UCALL
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Religious Freedom: A Comparative History
Tuesdays, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: College Park Hall, room M102a (this course has been moved from Reamer Auditorium to CPH)
In-person, remote option via Zoom
We commonly consider “religious freedom” to be a good thing. But what does it mean and how has it found expression in both past and present societies? Has “religious freedom” ever been realized in a society, even in the United States? This course examines the concept of “religious freedom,” its relationship to “tolerance,” and the attitudes various polities have taken towards minority, and other forms of non-official, religious expression. Historical examples include ancient empires, medieval Spain, and modern India, Europe and the United States. We will also examine what religious traditions themselves teach regarding “religious freedom” and “tolerance.”
Presenter: Peter Bedford, John and Jane Wold Professor of Religious Studies
Coordinator: Cathy Lewis
Lasting Favorites in Opera
Tuesdays, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Reamer Auditorium
In-person, remote option via Zoom
A staggering number of operas have been composed since the genre’s inception around 1600. Few have been performed beyond their composers’ lifetimes, while others endure as lasting favorites. In this course we revisit five of these. Week 1: Verdi’s “Don Carlos,” based on Schiller’s German play, was initially written in French for the Paris Opera but later adapted for Italy as “Don Carlo.” We present the original French version. Week 2: “Tales of Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach, a renowned operetta composer. “Hoffmann,” his unfinished masterpiece, was premiered posthumously, leading to various editions. Week 3: “Elektra” by Richard Strauss based on the Greek tragedy by Sophocles in a German version by Hofmannsthal. This epoch-making opera with a huge orchestra relies on Greek tragedy’s principles for its effect. Week 4: “Tosca” by Puccini. The critic Krehbiel called it “that shabby little shocker.” That’s why it continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Week 5: Another Puccini, “Gianni Schicchi,” based on Dante’s story, is a witty character study that delights with perfect music.
Presenter: Josef Schmee, the Kenneth B. Sharpe Professor of Management Emeritus
Coordinator: Jim Comly
Disruption in Society
Wednesdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: College Park Hall, room M102a
In-person, remote option via Zoom
Change is part of life. Change feels different and yet, things are somewhat the same. When change comes quickly and completely transforms aspects of life, disruption occurs. In this course, the class will hear about disruption in American society from the following perspectives:
Week 1: Deidre Hill-Butler, professor of sociology, will discuss cycles of disruption that have taken place over the course of history, including the current time. Throughout history, cycles of disruption have occurred where significant technological advancements or societal shifts dramatically alter existing systems. This presentation will focus on current 21st century social justice changes from George Floyd to the election of Donald Trump.
Week 2: Representatives from Community Care Physicians, Alexis Musto and Stephanie Lobosco-Navarro, will speak about the dynamic shift toward health care consumerism, how it has disrupted traditional health care models and how it is reshaping the future of care delivery.
Week 3: Deidre Hill-Butler returns with an examination of how disruption in American Society has changed the approach to various aspects of life, such as norms. The eminent French sociologist Émile Durkheim wrote more than a hundred years ago about the consequences of anomie in society. The term is usually defined as normlessness, or a situation in which societies and social groupings lack agreement on norms of behavior, resulting in a breakdown of structure and disagreement on values and guidelines for behavior.
Week 4: Discover how generative AI is reshaping healthcare education through disruptive technologies and fresh insights. Jason Coley, founding director of the Center for Academic Innovation at Maria College, will present the transformative impact of GenAI by examining historical shifts in healthcare and highlighting how these technologies are revolutionizing teaching and learning.
Week 5: Paul Caiano, chief meteorologist at WNYT, will discuss the changes that we have seen in the Capital Region’s weather, both in the long term and short term. He will take a statistical look at some of the changes and how impactful they may be in our day-to-day lives.
Coordinator: Angela Dominelli
Storytelling Workshop
Wednesdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: College Park Hall, room M107
In-person only (Limited enrollment)
Your stories matter! Whether you want to polish your storytelling skills – or you are a toe-in-the-water teller -- this workshop is for you. You’ll help your classmates and be helped to find, develop, polish and perform your own stories with your instructor, Margaret French, storyteller and educator.
Coordinator: Cathy Lewis
Faith in Films
Thursdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: College Park Hall, room M102a (this course has been moved from Reamer Auditorium to CPH)
In-person, remote option via Zoom
Jim Dillon, retired education administrator/author, invites us on a journey to uncover the hidden layers in some of the most memorable films of our time. Through meticulous research, thoughtful analysis, and a careful review of visual motifs, patterns of action and dialogue, he reveals elements many viewers may have missed. While the featured films do not explicitly reference religion, they resonate with spiritual truths found in many faith traditions. Using selected film clips, still images and key script excerpts, Jim highlights the profound ways these stories transform their characters — shaping their thinking, choices and ultimately, their lives. Jim will guide us through five iconic films, exploring their deeper meanings and emotional impact: It’s a Wonderful Life; Field of Dreams; It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood; Groundhog Day; Cast Away. Each week will focus on one film, offering fresh insights into how these cinematic masterpieces touch the human spirit and inspire personal reflection. Watching films before class is highly recommended. Join us for a thought-provoking exploration that will leave you seeing these timeless classics in an entirely new light.
Coordinator: Michael Davi
Topics in Science
Thursdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1
12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Reamer Auditorium
In-person, remote option via Zoom
Week 1: Luke Dosiek, professor of electrical and computer engineering, discusses the major components of a “smart power grid,” an overview of what's already in service, and what is likely to come online in the near future.
Week 2: Artificial intelligence is new and it's everywhere. Or is it? Nick Webb, associate professor of computer science, gives an overview of the history of AI, up to but not exactly including the current generation of “generative AI,” its successes, failures and future.
Week 3: ChatGPT is sweeping the world, changing education, the workplace and life. Nick Webb presents an overview: what generative AI programs are, where they came from, and what they can and cannot do.
Week 4: The human preoccupation with timekeeping goes back thousands of years. Chad Orzel, the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, will discuss how the Earth’s rotation creates a connection between time and place that makes timekeeping essential for navigation, and how this connection has driven innovation.
Week 5: Small telescopes can contribute to scientific knowledge and even discover planets outside of our solar system. With the Union College Observatory and other small telescopes, Francis Wilkin, senior lecturer in physics and astronomy, describes how he and a team of undergraduate students are studying exoplanets as well as spinning asteroids and nova explosions.
Coordinator: Phyllis Budka