a good time to let Juanita Johnson guide you in capturing your message through writing your Ethical Will. During You Know who Got Grandma's Pearls, but who Got her Pearls of Wisdom? you will learn about yourself as well as begin to create your legacy in your own words.
Come and enjoy a good joke or two in Lawrence E. Mintz's class Through the Lens of Laughter: American Humor in Historical, Cultural, and Social Context, a history of humor in America from the founding of the nation to today. You will also consider the influence and appropriateness of humor.
Time for some great movies you may not have seen! In More Contemporary Latin American Cinema: Some Recent Selections instructor Kathleen B. Morrison will show six contemporary Latin American films and lead class discussions of these outstanding and prize-winning works.
If laughter is the best medicine, then Paul Rohde has some strong medicine for you in his class Humor: What We Laugh at and Why. Here you will experience different styles of American humor and how it changes over time. You will learn about the interplay of humor and culture. And, most importantly, you will get a weekly dose of laughter.
Where in the world did you put that cup of coffee that you just had in your hand? Are you way too familiar with 3:00 a.m. in the morning after years of sleeping like a log? Paul Rohde can shed some light on these phenomena, as well as research-based methods to optimize your mental fitness in The Healthy Aging Brain: Good News from Modern Neuroscience
Bob Dylan just won the Nobel Prize for literature—what’s this! A rock singer winning a Nobel Prize! Join Cabell Smith for an exploration of the amazingly wide range of Dylan’s work in The Many Sides of Bob Dylan.
It is hard to imagine a century with more technological advances than the twentieth century, but this century is sure to be even more of a whirlwind. In Technology--Just Imagine! Alan Vaux and Gordon Pitz will lead discussions about new applications of scientific research that will affect our day-to-day life in the near future—think 3-D printers and self-driving cars --and then imagine much, much more.
Book Culture in European History: From Cuneiform to Gutenberg follows the winding path in the publishing world from clay tablets to today’s electronic books. Have fun and become a bibliophile—if only for a term—with Barbara Williams Ellertson as she guides you through history.
Barbeque, blues, and basketball—is this Southern culture? And is there such a thing as a unique and recognizable Southern culture any longer in an increasingly homogenized America? Join Jim Wise for Down Homes: More Varieties of the Southern Experience for an ongoing discussion.
WRITING
Where do poets get their ideas? Poetry Writing: Transforming Your Experiences/History into Poetry with Paul Deblinger will focus on the raw material of poetry: images, experiences, and triggers, and how to transform them into poems. The class is for poets of any level and experience, and beginners are most welcome.
Where do writers get their ideas? Do you have family letters, oral histories, stories and experiences you want to express on paper? Maybe to publish, maybe for your family to enjoy? Join Paul Deblinger in this class Creative Prose: Transforming your History/Experiences into Creative Writing.
You have lots of great stories—if you want to learn how to turn them into great pieces of short writing, ones that you can possibly publish, you’ll want to take this course in Writing Chicken Soup for the Soul with Erika Hoffman.
Each life contains millions of stories—have you tried writing yours down? Come to Honoring Your Stories: A Nonfiction Writing Workshop prepared to craft personal narratives from your own life stories, from the everyday to the extraordinary, with instructor Allison Kirkland.
Are you a poet and didn’t know it? Why not come to Jo Taylors’s class Poetry Writing and find the poet in you. In this class you will tap your creative writing instincts and will share your works of poetic art. There will be no “work” this “shop,” just fun.
Where do poets get their ideas? Poetry Writing: Transforming Your Experiences/History into Poetry with Paul Deblinger will focus on the raw material of poetry: images, experiences, and triggers, and how to transform them into poems. The class is for poets of any level and experience, and beginners are most welcome.
Where do writers get their ideas? Do you have family letters, oral histories, stories and experiences you want to express on paper? Maybe to publish, maybe for your family to enjoy? Join Paul Deblinger in this class Creative Prose: Transforming your History/Experiences into Creative Writing.
You have lots of great stories—if you want to learn how to turn them into great pieces of short writing, ones that you can possibly publish, you’ll want to take this course in Writing Chicken Soup for the Soul with Erika Hoffman.
Each life contains millions of stories—have you tried writing yours down? Come to Honoring Your Stories: A Nonfiction Writing Workshop prepared to craft personal narratives from your own life stories, from the everyday to the extraordinary, with instructor Allison Kirkland.
Are you a poet and didn’t know it? Why not come to Jo Taylors’s class Poetry Writing and find the poet in you. In this class you will tap your creative writing instincts and will share your works of poetic art. There will be no “work” this “shop,” just fun.