Public Affairs, Current Events, and Politics   

This course dedicates its first hour to a discussion of the current week's events. Dick will do the first week's overview, after which two class volunteers are invited each week to provide a recap of the previous week. The second hour will be a discussion of a specific topic. This course approaches current events from a distinctly progressive political perspective.

This class will be a non-partisan discussion of current events that values diverse points of view. The first hour will be a look at the news of the week, with an eye towards independent/alternative news sources. Participants are encouraged to bring news items and opinions every week.

Hour two will be a deeper examination of a single topic, chosen by the facilitator with input from the group. Some of the topics we will examine are: the current media landscape, ecological overshoot, the future of AI. The facilitator will provide background information on the topic prior to the session which, could include articles, videos, or podcasts.

Current Policy Issues is a participant-driven, discussion-based course exploring local and national policies and debates surrounding the November 2026 election. The first session will focus on energy policies, climate change, and fracking. You help choose what comes next. Possible topics include voting methods, campaign finance, immigration and citizenship, healthcare, Social Security, education and childcare, local ballot issues, and more. Short readings from national and local publications are shared each week to form a basis to start the conversation. The final class (after the election) will discuss the outcomes.

Great Decisions is a program of the Foreign Policy Association, updated each year. High-quality educational materials are prepared and distributed to discussion groups in cities and universities throughout the United States. For each topic, participants receive a chapter describing current issues and a video featuring background information and interviews with world leaders and scholars.

Required book: Great Decisions 2026 Briefing Book, available from the Foreign Policy Association. https://fpa.org/product/great-decisions-2026/

This lecture series examines the Middle East conflict through the lens of Israel's experience and viewpoint. The course opens with the historical background of Israel's conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and regional actors including Yemen and Iran, and examines the unique military challenges of fighting in densely populated areas.

Sessions will help participants become more sophisticated consumers of news by exploring media bias, and will examine the complexities of the Two-State Solution, the origins of the refugee problem, and the strong US-Israel partnership. The series will also address accusations of genocide and apartheid leveled against Israel, the distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and rising antisemitism in the United States. A final session will explore Israel's economy during wartime.

Please note that this course presents a specific pro-Israel perspective on the conflict. Respectful discussion and questions are encouraged throughout.

This PowerPoint presentation, comprising three sessions, will briefly touch on the origins of the countries surrounding Israel and the issues of water, natural resources, religion, and regional alliances. It will then examine Israel's relations with its neighbors, along with threats to and opportunities for peaceful coexistence. It will address the Abraham Accords, what is evolving from them, and which countries might be next to join. It will discuss in some detail Iran and its proxies and how Israel broke through the "Iranian noose," bringing matters up to the current moment.

Increasing costs and declining public support have many Americans questioning the value of a university education. Meanwhile, colleges and universities face financial crises, while student loan debt, student activism, and diversity programs generate increasingly negative headlines.

This discussion-based course examines the evolution of higher education to better understand issues currently facing U.S. colleges and universities. Together we will explore the evolving purposes of higher education, the reasons for rising costs, the differences between for-profit and nonprofit education, and how college rankings have impacted the sector. We will also investigate the impacts of NIL money, artificial intelligence, diversity programs, and research funding cuts.

Participants will have short articles to read before each session and are encouraged to share their own educational experiences and learn from the perspectives of others.

The American Experiment began with the Declaration of Independence and led to the creation of the federal judiciary, one of the country’s greatest experiments. In this course, we will trace the evolution of the courts from their English roots to their formal establishment in the Constitution. We will explore how the Supreme Court, lacking the power of the purse or military, derives its authority from its ability to connect with the people of the US and protect democracy. We will examine creation of the federal judiciary and the power of the Marshall Court, the Court’s evolution through the New Deal, the Vinson Court, the Warren Court’s “Rights Revolution,” and the role of today’s US Supreme Court.

This Osher Online course, offered through the Osher National Resource Center, lets you learn with fellow lifelong learners nationwide, guided by a world-class expert. OSHER ONLINE COURSES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

There 1960s is a decade wrapped in myth and misunderstanding. In this course, we will cut through that haze by turning to something powerful and concrete: the speeches of the era. The times and the conditions demanded these significant speeches. Together, we will listen to the voices that moved a nation and shaped history. With recordings preserved through television, video, and YouTube, we will discover what these speeches still have to teach us today. This Osher Online course, offered through the Osher National Resource Center, lets you learn with fellow lifelong learners nationwide, guided by a world-class expert. OSHER ONLINE COURSES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

Join us for a journey back in time through our baby boomer years. We will look at our lives through the lens of the era as we experienced it. We will reminisce about the good times but also reflect on how we were affected by the history, people and events of the times. It’s about us: our legacy and our challenges. At the heart of the class will be will be opportunities for sharing, reflecting, laughing and maybe some crying too. Not a boomer? Join us anyway. An article relating to the topic will be provided to participants before each session.

