Thursday   

This class explores Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel and its recent Oscar-nominated film - alongside Shakespeare’s life and his most enduring work, Hamlet. How did the death of Shakespeare’s son Hamnet influence his writing of Hamlet? We will compare short scenes from the film, excerpts from the novel, and passages from the play to investigate how this personal loss resonates throughout Hamlet, offering profound reflections on grief, memory, and the transformative power of art.

When you or your family members decide how to spend your limited budget of time and money every day, are your choices rational or irrational? Classical economists assumed that we make well-informed decisions, rationally designed to optimally maximize benefits. Behavioral economists amassed data suggesting our decisions are often shockingly irrational and oversimplified. Evolutionary psychologists suggest a third view—that our decisions are neither ultra-rational nor fecklessly irrational. Please join Dr. Douglas Kenrick, President’s Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, to learn more about how evolution made us smarter than we think.

Organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan celebrates the originality and virtuosity of 36 women artists who have explored sculptural expression outside the traditionally male-dominated field of Japanese studio ceramics. The exhibition’s 40 avant-garde works featuring motifs of flora, geology, human anatomy, and fantastical abstract forms illuminate the technical achievements and creativity of leading women ceramicists from post-World War II Japan. Led by Phoenix Art Museum Docents, join us as we explore these themes and more through a lecture-style presentation and in-gallery exploration.

Note: Classes 023 & 024 are the same class.

Organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan celebrates the originality and virtuosity of 36 women artists who have explored sculptural expression outside the traditionally male-dominated field of Japanese studio ceramics. The exhibition’s 40 avant-garde works featuring motifs of flora, geology, human anatomy, and fantastical abstract forms illuminate the technical achievements and creativity of leading women ceramicists from post-World War II Japan. Led by Phoenix Art Museum Docents, join us as we explore these themes and more through a lecture-style presentation and in-gallery exploration.

Note: Classes 023 & 024 are the same class.

Coffee will provide a lively lens on major past and present issues, including climate change, social life, health, global North–South differences, social and economic justice, tourism, and slavery. We will begin “from the ground up,” tracing coffee from planting and processing through shipping and, ultimately, the beverage in our cups - part of nearly two billion cups consumed daily worldwide. We will explore coffee’s global history and its shift from an elite drink to an everyday staple. Drawing on current research, we will examine coffee and health, as well as practical questions such as how more income might reach farmers and how coffee production might adapt to a changing climate. The instructor will share firsthand experiences from coffee farms around the world, discuss a range of brewing methods, and demonstrate how coffee is brewed. Sessions will be interactive, with time for questions throughout.

The Declaration of Independence is a pivotal American document, not just for eighteenth-century revolutionaries, but for people throughout US history. This course will explore how individuals in Washington, D.C. used the Declaration and its ideas after independence was won. From the capital city’s planners to Union soldiers who defended Washington amid civil war, many evoked the Declaration to support their causes and shape a capital city. Spotlighting museum artifacts from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection, this course will cover D.C.’s early history through 1876, the nation’s first centennial celebration.

This course introduces key aspects of Deaf Culture in the United States and the factors that define the Deaf community as a cultural minority. We will focus on awareness, cultural diversity, and the preservation of language. This course addresses the cultural identity, group norms, rules of social interaction, values, and traditions held by deaf members. Together we will explore the impact of modern technology, emerging issues, trends, and advocacy with the Deaf community. We will also address topics related to communication, terminology, educational alternatives, state and federal legislation, and community resources.

Join Dr. Hendrickson (an erstwhile quantum mechanic) for a journey into the strange world of quantum physics. This branch of modern physics focuses on light and very small particles, which behave very differently from familiar, macroscopic objects. This is not a class in metaphysics (the philosophical study of time and space) nor will we cover quantum mechanics, the mathematical, how-to side of quantum theory. Instead, we’ll be tourists admiring the view, with no prerequisite knowledge of physics or math required. Please note that parking is the responsibility of the member.