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- Aging, Death and Dying – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC322A
Dates: 4/7/2025 - 5/5/2025
Times: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Days: M
Sessions: 5
Maximum Enrollment: 34
Seats Available: 13
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room C
Instructor: William Thompson
This course takes a practical and sociological approach to the processes of aging, death and dying. Each of the first four classes will cover a particular aspect of aging: 1) biological and physiological, 2) emotional and psychological, 3) sociological and cultural and 4) death and dying. Students will learn about each topic based on social scientific research as well as personal experiences. We will discuss ageism and stereotypes of the elderly, as well as how aging, death and dying are viewed not only in the United States but in different cultures around the world. The fifth class will be devoted to discussion of the instructor’s book, “The Glass House,” which will be provided to each student. Each session will begin with a brief presentation on the topic followed by class discussion.
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- Cultivating Connections to Our Local Food System – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC328M
Dates: 4/1/2025 - 4/22/2025
Times: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 4
Maximum Enrollment: 35
Seats Available: 22
Building: Medford Higher Education Center
Room: Room 118
Instructor: Flavia Franco
Whether you are new to the Rogue Valley or have been here many years, it’s possible that you may not have experienced the robust farming community that surrounds us. In this four-week course, attendees will learn about the successes, challenges and environmental considerations that four different local farms face. We will look at the local food system and the role that each of us can play to improve it. Food can be a key part of enjoyable gatherings or it can be taken for granted or wasted. We will learn about food waste management practices, incorporating locally produced food and improving food choices. Having a deep sense of place can add richness to daily life, just by having a grateful awareness and a feeling of connection. This class will help attendees form a deeper connection to the surrounding Rogue farming community and to their own food.
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- El Salvador and Democracy in the 21st Century – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC329M
Dates: 4/15/2025 - 5/20/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 6
Maximum Enrollment: 34
Seats Available: 27
Building: Medford Higher Education Center
Room: Room 118
Instructor: Terry Doyle
Why care about a small Central American country like El Salvador? One reason is that in a changing world, El Salvador is pointing the way to a different kind of democracy whose leader is not afraid to try things that would horrify our civics teachers. Those who quote Ben Franklin as saying, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety,” should have visited El Salvador in the 1990s, when the murder rate topped 100 per 100,000 people, the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Today, the murder rate is lower than that of Canada. President Nayib Bukele’s approval rating is over 90%, and Salvadoran citizens are enjoying their new security. How did that happen? It’s due to massive arrests without civil liberties of all gang members, known and suspected, and the construction of CECOT, one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the world, with 40,000 inmates. This will be a lecture course with ample time for Q&A.
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- El Salvador and Democracy in the 21st Century – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC329A
Dates: 4/17/2025 - 5/22/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Days: Th
Sessions: 5
Maximum Enrollment: 53
Seats Available: 37
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room D
Instructor: Terry Doyle
Why care about a small Central American country like El Salvador? One reason is that in a changing world, El Salvador is pointing the way to a different kind of democracy whose leader is not afraid to try things that would horrify our civics teachers. Those who quote Ben Franklin as saying, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety,” should have visited El Salvador in the 1990s, when the murder rate topped 100 per 100,000 people, the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Today, the murder rate is lower than that of Canada. President Nayib Bukele’s approval rating is over 90%, and Salvadoran citizens are enjoying their new security. How did that happen? It’s due to massive arrests without civil liberties of all gang members, known and suspected, and the construction of CECOT, one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the world, with 40,000 inmates. This will be a lecture course with ample time for Q&A.
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- Hot News & Cool Views – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC139
Dates: 4/1/2025 - 6/3/2025
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 10
Maximum Enrollment: 299
Seats Available: 263
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Rick Vann
Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion forum to explore and discuss breaking news from Oregon and around the globe each week. All differing views and opinions are not only welcome but essential to create lively discussion in the group. We cover a wide range of topics, from politics to climate change to technology, medicine and more. An agenda with articles will be sent to students a couple of days prior to each class. Students are encouraged to send in topics and news articles to add to each week’s agenda and our discussion. Please join us for a sizzling hot journey around the world with our fast, fun and sometimes controversial class. Better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going!
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- Hot News & Cool Views – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC139A
Dates: 4/1/2025 - 6/3/2025
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 10
Maximum Enrollment: 35
Seats Available: 17
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room D
Instructor: Rick Vann
Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion forum to explore and discuss breaking news from Oregon and around the globe each week. All differing views and opinions are not only welcome but essential to create lively discussion in the group. We cover a wide range of topics, from politics to climate change to technology, medicine and more. An agenda with articles will be sent to students a couple of days prior to each class. Students are encouraged to send in topics and news articles to add to each week’s agenda and our discussion. Please join us for a sizzling hot journey around the world with our fast, fun and sometimes controversial class. Better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going!
