Academy of Seniors
1. THE GALILEO AFFAIR: AND YET…IT MOVED
September 3, 10, 17, 24 (Tuesdays)
9:30-11:30 am
In the 17th century, few scientific debates reached the fever pitch of debates around heliocentricity. Galileo Galleili and his trials with the Catholic Church became the centerpiece of this intellectual battle. The communications between scientists, church officials and aristocracy were riddled with scandal, corruption and secrets.
Historians now refer to this episode as the Galileo Affair. During these four lectures, Kapoor will explore the events, both real and imagined, of the affair and reflect on their historical significance and resonance.
Nathan Kapoor, Assistant Professor of History, Illinois State University
2. EXHIBITION PRACTICES IN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
October 1, 8, 15, 22 (Tuesdays)
1:30-3:30 pm
Exhibition practices in three areas in the history of modern and contemporary art of the 20th and 21st centuries will be explored during sessions 1-3. The last 20-30 years have seen an enormous shift in the visibility of this work: smaller and independent gallery spaces have gained visibility and mainstream museums have begun to show this work.
Curatorial practice and exhibition-making have expanded to include a wide range of artists, approaches and programming, particularly in educational institutions. Session 4 will survey these changes and uses two solo exhibitions at University Galleries as case studies—Dianna Frid: It Takes Time and Terry Adkins: Soldier, Shepherd, Prophet, Martyr.
- Session 1: Craft Versus Art
- Session 2: African American Artists
- Session 3: Native Indigenous Artists of North America
- Session 4: The Expanded Role of the Curator in Contemporary Institutions
Melissa Johnson,
Associate Professor, Art History & Visual Culture, Wonsook Kim School of Art, ISU (Sessions 1-3)
Kendra Paitz,
Director and Chief Curator, University Galleries, ISU (Session 4)
3. THE WORLD AFTER COVID: PROSPECTS, DANGERS, TEMPTATIONS
October 17, 24, 31, November 7 (Thursdays)
1:30-3:30 pm
From the Justinianic Plague (541-549 AD) to the Spanish Flu (1918), pandemics have caused upheaval on the vastest of scales. The Covid-19 emergency was no exception. History suggests that if there is one thing we can be certain of, it is that the post-Covid world is a very different place, as we continue to witness. This course will examine the likely outcomes, some of them long-term or delayed, of the coronavirus pandemic at home and abroad. The two primary lines of inquiry will be the geopolitical and geocultural, with a focus on how the global changes already under way, and those that are yet to come, will impact Americans’ private and public lives.
Richard Tempest, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Senior Editor, Journal of Political Marketing (Chicago)
4. COURTS AT RISK: JUDGING IN PERILOUS TIMES
January 27, 29, February 3, 5 (Mondays/Wednesdays)
1:30-3:30 pm
With public confidence in the courts at a historic low, and threats against judges and physical assaults on courthouses at all-time highs, courts are facing formidable challenges. Bradley will examine the nature of these challenges, their impacts and suggested remedies. He will assess whether judges can still dispense justice to all in a fair and impartial fashion, and can the courts still be the bulwarks of democracy.
- Session 1: An overview of the American judiciary, examining its evolution, distinctive features and functions
- Session 2: State and local court types, trends and judicial selection methods with an emphasis on Illinois
- Session 3: The types and jurisdictions of lower federal courts, past and present, in the U.S.
- Session 4: A detailed look at the operations and impact of the U.S. Supreme Court
Robert Bradley, Professor Emeritus, Politics and Government, ISU