Past Summer Sessions

This year's Alumni College Summer Session is our fifth. The first four were on these topics:

• 2011
  Human Rights in the 21st Century
  In the mid-20th century, after some of the most appalling acts of cruelty and slaughter in human history, political leaders, intellectuals, and activists around the world responded not with despair, but with acts of grace, courage, and self-sacrifice that continue to inspire. Out of this combination of anguish and hope, the contemporary human rights movement was born. By studying the human rights movement from multiple perspectives—philosophy, the arts, law, the social sciences—we will seek to answer the question that continues to drive human rights workers around the globe and in our own communities: How can we right the wrongs of the world?
• 2010
  Creating Sustainable Futures: Perspectives from Science, Economics, and Culture
  Sustainability is possible in a world of innovation. What do we know about the Earth’s changing climate? What are the economic tradeoffs for reducing our carbon footprints? What are the psychological and cultural barriers we face in re-shaping our societies?
• 2009
  Islam and the Middle East
  How has geography shaped the political and social landscape of the Middle East? How has the history of Islam determined contemporary realities? What can we learn from contemporary Arabic literature and films about cultures and lives of the people of the Middle East?
• 2008
  Imigration: Global, Local & Personal Perspectives
  Immigration is an international phenomenon with local implications, a public policy juggernaut complicated by our personal family histories. It is a hotly debated topic and an unavoidable component of public policy today. The consequences of immigration patterns affect our schools, our business communities, and public safety officials. How do we make sense of this? What is our role as global citizens?