Apr 29 Wednesday
As far as countries go, the United States is fairly young. Nevertheless, it has indeed made its own contributions to religion and spirituality. In this two-part lecture, we’ll examine what particular religious movements have developed in the United States, and we’ll see how those movements have affected the religious landscape in general. We’ll discuss William Miller and the beginning of the Adventists, we’ll consider Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism, and we’ll explore the Restoration movement and the two Great Awakenings. In all of these things, we will develop a stronger context for American religious life, and most importantly, better understand our own country.
This two-part lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.
The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.
May 04 Monday
While a naval officer’s career is often defined by command at sea, some of the most critical "battles" are fought in the halls of the United Nations, the corridors of the State Department, and the briefing rooms of the White House. This course offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the role of the military diplomat. We will explore the complex art of "uniformed diplomacy," from drafting UN Security Council resolutions on maritime sanctions to the delicate linguistic and cultural nuances required to negotiate a new treaty with the Russian Federation. Through real-world anecdotes—including how a quote from Pushkin broke a diplomatic impasse—we will discuss the challenge of building 50-country coalitions, managing the legal frameworks of seized assets, and providing strategic counsel to the President when the stakes are nothing less than global stability.
May 05 Tuesday
The 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine shocked political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. In the prelude to the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukraine an “artificial” nation claiming that it had always been part of Russia. On what basis does he make this claim and what shapes Putin’s broader outlook about the place of Russia in the modern world. NATO and the United States in particular, have so far rejected military interventions and opted instead to use economic leverage in the form of sanctions and weapons supplies over direct action. Yet after four years of heavy fighting, casualties on both sides running into the hundreds of thousands, and billions in Western financial aid, there is still no end in sight. How should we think about the significance of this war, its causes and its meaning for the United States in the current state of world affairs? This course aims to provide attendees with an in-depth analysis of these questions. It offers insights on the roots of Russia’s war on Ukraine, where it stands today, and the consequences of its outcome for the future of American foreign policy.
This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom. Walk-ins are not permitted.
Description:
The stories we tell shape the world we live in and the future we’re building. As funding becomes harder to secure and competition for awards grows, the ability to communicate your nonprofit’s impact with clarity, emotion, and purpose is no longer optional — it’s essential. This workshop gives nonprofit leaders the tools and confidence to craft stories that stand out and inspire action.
Learning Objectives: - Explain the strategic value of storytelling as a tool for advancing their nonprofit mission, building trust, and influencing key audiences — including funders, advocates, and partners.- Identify and shape compelling narratives that authentically reflect their mission, values, and impact.- Apply practical storytelling tools and techniques to craft stories that inspire action, deepen engagement, and drive change.- Design and implement a storytelling process within their organizations, including effective methods for sourcing, curating, and sharing authentic narratives.- Develop and uphold responsible storytelling practices that ensure respect, dignity, and agency for the people and communities represented.- Discover and surface powerful stories in unexpected places, expanding their organization’s capacity to capture and communicate impact.
May 11 Monday
May 12 Tuesday
May 13 Wednesday
This year marks the 130th anniversary of the enthronement of Nikolai II of Russia, the last Tsar in the Romanov dynasty, and the 120th anniversary of the birth of his only son Alexei, the would-be tsar who was ill with hemophilia and later brutally murdered by the Bolsheviks. In this lecture, we’ll take a sweeping look at Russia at the time of the last of the Romanovs and on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution, from the royal family down to peasants, who still constituted the majority of the Russian population despite rapid industrialization and urbanization. The lecture is richly illustrated not only by photographic images but by rare documentary footage of the Romanov family and historical events of that period.
This lecture can be attended virtually via Zoom.
May 14 Thursday
In this lecture, we will unpack how the media — in national newspapers such as The New York Times and El Universal and through alternative media like Twitter in both in Mexico and the United States — frames and portrays drug-related violence and related issues like gun trafficking. We will examine how drug-related violence and gun trafficking are framed as social problems in Mexico, while “spillover violence” is often portrayed in the U.S. as a moral panic.
