November 4, 2024 - December 20, 2024

Please note: Specific dates are listed in group descriptions.

Fall 2024 Study Group Schedule at a glance.

MONDAYS:

The Atlantic
Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley
Format: ZOOM
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16

The Atlantic is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.

It was a monthly magazine for 144 years until 2001, when it published 11 issues; it has published 10 issues yearly since 2003. It dropped “Monthly” from the cover beginning with the January/February 2004 issue, and officially changed the name in 2007.
Each week the group will select up to 3 articles for discussion the next week. The articles can come from the magazine or the short daily articles available electronically via The Atlantic app.

Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally.

Facilitators: Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley are experienced study group facilitators and have facilitated The Atlantic in past study group sessions.



Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist
Jim Kirk
Format: Zoom
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16

Seven key ways to fundamentally reframe our understanding of what economics is and does will be discussed, using as a basis for discussion Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century.” We'll learn how we can break our addiction to growth; redesign money, finance, and business to be in service to people; and create economies that are regenerative and distributive by design.

Reading Material: All participants are encouraged to have access to Raworth’s Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Economist.

Facilitator: Jim Kirk has had a lifetime interest in Economics, Theory, and Policy. He subscribes to blogs from several economists, among them Brad DeLong and Anna Stansbury, as well as NBER and the Roosevelt Institute. Jim has facilitated groups on “The History of Economic Thought” and “Economic Labor History in the USA.”



European Films
Marganit Weinberger-Rotman
Format: In-Person
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16

Study Group participants will watch recent International films by well-known directors that contain surreal, cryptic or enigmatic components that make the viewer question the content and the meaning of the films. Possible films to be viewed are All of Us Strangers (Britain), Yella (Germany), Anatomy of a Fall (France), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Turkey), Petite Maman (France), Perfect Days (Japan), Triangle of Sadness (Sweden).

Reading materials: None

Facilitator: Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year. She has facilitated many OLLI study groups including Israeli cinema, French comedies, German, Iranian, Middle Eastern films, films on refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, Eastern European films, and films about people with special needs.



TUESDAYS:

Early Art of the African Continent #2 Ancient Egypt’s Mighty Rival-- Nubia/Kush: Ignored by Scholars of the Past
Sharon Williams
Format: In-person and Zoom
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

What have recent scholars learned about Nubia/Kush that scholars of the past got wrong? Why was Nubia/Kush not given credit for its contributions to civilization? Those are a few of the questions we will ponder as we follow the development of the ancient history and art of inhabitants of the Nile Valley. The earliest inhabitants of the Nile Valley lived side by side, eventually uniting to create Egypt north of Aswan and what later became known as Nubia or Kush in the south. For years, Euro-centric scholars concentrated on Egypt, teaching that Egypt’s culture had been established by people from the East of Africa, not by inhabitants from within Africa. Egypt was thus included in the history of Western civilization rather than with the history of Africa. Early archeologists also taught that the Nubian/Kushite culture they found below Egypt had been produced by Egyptians, not by black-skinned inhabitants of that area. In this Study Group, we will look at recent information about Nubia/Kush that reveals a different story. Nubia/Kush became an independent highly advanced, ancient African civilization that rivaled ancient Egypt in wealth, power, and cultural development. Their art solidifies that story. We will even see that Kushites ruled as Pharaohs of Egypt for almost a century during the 25th Dynasty and left their artistic mark in Egypt. Because the art and history from Nubia/Kush and Egypt are so intertwined, we will be reviewing the art and history of Egypt as we go along.

Reading materials: Each week, Sharon will send members of the group optional reading materials and will post on the OLLI Downloads the art for that week.

Facilitators: Sharon is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, and a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in investigating art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members. Presently, she is a member of the OLLI Advisory Council where she serves as Liaison to the Marketing Committee. She has participated in numerous study groups and courses and has facilitated over 25 art history study groups.



Prisoners of Geography
Roy Campbell
Format: In-person
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

In this his writings, Tim Marshall argues that a nation’s geography can determine its fate—nations with bountiful natural resources and protective physical features tend to thrive and prosper while other nations struggle by comparison. In this study group, we will look at how his studies can enlighten us about current events. We will augment his text with observations from the news and from other historians and journalists.

