Course Descriptions

Current European Crises

This course will examine the current crises in Europe, their causes and likely impact on Europe’s future and their importance for the United States.
*One year ago Europe could boast of 60 years of stability, peace, prosperity and unity. There were rough spots, but taken as a whole, Europe’s future was promising.
*Over the past year much of what had been taken for granted changed.
*The rise of Populism (Neo-Nationalism) in Europe has a number of parallels to the political situation in the United States. Brexit is apparently inevitable, though the full consequences for the UK and the EU are yet to be measured. France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland and Hungary are experiencing strong neo-nationalist, anti-EU political movements.
*The Euro, envisioned as Europe’s single currency to hold the common European market together, may become the instrument of its undoing.
*European internal peace and stability, promoted for over 30 years under the aegis of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), are threatened by Russia.
*Economic and Security relations with the United States are uncertain as the Trump administration sends confusing signals about trans-Atlantic trade and NATO.

When: Wednesday's, Sept. 13 - Oct. 18 (6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Todd Becker

Psychology of Aging
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There are more older persons in America today than ever before. They used to be our grandparents and parents, but now they are us. While we are living longer, we still live in a culture of youth, and fear of aging is a real issue, particularly as many of us experience the loss of loved ones, friends, careers, and ultimately, the betrayal of our own bodies.

In the past, older people gathered up their gold watches after years of employment, then were often relegated to rocking chairs. Well, not anymore! Aging is not a disease. Most older persons want to be active, creative, and remain healthy. Instead of pondering, “What will I do when I grow up?” today’s seniors have asked, “What will I do when I gray up?”

Academia, which historically offered few courses on aging, now has extensive curricula. This course will focus on the psychology of aging, that is, those issues that have impacted our mental health, who we are, and the intensified reflection many of us are doing. Enrollment limited to 25.

When: Wednesday's, Oct. 25 - Nov. 29 (6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Carolyn Stegman

Nuclear Weapons

The US military has produced 79 successful weapon designs since 1945 which resulted in about 32,000 U.S. warheads at the height of the Cold War. However, due to the many treaties on reduction of nuclear weapons, only 4,800 US warheads are currently in the active U.S. stockpile. Beside the weapons themselves, there are many more types of “costs” associated with the development and maintenance of nuclear weapons, including the harm to humans building them, the costs to the environment, the creation of nuclear weapons world –wide, and the security of protecting nuclear weapons from theft or misuse. Right now the U.S. and Russia are modernizing their existing weapons and North Korea is attempting to develop new weapons and delivery systems. After an overview of all of these topics, we will discuss whether it will ever be possible to eliminate nuclear weapons, as was urged by the United Nations, or will we always have them.

When: Thursday's, Oct. 26 - Nov. 16, Nov. 30 - Dec. 7
(6 sessions)
Time: 1 - 2:30pm
Location: MAC
Course Leader: James Noel

DNA: What is it, what does it do, and what can we do with it?

DNA is often in the news, whether being used in a forensics investigation, identifying mutations that cause disease, or the creation of genetically modified organisms. But what exactly is DNA, what does it do in a cell, and how can we use it in forensics, medicine, and research? We will examine the history of research on the DNA molecule, the technologies that we currently use to study it, and some of the newer technologies that allow us to alter an organism’s DNA.

When: Thursday's, Sept. 14 - Oct. 19 (6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Steve Gehnrich

Crucial Events that Developed the United States

The amazing tale of migration of enormous numbers of people from England and Europe, the fabulous voyages, the strife and wars, and finally the settlements that developed in this unknown land – the land that would become the world-changing creation called the United States.

When: Monday's, Sept. 11 - Oct. 30 (8 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Ray Thompson and Eleanor Mulligan

A Man Walks Into a Bar: Short Stories

This literary pub crawl will showcase short fiction set in watering holes around the world. Participants will read and discuss various versions of what happens when a man (or a woman) walks into a bar – looking for love, trouble, or simply a sympathetic ear. Join us as we romp with rowdies in a western saloon, chat with regulars in an Irish pub, make the moves in an Argentine tango bar, and down another round in Hong Kong. Topics will include “Double Vision,” “Celebrity Sightings,” “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’,” “Ladies’ Night,” “On the House,” and “One for the Road.” Readings will be provided via e-mail.

When: Wednesday's, Sept. 13 - Oct. 18 (6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: Bethany Lutheran Church
Course Leader: Nancy Hesser

Beyond Borders: Short Stories of Mexico and Central America

Drawing from many literary trends and traditions, this course offers a variety of mostly modern short fiction by Mexican, Central American, and Chicano (U.S.-Mexican) writers. Participants will read and discuss short stories with themes such as “Make Mine Magic,” “Out of the Boom Box,” “What Lies Beneath,” “Rules of Engagement,” “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” and “Border Crossings.” Readings will be provided via e-mail.

When:
Time:
Location:
Course Leader: Nancy Hesser

Discovering Delmarva: “Bob Random” Wry Reports on the Shore (and Beyond)

Otherwise unknown to history, “Robert Random” (his pen name) wrote several “Gleanings from the Country” for the 1845 Baltimore Sun, reporting on the Eastern Shore, Delaware, and a few locations west of the Chesapeake. His accounts wryly treat politics, business, and travel in the places he visits, providing a unique time capsule of Delmarva life as it entered the modern age. The class will read, chuckle over, and discuss “Bob Random’s” accounts from: 1) the Lower Shore, 2) the Upper Shore, 3) Delaware, and 4) the Western Shore & beyond. Readers of these “Gleanings” will discover Delmarva’s sleepy towns – and their witty chronicler - as those communities begin to awaken to an age of enterprise and of visitors.

