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Join our rejuvenating yoga class designed specifically for older adults! Discover the benefits of movement, increased flexibility, and improved overall well-being in a safe and supportive environment. Led by an experienced and certified instructor, our class focuses on tailored yoga postures that accommodate various physical abilities and limitations. Through a series of gentle stretches, balance exercises, and breathing techniques, you'll enhance your strength, flexibility, and stability. Our sessions include mindfulness practices and relaxation techniques to promote stress relief. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience with yoga, this class offers a welcoming space to connect with others, take care of your body, and listen to your self.
September 28 - September 28
This course is only available to Osher members.
Jazz is a storied and complicated genre within the landscape of American popular music. Over the course of six weeks, we’ll evaluate a variety of different artists, subgenres, and songs through the lens of social activism and protest. During the first week, we’ll examine what core components are necessary to make a genre or song “protest music.” Once we have established our criteria, we’ll take a deep dive into all sorts of subgenres of jazz to find examples of social protest through swing. Our course will cover a wide variety of artists, but will focus especially on the output of some of jazz’s more socially active personalities such as Charles Mingus, Nina Simone, and Billie Holiday.
October 12 - November 16
This course is only available to Osher members.
This course will explore historical roots of systemic oppression through current policies and practices, such as the recent decision to undo affirmative action. Together, we will examine the difference between equality and equity, reflect on individual identity and behaviors, and explore our roles in the journey toward justice. This discussion course anticipates that students will actively participate in class conversation, break out rooms and workshop activities each week.
October 6 - November 10
This course is only available to Osher members.
Have you ever wondered how modern appliances are made? Why certain plastic things cost pennies and others are hundreds of dollars? Ever been frustrated by a cheap gadget breaking? Want to catch up on the latest 3D printing use cases? In this course, we'll explore a series of case studies which will explain various manufacturing techniques which make our modern life possible and provide answers to the above questions and more. No previous knowledge of manufacturing is required.
October 5 - November 9
This course is only available to Osher members.
“Going Viral” implies explosive growth and spread -- like bad news on social media. Or Covid-19. Safe to say,viruses have been around way longer than people. They’re everywhere! But what ARE viruses? Are they mini-cells? Are they even ‘alive’? We naturally focus on those that infect humans, but they have ramifications far beyond us. They DO indeed infect us and can cause diseases, but we humans make use of viruses as well in basic research and even clinical practice. In this class we’ll look into the many ways viruses work in the biosphere – extending even to the ‘calling cards’ of viral DNA that makes up a significant fraction of our human genome. No previous science background required (basic background on cells and microbes will be included). This class is primarily lecture with directed discussions.
September 28 - November 9
This course is only available to Osher members.
By looking at “great” buildings throughout history, we will learn about the principles of architecture and the importance of materials, technology and patronage. Each week we will examine one or two important buildings and the role that innovation plays in any building, no matter its historical origins.
September 27 - November 1
This course is only available to Osher members.
In 1866, the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote what would become one of the world’s great novels about murder. And it’s told from the murderer’s point of view. People are still reading it and arguing about what it means—indeed, it can be read in more than 170 languages. It’s an odd yet compelling book—we learn from the murderer Raskolnikov that he is indeed guilty. The mystery revolves around why he committed the murder—Raskolnikov keeps changing his own explanations. Here is a novel about the dangerous powers of ideas, revolving around the question of whether a truly extraordinary person can overstep the barriers of morality and law; a story of friendship, love, and redemption, asking the ultimate questions about human life.This discussion course anticipates that students will read the novel and actively participate in class discussion about each week’s reading.
October 4 - November 8
This course is only available to Osher members.
There are survey courses in art, history, art history, and (this is true) history of art history. Isn't it time for one of the most vibrant and popular of the arts to be taken seriously? This course has the temerity to claim humor is an art form, then try to prove it by looking at what it is and how it works – the history, mythology, anthropology, biology, psychology, philosophy and even theology of comedy. Examples come from the form’s most expert practitioners: Chaplin, Keaton, Groucho, Wilder, Sellers, Allen, Martin, Ferrell, Python, Pryor, Colbert, C.K., Stiller, Silverman and Schumer. David also draws from his background in comedy to show how professional humor is constructed.
October 10 - November 21
As our world undergoes rapid transformation, it's essential to understand the power and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Join us in this dynamic 2-hour presentation as we delve into the fascinating realm of AI, exploring its components such as machine learning, open chat, and scenario simulation. Together, we will tackle crucial questions: Are we prepared for AI? Should we embrace or ignore it? Can we trust it? Gain valuable insights into how AI is reshaping various aspects of our daily lives, from transportation and news consumption to banking, education, and lifestyle.
November 8 - November 8
Explore the profound impact of migration on women's lives in this thought-provoking course. Investigate how factors such as sex, race, class, ethnicity, and more intersect to shape the unique experiences of women in migration. We’ll discuss the complex relationship between women's sexuality and the development and implementation of U.S. immigration laws. As part of this course, you'll also learn how acculturation affects the autonomy of immigrant daughters and their sexual behavior, while also opening up new opportunities for them. Join us to explore pressing questions on immigration's influence on identity, body, and sexuality. Enroll for an enlightening journey towards empowering women and fostering gender equality.
September 25 - October 16