The Healdsburg branch of American Association of University Women has announced the spring season of its lecture series, and is again offering two new courses.
“History of Sicily: Here lies the key to everything. Goethe 1787” begins on Tuesday, March 20, presented by Douglas Kenning. Historian Kenning, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh), was raised with a passion for Sicilian culture by his grandparents, Sicilian immigrants into New York’s Little Italy. As an adult, having lived in Scotland, Tunisia and Japan, he was drawn again to Sicily, but this time for love of the Sicily that was the second center of ancient Greek civilization. He found the story told in many of the great Greek temples of the Mediterranean as well as in the world’s finest sculptures. His fascination focused on medieval Norman Sicily, when Sicily was the most civilized place in Europe, a second time she shaped Western civilization, a story told in beautiful mosaics.
Through six lectures, Kenning will lead the class on a journey that begins in the mists of ancient lore. Then, with images of art and architecture on the big screen in the Raven Theater, he continues the journey through Sicily’s historical periods: Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish, arriving finally at tourism and the Mafia.
Kenning lives half of each year in Siracusa, Sicily, where he leads in-depth small-group tours around the island and the greater Mediterranean, and spends the other half of each year giving lectures at Bay Area venues.
“Guns vs Butter: One year into the Trump Presidency” begins on Thursday, March 22 and will be presented by David McCuan, PhD. (UC Riverside). The title phrase implies a choice to be made: domestic spending or military spending, or both. Every administration must make these choices in order to set objectives and goals to be accomplished during the term. This course introduces a “three presidencies” concept (domestic affairs, foreign policy and national security), utilizing the topics of elections and domestic politics, and linking terrorism, political violence and the laws and conventions governing these issues. The intent is to join actions of the Trump Administration (domestic politics) with a discussion of broader changes in conflict, concentrating on terrorism (security changes). He will also examine the many distinct ways and methods that have come to be characterized as terrorism and political violence.
McCuan joined SSU in 2003, with teaching responsibilities in international and national politics, American campaigns and elections, mass political behavior, international security and terrorism, as well as state and local politics. He holds a position as a joint faculty member with UC Davis where he teaches on public policymaking, and is frequently called upon by the media for his thoughts and assessment of current events.
Each course is six weeks long, and begins on Tuesday, March 20 (History of Sicily) and Thursday, March 22 (Guns vs. Butter) continuing through April 24 and April 26, respectively. Both are held at the Raven Performing Arts Theater, 115 North Street, Healdsburg. Classes run one hour and 45 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m.
Registration began Feb. 13, 2018. The enrollment fee is $95 for each course, and is nonrefundable and nontransferable. Proceeds support local educational programs and scholarships for women and girls. More information about the presenters, the courses, and registration may be found at www.healdsburg-ca.aauw.net
— submitted by Mary Fitzgerald