When: Tuesday's, Sept. 12 - Oct. 3 (4 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Phil Hesser

Epidemiology for Non-Scientists

Health and disease do not occur randomly. The causes of disease and their prevention and control can be systematically discovered through the descriptive and analytic science of epidemiology, literally the “study of what is upon the people.” This course will introduce you to some of the basic concepts and approaches of epidemiology and their interpretation so that you can become a more critical consumer of media reports on health conditions and their prevention and control and a more informed advocate for your own health. Topics that will covered include how a disease is defined, describing the distribution of disease, how causes of disease are determined, estimating the risk for acquiring a disease, determining prognosis, and assessing the effectiveness of treatments and preventive strategies. Relevant examples will be provided and informational handouts distributed for further review and as a guide for class discussion.

When: Monday's, Oct. 23 - Nov. 20 (5 sessions)
Time: 1 - 2:30pm
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Karin Johnson

Greece and the Transformation of Judaism

Judaism has transformed itself from Biblical to Rabbinic. As a result of the Babylonian/Persian exile and the impact of Greece and Alexander the Great, the Judaism of today is not the Judaism of Moses. Like all religions, it has transformed itself; originally it was dominated by priests and prophets, whereas now it is dominated by Rabbis. We will examine how and why this transformation occurred. Was this an evolutionary or revolutionary change? Finally, to what extent did this transformation aid in the development of Christianity?

When: Tuesday's, Oct. 24 - Nov. 28 (6 sessions)
Time: 12 - 1:15pm
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Joe Chaikel

Great Decisions

This course will introduce complex foreign policy decision-making. Participants broaden their outlook on major issues worldwide while they examine contextual information, improve decision-making skills through class discussion, debate, and comments from recognized leaders in the field, all this helping them to become better informed “world citizens.”

--Participants should order Great Decisions Briefing Book 2017 edition before the beginning of the class. It may be ordered via the internet at www.fpa.org. Click on “Great Decisions”. The mailing address is Foreign Policy Association, 470 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. The phone number is 212-481-8100.

When: Thursday's, Sept. 14 - Nov. 2 (8 sessions)
Time: 12:30 - 2pm
Location: SU University House
Course Leader: Jarvis Cain

Eastern Shore Maritime History, Part II

This course will cover the period from the American Revolution to the War of 1812. The focus will be on Maryland and Virginia's Eastern Shore, with occasional reference to Delaware's Sussex and Kent Counties. Sessions will include presentations by the course leader, but considerable time will also be devoted to discussion. Emphasis will be on historical documents, evaluating the opinions of historians, and understanding maritime terms. Class members should participate with their ideas and opinions.

When: Thursday's, Oct. 26 - Nov. 16, Nov. 30 - Dec. 7
(6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course leader: Ted Corbett
                                                                    
Freedom of Speech and the Press

In this course, we will read and discuss some of the leading decisions in which the Supreme Court has interpreted the scope of the First Amendment protections of freedom of speech and of the press, and discuss the implications of those decisions for current questions. Topics include: Advocacy of unlawful action; national security and freedom of the press—the Pentagon Papers case; criticism of public officials and the libel laws; protests, demonstrations, and picketing; and hate speech.

When: Friday's, Sept. 15 - Oct. 27 (7 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Page Insley Austin
                                                                                    
Art of the 20th Century: Focus Europe

Much of the art produced in Europe during the 20th century was created in response to bubbling political under currents and then actual events of the world wars. We will investigate and discuss schools of art, their politics, philosophy, and the artists participating in them. PowerPoint presentations will display visuals of seminal artworks demonstrating each school or artist.

When: Monday's, Nov. 6-13, Nov. 27 - Dec. 4 (4 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Terry Murray

Current Environmental Challenges on Delmarva

This course will consider objectively, from the perspective of various interest groups (residents, farmers, developers, industry) and regulators, a number of key environmental issues. These will include:

*Water quality -- issues facing the Chesapeake Bay and its Eastern Shore tributaries
*Poultry industry – proliferation and location of CAFOs, disposal of poultry waste
*Development – population, smart growth, zoning and residential sprawl
*Climate – mitigation of greenhouse gases, adaptation to sea level rise
*Clean energy – job growth and environmental consequences.

When: Tuesday's, Oct. 24 - Nov. 28 (6 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: MAC
Course Leader: Mike Pretl

The Artist’s Way

The Artist’s Way is a transformative process and an opportunity for growth that challenges each participant to search within for questions such as: What is your purpose? How are you connected to creativity and the universe? What makes you creative? What do you create in your life? This Artist’s Way class is based on the book written by Julia Cameron who provides a framework for participants to transform their lives through the process of introspection and personal discovery. The classes will be scheduled to meet every two weeks to give you time to internalize, process, and enjoy this experience. A great deal of the study is self-directed. Participants will be asked to read chapters followed by tasks that will lead you to excavate and examine your life. You will be given the opportunities to process, through writing and class discussion the information provided in each chapter and for completion of the chapter tasks. Class discussions will give further insight into the chapter readings and tasks. Participants should order a copy of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron before the beginning of the class. Paperback copies are available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

When: Wednesday's, Sept. 20; Oct. 4, 18; Nov. 1, 15, 29
(6 sessions)
Time: 11 - 12:30pm
Location: SU University House
Course Leader: Diane Thomas Mitchell

Chapters from My Life: A Course in Memoir Writing

In this class participants will write a series of short essays that form the basis of a memoir. Each class will include tips on good writing; a block of time to write using a suggested topic, and for those who want to, time to read out loud and get feedback from the rest of the class. Enrollment limited to 15.

When: Thursday's, Sept. 21 - Nov. 9 (8 sessions)
Time: 10 - 11:30am
Location: SU University House
Course Leader: Jane Conly