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- Investigating Religions Without God – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC323A
Dates: 3/31/2025 - 5/5/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Days: M
Sessions: 6
Maximum Enrollment: 75
Seats Available: 23
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room E
Instructor: Dave Ferguson
In this course we will investigate the practice of “religion” without the concept of “God.” That is, we will consider religions that are nontheistic or atheistic, meaning their beliefs and practices are absent of faith in the existence of supernatural deities. We’ll consider both ancient and modern approaches, some traditional, some metaphorical, some tongue-in-cheek. Classes will include presentations by the instructor, including short videos, followed by discussions. Short readings will be suggested for each class, mostly using internet-based resources. The sequence of classes will be: 1) Naturalism, 2) The Way of the Tao & Buddhism, 3) The Paganism and the Cult of Dionysus, 4) Syntheism and Secular Humanism, 5) The Satanic Temple and Pastafarianism, and 6) UMM: Unorthodox Methodless Mysticism.
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- Show Me the Money: Finances of Local Government – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC330
Dates: 4/2/2025 - 5/21/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Days: W
Sessions: 8
Maximum Enrollment: 299
Seats Available: 282
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Sabrina Cotta
Ever wonder what Ashland’s food and beverage tax pays for? Curious how Ashland city revenue has changed over time? This class will provide attendees with a high-level understanding of how the city of Ashland raises and spends money to pay for public services and infrastructure. Each session will consist of a 30-minute presentation on a particular topic, followed by time for questions and answers moderated by City Manager Sabrina Cotta. This course is about local government finances. It is not a course on policy issues or political statements.
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- The Deficit Myth – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC317
Dates: 4/21/2025 - 6/2/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Days: M
Sessions: 6
Maximum Enrollment: 299
Seats Available: 257
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Tom Woosnam
Our Congress regularly uses excuses to avoid passing important legislation: “How are we going to pay for it?” “Our deficit is out of control and our kids and grandkids will be paying the price.” “We can’t possibly have this social program because there’s no money to pay for it.” “We have to balance the budget.” If the federal budget worked like our own personal budgets those statements would indeed be appropriate. But it doesn’t, because the government, through the Federal Reserve, issues the currency. This course will examine how money works in light of what is known as Modern Monetary Theory. We will use the ideas in “The Deficit Myth” by Stephanie Kelton to guide our discussion. OLLI members may have heard of MMT in different contexts, the most common being the deliberate misinterpretation: “MMT says deficits don’t matter and you can print as much money as you want with no negative consequences.” No prior knowledge is required, and it’s not necessary to read the book.
NOTE: This course will be similar to a course of the same title taught in fall 2024, but will include additional information on money creation, inflation and buying and selling of Treasury securities. One-hour classes are planned, so we’re likely to end early but please reserve the full 90 minutes in your schedules. There is no class session on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day.
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- The Deficit Myth – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC317A
Dates: 4/21/2025 - 6/2/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Days: M
Sessions: 6
Maximum Enrollment: 53
Seats Available: 28
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room D
Instructor: Tom Woosnam
Our Congress regularly uses excuses to avoid passing important legislation: “How are we going to pay for it?” “Our deficit is out of control and our kids and grandkids will be paying the price.” “We can’t possibly have this social program because there’s no money to pay for it.” “We have to balance the budget.” If the federal budget worked like our own personal budgets those statements would indeed be appropriate. But it doesn’t, because the government, through the Federal Reserve, issues the currency. This course will examine how money works in light of what is known as Modern Monetary Theory. We will use the ideas in “The Deficit Myth” by Stephanie Kelton to guide our discussion. OLLI members may have heard of MMT in different contexts, the most common being the deliberate misinterpretation: “MMT says deficits don’t matter and you can print as much money as you want with no negative consequences.” No prior knowledge is required, and it’s not necessary to read the book.
NOTE: This course will be similar to a course of the same title taught in fall 2024, but will include additional information on money creation, inflation and buying and selling of Treasury securities. One-hour classes are planned, so we’re likely to end early but please reserve the full 90 minutes in your schedules. There is no class session on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day.
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- The Healthy Brain and Aging – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC319A
Dates: 4/4/2025 - 5/2/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Days: F
Sessions: 5
Maximum Enrollment: 26
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room A
Instructor: Jennine Greenwell
This course is full. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button. Please note: You must be signed in and be a current member (or have a membership in your cart) to access the "Add to Waitlist" button. The Healthy Brain and Aging course provides an opportunity to learn the skills to promote brain health and aging that is efficient, interactive and satisfying. The goal is to support a healthy brain as one ages by providing education and focus on the 4 M’s (What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility), which are the foundation of an age-friendly system of care. The goal is to improve awareness of health behaviors and promote change through individual goal setting, regulation and support. This course is based on research and has four components: social connection/socialization, sleep, physical activity and cognitive engagement. The instructional methods to be used are lecture, discussion, activities and short videos.