Reading materials: Participants are encouraged to have access to Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography (2016) and Power of Geography (2021).

Facilitators: Roy Campbell is a scientist, not historian but he has an interest in how the world works, politics, and the future. He found the books fascinating and would like to share thoughts about Tim's writings with others.



Shakespeare’s “An Age of Kings”
Fred Christensen
Format: In-person
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. (first two sessions); 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. (other sessions)
6 sessions: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

Long before "Masterpiece Theatre," there was "An Age of Kings," the BBC’s arrangement of Shakespeare’s history plays into a continuous miniseries of 15 one-hour episodes. First broadcast in the US in 1961, they introduced a generation to the turmoil, power, majesty and frailty of England’s monarchs from 1377 to 1485, and to the unmatchable brilliance of Shakespeare’s dialogue. This Group will view and discuss the first eight episodes: "Richard II," "Henry IV Parts 1 and 2," and "Henry V." A splendid ensemble of actors and actresses performs their roles continuously through the episodes — young Robert Hardy as Prince Hal/King Henry, young Judi Dench as Katherine of France, young Sean Connery (pre-007) as Hotspur, and many others. In these plays, Shakespeare probes the heights and depths of human nature — heroism and cowardice, love and hatred, from the magnificent pre-battle speeches of Henry V at Agincourt to the hilarious tavern antics of Sir John Falstaff.

Reading materials: Members have the option of reading copies of "Richard II," "Henry IV Part One," "Henry IV Part Two," and "Henry V." Fred will distribute handouts (essays and other items).

Facilitator: Fred Christensen has a lifelong interest in these plays and originally saw this series as a high school student in 1961. This Study Group was offered at OLLI in 2013.



The War in Ukraine Today
Frank Chadwick
Format: In-person
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17

The New Yorker
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
Format: Zoom
9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18

The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine.. We welcome new members who will bring interesting perspectives to the group. The weekly selection of the articles is made by a consensus of the group. Members are encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during the session. When not leading the discussion, members are encouraged to participate in the discussions. Members are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed. Please join us!

Reading materials: The New Yorker magazine

Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator. She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including The New Yorker.

Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.



TV Sitcoms
Sandy Camargo
Format: In-person
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18

The focus of this study group will be on sitcoms from the 1950s to the 2000s. Each week, participants will be asked to pick a sitcom that they liked, from the list provided or of their own choosing. No prerequisites or special knowledge are needed except the ability to present a brief introduction to the sitcom’s creators, cast, history, and then to start a discussion of the work’s influence, style, representation of gender, class, race, etc. We will generate a decade-by-decade survey of the genre. Since sitcoms are short, participants can designate the examples that we view or leave it to the facilitator to find them.

Reading materials:Readings about the evolution of TV to be provided.

Facilitator: Sandy Camargo has co-facilitated other study groups. The evolution of TV is one of her special interests. She is driven to facilitate this study group in part because we need some laughter in our lives.



The Economist
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18
Claire Barker, Doug Staske & Jeff Gordon

The British Economist Magazine supplies an outside viewpoint on the United States and a deep historical understanding of the rest of the world. It tackles economic and financial issues in detail but most often writes about the weekly issues in the news in impressive depth. All areas of the world are covered as are updates in science, justice, international relationships, climate change, race, cybersecurity, family, and culture. We welcome new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.

Reading Materials: The Economist Magazine

Facilitators: Claire has this group for 4.5 years. For 3 years, she has also participated in the monthly International Economist Readers Group (Britain, Canada, US). She is a retired internist and geriatrician who grew up in a financial family in Toronto and NYC. She’s enjoyed learning economics but eve more so the wide variety of issues presented.

Doug Staske is a retired civil engineer who worked in private consulting, municipal, and county engineering fields, the last 10 years for Vermilion County, Illinois. Since retirement he has enjoyed participating in the Economist study group for six years, co-hosting for the last 3.5 years.

Jeff Gordon has been host of the Economist study group for eight years until 2019 and now is back as co-host! Jeff is a retired UIUC researcher and educator in the field of building science. An enduring curiosity about world events led him to the Economist magazine. He enjoys the lively conversation and sharing of viewpoints that the study group encourages.

