Phoenix   

The initial session will explore the archaeology of the contemporary Phoenix area and the cultural tradition archaeologists call “Hohokam.” In reality, this tradition represents the Ancestral Sonoran Desert people who, among many achievements, built and inhabited expansive villages centered around plazas and vapaki (platform mounds). They also constructed large-scale irrigation systems that, at their peak, extended miles from the Salt and Gila Rivers, creating microclimates that supported intensive agriculture and providing networks through which people moved, communicated, and exchanged objects and ideas. The second session will focus on the museum at S’edav Va’aki and its ongoing relationships with the site’s descendant communities. These dynamic collaborations offer insight into the ancestral village site and highlight the importance of preserving cultural connections and archaeological sites. After each discussion, participants are encouraged to explore the outdoor interpretive trail and indoor galleries. Please note that there will be a lot of walking involved, but the site is ADA accessible.

The Trump administration, guided by Project 2025, is making sweeping changes to the federal bureaucracy. Do you have questions about how this system operates—and what these reforms mean for public service delivery? This class explores theories and research that explain the balance between politics and administration, as well as the implications of presidential influence on bureaucratic action. We’ll examine key frameworks—including bureaucratic politics, administrative burdens, representative bureaucracy, and the submerged state—and analyze how shifts in science investments, social services, and executive initiatives impact our communities. Dr. Feeney will provide an overview of core concepts and lead a town hall-style Q&A to deepen our understanding of these timely issues.