Siegal Lifelong Learning Program offers Senior Scholars series this fall

The Siegal Lifelong Learning Program will offer the Senior Scholars series this fall on a variety of topics, ranging from law to origins science. The series will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with two sessions beginning on different dates for each day of the week.

Tuesdays

Origins Science Series Sept. 5–Oct. 10 This course will introduce senior scholars to six of the biggest questions in the origins sciences. Topics range from the first moments of the universe, to the only very recently evolved human mind. Each session will focus on one of these issues and will include both lecture and discussion. Optional readings will be suggested. Lecturers will be Glenn Starkman, Distinguished University Professor and director of the Institute for the Science of Origins, and Patricia Princehouse, director of the evolutionary biology program. The Reformation Oct. 17–Nov. 14 It was 500 years ago that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral. Today people are saying there needs to be a “Muslim Reformation.” This series will look back at the chain of events called the Protestant Reformation to see how, why and in which ways the religious landscape of the west was radically changed. The course will look at the background of the Reformation and at four of its most influential streams: Lutheranism, Calvinism, the English Reformation and the radical reformations. It also will look at the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation. Peter Haas, the Abba Hillel Silver Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies, will be the lecturer of this course.

Wednesdays

The Roberts Court Sept. 6–Oct. 4 The Supreme Court had only eight justices for much of its 2016-17 term, but it nonetheless decided a number of important cases. Faculty at the School of Law will present lectures on cases recently before the U.S. Supreme Court on a wide range of issues, including predatory lending and subprime loans, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, racial bias on juries, and state funding for religious schools. Jazz – From Its Origins to the Present Oct. 11–Nov. 15 This course will dig into the roots of jazz, its explosion in the 1920s, and the swing era and its eventual transition into art music. Special emphasis will be placed on Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and even some music from the instructor. Paul Ferguson, senior instructor in the Department of Music and artistic director of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, will be the lecturer.

Thursdays

U.S. and Latin Relations: From The Cold War to the Trump Administration Sept. 7–Oct. 12 This course will examine the major events and policies that shaped the relationships between the United States and the Latin American nations. It also will examine how the Cold War shaped U.S. views towards the region, how economic policies and political conflicts impacted migration and immigration patterns, and how U.S. history tends to ignore Latin American perspectives towards the US. The lecturer will be Jose Sola, associate professor of history at Cleveland State University. Turkey: Understanding the Present by Seeing the Past Oct. 19–Nov. 16 For many years, news about Turkey was rarely found on the front pages of the daily news—whether in hard copy or on the web. For the past several years and particularly after the failed coup of July 15, 2016, events in Turkey have achieved a new prominence. Yet for many, Turkey remains a mystery. This course will look at the history of Turkey, beginning with prehistoric settlement and moving on to the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire. It will conclude with a close look at the history of the current Turkish Republic, created in 1923. There will be a special focus on economics, education and religion, and a detailed examination of the events that brought the nation back to the front page. John Grabowski, the Krieger-Mueller Joint Professor in History, will be the lecturer of this course.

Registration Information

For members of the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, the full Senior Scholars series costs $235, and $115 for individual Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday courses. For non-members, the full Senior Scholars series costs $260, and $135 for individual Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday courses. Learn more about the series and register at case.edu/lifelonglearning/courses/senior-scholars/.