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- The Paradox of Wittgenstein – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC325
Dates: 4/3/2025 - 6/5/2025
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Days: Th
Sessions: 10
Maximum Enrollment: 74
Seats Available: 37
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Ean Roby
The Austrian thinker Ludwig Wittgenstein was a major figure in the development of 20th century philosophy in Britain and America. In this course we will explore the paradoxical features of his life and writings For instance, Wittgenstein, an intensely private genius, came from vast wealth but eventually gave it all away. His first work, a small volume called the “Tractatus,” caused a sensation in intellectual circles. The Vienna Circle, a group of brilliant scientists and mathematicians, highly valued the book but, in Wittgenstein’s view, profoundly misunderstood it. His British mentor and friend Bertrand Russell wrote the book’s preface. Reading that preface, Wittgenstein despaired. Even Russell, he felt, had utterly misunderstood him. Later, Wittgenstein completely disowned the “Tractatus” and created a new philosophy of ordinary language. The course will try to make sense of these contrary events. Students need no background in the subject. Weekly notes will be furnished.
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- The U.S. Constitution in Everyday Life – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC146-1
Dates: 4/2/2025 - 4/23/2025
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Days: W
Sessions: 4
Maximum Enrollment: 30
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Betsy Massie
This course is full. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button. Please note: You must be signed in and be a current member (or have a membership in your cart) to access the "Add to Waitlist" button. While we as a country have been very blessed with a constitution, often today’s media talks about the political side of issues and ignores the constitutional ones. So this class will discover the constitutional issues embedded in political issues and then look at how the constitutional issues might impact or change the focus of the political issues.
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- The U.S. Constitution in Everyday Life – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC146-2
Dates: 4/2/2025 - 4/23/2025
Times: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Days: W
Sessions: 4
Maximum Enrollment: 30
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Betsy Massie
This course is full. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button. Please note: You must be signed in and be a current member (or have a membership in your cart) to access the "Add to Waitlist" button. While we as a country have been very blessed with a constitution, often today’s media talks about the political side of issues and ignores the constitutional ones. So this class will discover the constitutional issues embedded in political issues and then look at how the constitutional issues might impact or change the focus of the political issues.
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- Tracing Your Roots: Building Your Family History – Online
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Item Number: S25SOC326
Dates: 4/1/2025 - 4/8/2025
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 2
Maximum Enrollment: 299
Seats Available: 266
Building: Online
Room: (Zoom)
Instructor: Jeff Wyatt
Discover the art of uncovering your family’s unique story in this two-session course. Using powerful online tools like Ancestry.com and resources from the Rogue Valley Genealogy Library, you’ll learn how to build a family tree and bring it to life with anecdotal stories and old family photos. Guided by examples from the instructor’s ancestors — including 17th-century colonial settlers fleeing religious persecution, slaves and slave owners, Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers, and even a riverboat gambler — this course will introduce you to the fundamentals of genealogical research. This class is perfect for beginners and those looking to deepen their family history research. It provides an overview of useful tools, including DNA testing, ChatGPT and desktop publishing software, as well as online genealogical sites, to help develop your family’s legacy.
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- Waging Peace – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC327A
Dates: 4/3/2025 - 5/8/2025
Times: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Days: Th
Sessions: 6
Maximum Enrollment: 53
Seats Available: 50
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room D
Instructor: Diana Clennan
This course will provide a learning environment for understanding war culture. We will consider ways to promote critical consciousness and intellectual curiosity, and we will craft ideas for moving toward a democratic culture of peace. Students should be prepared to discuss all aspects of a war culture including strong anti-war endeavors such as “Howard Zinn on War.” “Waging peace” means learning to live with diversity instead of combating it. This course will be based on “After Empire: Myth, Rhetoric, and Democratic Revival” by Robert L. Ivie and Oscar Giner, 2024. Lecture slides will cover content from the book. Discussion questions will be provided ahead of each class session, and students will be encouraged to highlight portions of the book they would like to discuss in class. It’s a rich text. Within each chapter we will choose what we discuss as a class. Students are also welcome to arrive to class with no preparation!
NOTE: Students should acquire “After Empire: Myth, Rhetoric, and Democratic Revival” by Robert L. Ivie and Oscar Giner.
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- What's So Special About Human Language? – In-Person
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Item Number: S25SOC147A
Dates: 4/1/2025 - 4/29/2025
Times: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Days: Tu
Sessions: 5
Maximum Enrollment: 53
Seats Available: 20
Building: Campbell Center
Room: Room D
Instructor: Tony Davis
Human language is unique and ubiquitous. Only humans speak a language (although AI is changing that), and every human learns at least one. How might language have evolved, and what is it that we know when we know a language? How do the thousands of languages in the world vary, and what features do they have in common? Does your language influence your thoughts and perceptions? Linguists don’t have full answers to these questions, but we’ll survey what the scientific study of language has uncovered so far. We’ll see what animal communication systems might reveal about the origins of human language and discuss what makes it special, examining its structure at the level of sounds, words and sentences. Next, we’ll delve into the controversial topic of how language might influence thought. Finally, we’ll consider the uncertain prospects of languages that are dying out, and what can be done to revitalize them. Video, audio, short readings and activities will supplement the presentations.
NOTE: This class has been taught previously, but this one will incorporate a bit of new material on AI systems that use language.
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