September 2018
World War II in the Pacific
A Distinguished Scholar Seminar featuring Gerhard Weinberg The Second World War was a vast global conflict, but the war in the Pacific often receives less historical attention than the famous, horrific events in Europe. In this seminar, distinguished historian Gerhard Weinberg will examine the specific causes of the Pacific war, the main strategic components of both the Japanese and American military campaigns, and the reasons for the ultimate American victory. He will help us understand how the distinctive aspects of…
Find out more »Power and Ambition: Political Family Dynasties Through the Ages
Families are time-honored sources of virtues and values. But what if a family’s greatest virtue is its thirst for power? This seminar will examine five families whose members obtained positions at the highest levels of society: the Medicis, Tudors, and Bonapartes in Europe, and the Kennedys and Clintons in the United States. Though they lived in different eras with unique histories, each family had a reputation to uphold while balancing the deeds of capable members with the embarrassments of their…
Find out more »The World of Tomorrow: Benefits, Risks, and Challenges
Our society is experiencing fundamental transformations that affect nearly every aspect of our lives. New technologies and methods in communications, medicine, environmental engineering, robotics, and other spheres of innovation promise great benefits but also pose challenges to traditional ideas about our health, privacy, work, and daily life.This seminar will explore advances in genetics, robotics, and city planning, to paint a picture of the future–with all of its promise and potential challenges. TOPICS & SPEAKERS A Greener Future: Meeting Our Needs…
Find out more »October 2018
1968: A Global Revolution That Changed the World
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of 1968, a year of turmoil, violence, and social change whose legacies still inform our contemporary cultures and lives. What happened in 1968? Why was it a global phenomenon? How are the events of that pivotal year remembered, and what do they mean? This seminar will look broadly at 1968, revealing shared themes that shaped the famous protests of that year and crossed national boundaries, giving voice to women, inspiring musicians and composers to…
Find out more »Changes and Continuities in Modern Russian Culture
Modern Russian culture has both fascinated and baffled Americans who want to understand the complex history of this vast, constantly evolving nation.This seminar will explore the cultural and social dimensions of modern Russia, with particular attention to its creative films and literary legacy and the social experiences of its most recent generations.What makes Russian culture and society both distinctive and representative of the wider currents of modernity? We’ll look for answers to this question with the insights of four outstanding…
Find out more »Syria in Transition
The Civil War in Syria is one of the most complex conflicts in the Middle East, and few outsiders understand its origins or its wide-ranging effects on the people who live there. This special Dialogues seminar will examine the historical causes of the devastating Syrian violence and give particular attention to the plight of refugees who have fled the country or struggled with the massive internal displacements that have shattered Syrian communities and families. A distinguished historian of the Middle…
Find out more »Beyond Gatsby and Bathtub Gin: Rethinking the “Roaring ‘20s”
The 1920s are known as the age of flappers, speakeasys, and the new carefree lifestyles of America’s upper classes, but other cultural changes, especially the creative contributions of African-Americans, are often overshadowed. This seminar offers a more nuanced and complicated picture of the era by examining the harsh economic conditions beneath the veneer of prosperity and exploring how African-Americans helped usher in wider American art forms while also developing an empowering aesthetic of their own. TOPICS & SPEAKERS The Not-So-Roaring…
Find out more »November 2018
Bodies in Motion: Learning and Growing Through Human Movement
This Dialogues seminar looks at physical movement as a mode of artistic expression, learning, and self-improvement. From dance to informal “parkour,” or the art of moving through our environment, the human body is capable of extraordinary feats of dexterity and strength and demonstrations of beauty. Participants will be introduced to interdisciplinary dance to see how visual and physical learning can be applied to many problems.We will then discuss the history of parkour and its origins in health-conscious movements of the…
Find out more »Korean War Legacies in the US & Asia
The Korean War is sometimes called the Forgotten War, but its legacy continues down to the present, influencing current events and political memories in both Asia and America. How do contemporary perceptions of recent conflicts in Korea reflect the contrasting ways in which the Chinese, Koreans, and Americans remember the Korean War? This seminar will focus on the Korean War’s enduring influence in China and Korea, as well as its effects on American war veterans. TOPICS & SPEAKERS The Memory of…
Find out more »December 2018
The Global Crisis of Liberal Democracies
Democratic governments may now be facing more social unrest and populist opposition than at any time since World War II. Political elites are widely condemned as “out of touch” with the problems of ordinary people, unable to solve the economic challenges of globalization, and unresponsive to public concerns. Popular nationalist movements and new social media are disrupting the traditional processes of democratic institutions. Has liberal democracy fallen into a global crisis that resembles or differs from earlier eras of political…
Find out more »