 

Reading Poetry
Kendall Rafter & Cynthia Sweet
Format: In-person
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18

Poems evoke feelings, meanings and experiences that are personal in nature. When we share our different responses to poems, we gain a deeper understanding. For each week, two study group members choose a poet and a set of their poems for the class to read ahead of time. The two members give a brief introduction to the poet and lead a discussion of the selected poems.

Reading materials: We will rely on available free resources such as The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and other Internet sites.

Facilitators: Both facilitators have participated in many Reading Poetry study groups over the years.



These Are a Few of our Favorite Films
Multiple Facilitators
Format: In-person
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18

Six facilitators will present six films, one per week, covering the theme “places you have lived or visited internationally.” Each facilitator will present a film of their choice, giving a brief introduction, then the film itself, and then lead a discussion of the film with some possible additional background provided. The films and facilitators are:

My Brilliant Career (1980)
Field of Dreams (1989)
I am Sam (2002)
Greyhound (2020)
Living (2022)
The Holdovers (2023)

Reading materials: none

Facilitators: The facilitators have participated in previous favorite films study groups and have volunteered to show and discuss their favorite film. Some are veteran study group facilitators, some are new to the role, and all of them are interested in sharing ideas with the OLLI community in this team-led format.



Immanuel Kant: “Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics”
Bob Strauss and Norm Klein
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18
Format: In-Person and ZOOM

This semester we will read the first eleven stories in The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 edited by Amor Towles, with series editor Otto Penzler. The volume contains stories by Doug Allyn, Andrew Child, Jeffery Deaver, and Brendan DuBois, who have appeared in previous “Best Mystery Stories” volumes, as well as several less know authors. Publishers Weekly described the volume as “Across a dizzying number of subgenres, this collection delights by prizing quality over name recognition. There’s something here for every mystery fan.” No prerequisites or special knowledge is needed except the ability to research an author and start a discussion of the work.

Group members will be expected read and be ready to discuss one or two stories each week. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions.

Reading materials: The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023, edited by Amor Towles, with series editor Otto Penzler (2023).

Facilitators: Bev is a retired research geologist and an avid reader of mysteries. She has co-led an OLLI mystery short stories study group since 2011. Sandy has been a member of this group for several years. She is a retired Senior Lecturer in English and Adjunct Professor of Cinema Studies at the U of I.



FRIDAYS:

Writing and Performing Poetry
John Palen
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

Participants will write poems and share them with the group weekly. Special attention is paid to using model poems by published poets to learn about the tools in the poet’s tool kit and how to use them. No previous experience with reading or writing poetry is needed. For each session, we’ll start with an open mic-style reading of our poems, followed by discussion of the next model poem, then some light critiquing of our poems by study group participants.

Reading Materials: Facilitator will provide materials.

Facilitator: John Palen has been a published poet for more than 50 years, both in literary journals and in nine books. He’s won a few prizes along the way. He has led this group for a number of years and first used this approach to poetry workshopping years ago as part of the Michigan Poets in the Schools program.

Early American History
Mike Murphy and Trisha Crowley
Format: In-Person
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

We will look at early America from Plymouth Rock to the American Revolution. The discussions will be based on Edmund S. Morgan’s book, The Genuine Article. This is a collection of 24 book reviews by Morgan (each about 10 pages long) that appeared in The New York Review of Books. The book provides both a history of the period as well as an engagement with other historians of this period. As a discussion among historians, this format shows us where historians differ and what questions they raise. We plan to read and discuss two or three book reviews each week.

Reading Materials: Edmund S. Morgan’s The Genuine Article. Reading of the book is essential for participation. Used copies are readily available online as well as kindle.

Facilitators: Mike Murphy and Trisha Crowley are not experts but are widely read in American history. They welcome those who know a lot of American history and those who know just a little. Expertise is not required.

Writers’ Café
Frank Chadwick
Format: In-Person and Zoom
2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20

Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience are welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Reading materials: None

Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist, and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated numerous OLLI study groups and taught many OLLI courses, including Writing the Novel; The 1973 Arab Israeli War; World War II: A Look Behind the Curtain; Greece and Persia: The War that Created History twice; and The Art and Craft of Writing as Portrayed in Film.