The title of this course, The Desecration of Mt. Rushmore: Crime, Corruption and Conspiracy, is a metaphor for the actions many consider that "47," our current president, and his co-conspirators in Congress and the Supreme Court, have undertaken to destroy our democracy. The alleged odious activities include violations by 47 of the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, the enrichment of him and his family through self-dealing and corrupt deals, the discontinuation of research grants to medical and educational institutions that infringe upon their freedom of speech, the unwillingness of Congress to rein in 47's conduct, and the unbridled expansion of his executive power sanctioned by Supreme Court decisions. The four presidents sculpted into the face of Mount Rushmore—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—have symbolized this country's heralded form of democracy, adherence to the rule of law, and protection of its Bill of Rights. That variegated symbol, many assert, has been eviscerated by 47 and his accomplices. This course will explore the circumstances that have led to this perceived destruction of democracy, the actions that have contributed to its desecration, the arguments in favor of the actions, the ramifications of certain actions, and recommended solutions to stymie the completion of its demise. The course will cover six sessions and be taught in a hybrid format to allow individuals to attend in person or online.

The title of this course, The Desecration of Mt. Rushmore: Crime, Corruption and Conspiracy, is a metaphor for the actions many consider that "47," our current president, and his co-conspirators in Congress and the Supreme Court, have undertaken to destroy our democracy. The alleged odious activities include violations by 47 of the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, the enrichment of him and his family through self-dealing and corrupt deals, the discontinuation of research grants to medical and educational institutions that infringe upon their freedom of speech, the unwillingness of Congress to rein in 47's conduct, and the unbridled expansion of his executive power sanctioned by Supreme Court decisions. The four presidents sculpted into the face of Mount Rushmore—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—have symbolized this country's heralded form of democracy, adherence to the rule of law, and protection of its Bill of Rights. That variegated symbol, many assert, has been eviscerated by 47 and his accomplices. This course will explore the circumstances that have led to this perceived destruction of democracy, the actions that have contributed to its desecration, the arguments in favor of the actions, the ramifications of certain actions, and recommended solutions to stymie the completion of its demise. The course will cover six sessions and be taught in a hybrid format to allow individuals to attend in person or online.

We will focus on the history and evolution of the economic, legal, theological, and philosophical systems embedded in our country's laws and institutions. We will follow the four roots as they become ever more intertwined and grow ever more deeply each decade to produce the racial disparities we experience today. While there are many stories of minorities that could, and need to be, told, given the eight-week timeframe, these conversations will focus on the systems and structures that have resulted in wealth disparities, mass incarceration, and the unchecked killing of Black people. "Whites created slavery, segregation, and racial discrimination. Whites have most of the political and social power to change racial discrimination and inequality now. We cannot have a truly free and democratic society until we do that." — MLK. Our desire to be good can prevent us from doing good if we do not see the historical systems and structures we created. If we don't see them, we cannot act to change them.

Will China Overtake the United States as the World’s Leading Superpower? China’s extraordinary economic growth and military modernization have made it the principal challenger to American global leadership. This course examines China’s rise from Deng Xiaoping’s market reforms in 1978 to Xi Jinping’s drive for national rejuvenation and expanded global influence. We will also explore the 3,000-year cultural and historical traditions that continue to shape China’s political values and worldview. Topics include the tension between individual rights and the common good, China’s ambitions toward Taiwan and the South China Sea, the difficulties facing minorities such as Tibetans and Uyghurs, and the implications of China’s rise for the United States and the world. Classes will include lectures, videos, and discussion.

Will China Overtake the United States as the World’s Leading Superpower? China’s extraordinary economic growth and military modernization have made it the principal challenger to American global leadership. This course examines China’s rise from Deng Xiaoping’s market reforms in 1978 to Xi Jinping’s drive for national rejuvenation and expanded global influence. We will also explore the 3,000-year cultural and historical traditions that continue to shape China’s political values and worldview. Topics include the tension between individual rights and the common good, China’s ambitions toward Taiwan and the South China Sea, the difficulties facing minorities such as Tibetans and Uyghurs, and the implications of China’s rise for the United States and the world. Classes will include lectures, videos, and discussion.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping work, democracy, and daily life—and not always in ways that serve the public good. This discussion seminar turns the tables, using AI tools themselves to analyze the dangers AI poses to society and explore what we can do about them. We'll dig into the issues that matter most: AI alignment and human control; concentrated power and democratic erosion; labor displacement and inequality; algorithmic bias and surveillance; disinformation and social fragmentation; and the global governance gaps enabling unchecked AI development. For each topic, we'll provide an AI-generated research notebook—loaded with expert warnings, documented harms, and recommended remedies—that participants can query before each class. These notebooks are as easy to use as a web search, so no other technical background is required.

A lively current events class that bring awareness to what media is feeding you. Are you wasting your information calories at this most critical time? We'll compare news sources and shows literally up to the minute class begins. This class should change the way you see local and national news no matter what your news source. Political ads are on the menu too, with a side of ethics in journalism, algorithms, show stacking and producing.