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Art isn't something that happens to other people—it's a living conversation across centuries, and you're invited to join in. Artrageous wants to shock and amuse you, to understand, enjoy, and even make modern art—without the stuffiness. We will journey from the radical rule-breakers of late 19th-century Paris all the way to the dreamers and provocateurs of the Surrealist movement, stopping at every wild detour in between. This is not a lecture course. Each class blends rich visual presentations of landmark works with short film clips, participatory games, and creative exercises drawn directly from the art movements themselves. No prior knowledge of art history is required. What is required: an open mind, a willingness to be surprised, and a sense of humor.

Joe Christmas doesn't know if he's Black or White—and in the Jim Crow South, that uncertainty is lethal. Ruthless, rootless, drifting into Mississippi, he passes as White until his secret lover, a Yankee spinster, is brutally murdered. Betrayed and accused as a Black man, Christmas becomes the target of a vengeful manhunt. Faulkner brackets this dark story between two others: Lena Grove searching for the father of her unborn child, and Reverend Hightower, a disgraced minister haunted by Confederate ghosts. In Faulkner's most straightforward major novel, these entangled tales confront us with persistent, complex issues. Class discussion will include race and gender relations, burdens of history, repressive religious traditions, cultures of violence, and the meaning of community.

Required Text: William Faulkner, Light in August, Vintage International Edition, 507 pages, ISBN 0-679-73226-8, or equivalent. The Audible Modern Vanguard audiobook version narrated by Will Patton is also quite good.

No class on 10/21.

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/

E.M. Forster’s Howard’s End (1910) is sometimes categorized as a “Condition of England” novel because its major concern is the question of which social classes and value systems will prevail in England in the 20th century. The Wilcox family are wealthy and business-oriented; the Schlegel siblings are cultured and intellectual. Mrs. Wilcox dies, leaving their charming country house, named “Howard’s End,” to her new friend Margaret Schlegel. The plot explores the conflicts and connections that develop between two families with very different values. Howard’s End is often included in lists of the best novels of the twentieth-century. Join us as we read, discuss, and examine its implications for our own time.

Required text: Howard’s End, E. M. Forster, Penguin Classics, Intro. by David Lodge, 2000. ISBN: 978-0-14-118213-1

Curious about your family’s past? This engaging course provides a comprehensive introduction to genealogy, exploring its growing popularity, and offering guidance on researching and documenting your family lineage. Explore the various categories of genealogy, discover key historical records and where to find them, and gain insight into major online databases. You'll also learn how to organize your findings and connect with genealogy societies, including those in Northern Colorado. Whether you’re just beginning or looking to refine your research skills, this course will help you uncover and preserve your family’s unique story.

This two hour class is for beginners (1-3 generations) or intermediate genalogists (4 to 8 generations)! Handouts will be sent the evening before or at the class.

Curious about your family's past? Part 2 explores how easy it is to search historical record collections in the top three online genealogy databases: Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, and FamilySearch.org. Bob will review these top three genealogy databases in more detail, covering the special features of each. In addition to showing how to create a family tree or add ancestors, Bob shows how to attach records and sources to each ancestor. Join us to uncover your ancestors and preserve your family's unique history.

This is a two-hour class meant for beginners or intermediate genealogists!

Gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how our justice system works in this engaging five-part series led by Supreme court justices and other judges from around the state. From the foundations of the rule of law to the realities of criminal and civil trials, participants will explore the people, processes, and principles that shape our courts and impact everyday life.

Topics include:

The Rule of Law
Our United States Courts
Colorado’s Judicial Merit Selection and Retention System
An Introduction to U.S. Immigration Courts
Law and Order: The Life of a Criminal Case/See You in Court: The Life of a Civil Lawsuit

Judith Shklar articulated a version of liberalism distinct from the rights-based liberalism associated with John Rawls's egalitarianism and Robert Nozick's libertarianism. In this course we will study some of her most important work - including 'Liberalism of Fear' - as well as critiques from other political theorists. This course will broaden your understanding of orthodox liberalism and provide a different perspective from which to consider contemporary political issues and discourse. This is an introductory graduate seminar in political theory. The only prerequisite is a commitment to engage thoughtfully with the texts and actively participate in class discussion.

Required Reading: The Faces of Injustice, Judith N. Shklar (Yale University Press, 1990)

Recommended Reading: Judith N. Shklar: Political Thought and Political Thinkers, Stanley Hoffman, editor (University of Chicago Press, 1998).

This course explores how psychedelics are used in religious practices. We begin by discussing different definitions of religion, who defines what a religion is, and how religions are viewed. This leads into a study of religious experiences involving psychedelics, using the following case studies: hallucinogenic mushrooms in Mexico, marijuana in Jamaica, peyote in North America, and ayahuasca in South America. We will also explore the concept of psychonauts and their use of DMT, as well as religious experiences linked to events such as dreams and near-death experiences.

