Course Search
What is human trafficking? What is child sex trafficking? Get a broad overview of ongoing research on the topic, with a focus on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST). Learn about the impacts of CSEC in California; and current federal, state, and local efforts to address the wide variety of issues associated with sex trafficking. Also learn about the move toward a multi-system response to working with trafficking victims.
Format: 25% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion, 25% Hands-on activity, 25% Demonstration
Explore the life and works of Johann Sebastian Bach, one of history’s foremost musical geniuses. We’ll delve into the musical masterpieces of one of the most celebrated composers of all time, with live performances, audio, and visual examples. You’ll learn the stories behind the creation of Bach’s sacred and secular works, and the historical context in which they were created. Gain an appreciation for some of the greatest music ever written, and the lasting effect of Bach on the future of classical music.
Format: 50% Lecture, 20% Interactive discussion, 30% Demonstration (audio, video, and live performance)
Travel to England in the early 1600s, a world of glittering pageantry and cutthroat ambition, while enjoying a lovely afternoon tea. Elizabeth St. John recreates the story of her ancestor Lucy St. John, in her book, By Love Divided, a dramatic story of love, betrayal, family bonds, and loyalty through her family’s surviving diaries, letters, and court papers. Join Elizabeth over an authentic British tea as she recounts the tales of her family, both fictional and historical. Also explore the connections formed across centuries through written word.
Format: 70% Lecture, 30% Interactive Discussion
At the base of Presidio Hill in Presidio Park is a largely forgotten area known as the Franciscan Gardens. Dedicated on July 16, 1935 as El Jardín del Rey, The King’s Garden was where members of the Sacred Expedition, including Father Junípero Serra, gathered on July 1, 1769 to plan Spain’s occupation of Alta California. It is reportedly the gravesite to over 80 expedition members. In this lecture, we’ll analyze the historic evidence and consider which factors — fatigue, malnutrition, illness, disease, or conflict with the native population — were the possible causes of death, and whether or not the remains are still there. We’ll visit the Garden on Saturday, May 11.
Format: 75% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion
One Book, One San Diego is our region’s premiere literary program, presented in partnership with KPBS and over 80 public libraries, service organizations, and educational institutions. Now in its 12th year, the program brings our community closer together through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. The first in a series of three, March: Book One — a graphic memoir by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell — is a vivid first-hand account of the early life of Civil Rights icon John Lewis (including meeting Martin Luther King Jr.) and the birth of the Nashville Student Movement.
Format: 10% Lecture, 90% Interactive Discussion
American history in the 1700s usually focuses on events in the Thirteen Colonies, such as the Great Awakening, the Seven Years War (French and Indian War), and the Revolution. California history, however, tends to emphasize Spanish missions and presidios, and their impact on native cultures. How can we combine these contemporaneous narratives into a more complete picture of 18th century America? Using sources including film and literature, we will examine how various U.S. events are connected to larger global trends in Europe and North America.
Format: 40% Lecture, 50% Interactive discussion, 10% Film clip viewing
In 1978, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes burst into American pop culture when the movie premiered in San Diego. Three other Killer Tomatoes movies followed, along with a cartoon show, games, and toys. Costa Dillon, the creator and writer of the films, will look at how they came into being, and the process and perils of writing a science fiction comedy. Through film clips and production photos, get a behind-the-scenes look at how the original film was made on a shoestring budget by true Hollywood outsiders. We’ll explore the unexpected popularity of the movie and what it means to be a cult film.
Format: 75% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion
A seasoned immigration judge once described her job as “doing death-penalty cases in a traffic-court setting.” While immigration policy has dominated the news this past year, many of the events sparking public outrage have shed light on long-standing systems and procedures that make up the immigration system in the U.S. This course will provide a close look in what due process and constitutional protections mean in the immigration context — exploring immigration courts, enforcement agencies, criminalization, detention, family separation, and the refugee and asylum process.
Format: 50% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion, 20% Hands-on activity, 5% Demonstration
In a combined reading of Karen Kenyon’s The Bronte Family: Passionate Literary Geniuses and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, we’ll explore how Bronte’s life intersected with one of her most famous novels. We’ll also connect the events of Jane’s journey with the classic journey of the hero(ine). Learn how the life of the author can be utilized in a work of fiction.
Format: 25% Lecture, 50% Interactive Discussion, 25% Hands-on activity
The British victory in the French and Indian War triggered a series of events that led to the American Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and ultimately the birth of our nation. In the first of four lectures, we’ll explore the French and Indian War and the events leading to American independence. In the following three lectures, we’ll examines the lives of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson, and the critical roles these Founding Fathers played in shaping our nation. This includes their contribution to the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and the Constitutional Convention.
Format: 95% Lecture, 5% Interactive discussion