This class will be a study of Argentine tango. We will learn about how the integration of cultures in Argentina led to and developed this complex and fascinating dance and music. We will also learn the basics of the dance. Neither age nor physical disabilities are impediments to basic dancing. Indeed, tango has been recognized as one of the most effective physical therapies for many disabilities, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. No partner is necessary.

A deep dive into a shallow pond - Wham! - to explore the creation of the greatest cartoon characters in American history (Pow!). Not even Mickey Mouse could hold a candle to the loud, rough, rude, scattershot, machine-gun humor of Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, Porky, Taz, Yosemite Sam, Road Runner, Coyote, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy, Witch Hazel, Foghorn Leghorn, and more. The most extraordinary talents in the business - Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin, all certifiably mad as hatters - developed the most fantastic characters in animation. They changed the very face of American comedy from vaudeville patter to rapid-fire wisecracks, biting sarcasm, and outrageous fun! Join the Wascally Wabbit on an eight-week wild ride!

Readings: Of Mice and Magic by Leonard Maltin; Chuck Amuck by Chuck Jones; Tex Avery: King of Cartoons by Joe Adamson

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.

This course examines the history of country and bluegrass music in the United States. We will learn that traditional ballads migrated from the British Isles to Appalachia between the mid-1800’s and early 1900’s. We will identify Scottish and Irish songs that became widely played in Appalachia in the early 1900’s. By examining the early recordings of country artists such as the Carter Family, Ernest Stoneman, and Jimmie Rogers, we will discover how musicians adapted songs originating in the British Isles. As we move to the 1930’s, we will learn about the impact of the Great Depression on country music and examine the origin of bluegrass music through pioneers like Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers. We will trace how early recordings influenced developments in country and bluegrass music up until 1960. Recorded songs, videos, and live music will help us understand and enliven the history of country and bluegrass music.

Recommended Reading: Ritchie, F., & Orr, D. (2021). Wayfaring strangers: The musical voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia, 2nd Ed. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.

Play isn't frivolous. It's foundational. Backed by decades of neuroscience research, this course explores how play shapes the human brain, builds character, and serves us in a world grappling with loneliness, polarization, and the rise of AI. Across three sessions, you'll ground yourself in the science of play and discover how it cultivates the three fundamental character strengths: resilience, curiosity, and courage. This isn't a course about having more fun. It's about becoming more human.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to: Explain the neuroscience of play and its role in building resilience, curiosity, and courage as foundations of character; Identify their personal play style and understand how it shapes the way they engage, connect, and grow;. Articulate their core personal values and recognize how play activates those values in everyday behavior; Apply practical frameworks for play and character development to their personal and professional lives.

Required Course Material: https://playstyles.nifplay.org (7 min survey to discover your play style)

Optional Course Material (small purchase fee associated): The Live Playfully Journal, https://store.nifplay.org/products/play-journal

The music of the Vietnam era was more than entertainment—it was protest, grief, patriotism, rebellion, identity, fear, hope, and generational conflict woven into sound. This course explores how the songs of the 1960s and 1970s reflected a nation in turmoil and helped shape public response to war and social change.

Using a documentary-style approach, we will combine music, historical context, visual media, and storytelling to examine how artists and audiences experienced this pivotal period. Discussion will highlight how deeply music is tied to memory, both personal and collective, and why these songs continue to resonate today.

Content Note: Because music may evoke strong personal memories, participants should be aware that material may be emotionally powerful. Veterans and others affected by trauma may experience strong emotional responses.

Archetype Profiling explores seven personality types and how they influence communication, relationships, behavior, and emotional responses. Participants will gain a deeper understanding not only of the people around them but, more importantly, of themselves and who they authentically are as individuals. Through this course, students will identify personal strengths, recognize weak links, and learn practical tools for improving communication, reducing conflict, and building healthier relationships. The class encourages greater self-awareness, compassion, and respect for individuality without judgment or the need to change others. Participants can expect to leave with increased confidence in their interactions, stronger communication skills, and a new perspective on human behavior that can be immediately applied in everyday life.

Have you ever had a ‘driveway moment’ where music you never heard before left you so deeply moved that you just had to wait in your car until it was over to learn what you just heard? The plan for this class will be to bring you one driveway moment after another - introducing you to brilliant, fascinating, and inspiring music that you very likely have never heard. The facilitator has spent a lifetime uncovering these gems, and he looks forward to sharing what he’s found.

If you are unfamiliar with Walton's Façade or his First Symphony, Vaughan Williams' Oxford Elegy, Britten's War Requiem, Glière's Third Symphony, Delius' Mass of Life, or the music of Atterberg, for example, get ready for some seriously great listening. Obscure masterpieces from the Middle Ages until today will be explored. And along the way expect to learn about the composers and gain insights into this amazing music.