History & Contemporary Issues

THE HISTORY OF MODERN BALKAN STATE IDENTITIES AND CONFLICTS 1912 – 1992

Anatole Sykley | Local Historian, Independent Scholar The Balkans are a multi-national and multi-ethnic region which have borne witness to many important world historical events. World powers, neighboring countries, and empires have been interested in the fates and outcomes of matters in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. Why have these relatively small states been the cause of so much tension and interest from empires such as Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire? Why has Russia, in its Imperial, Communist, and post-Communist eras, always been interested in outcomes in this region? Why didn’t the federated nation of Yugoslavia, created so hopefully in 1922 out of the ashes of World War I, not survive the century? In what way was this region vital to Nazi plans for domination of Europe, but instead proved to become the worst nightmare for the Nazis themselves as the resistance movements fought back with such daring and courage? What were the fundamental causes that forced Yugoslavia in the 1990s to break up into the smaller Balkan states we know today and why was the breakup so violent? History does not give up answers to these questions easily, in part because the region’s complicated past is not well understood. Join us for a series of lecture and discussion to understand the reasons for the decades of violence that have repeatedly erupted in this region since 1912, and to explore whether the Balkans have finally achieved the peaceable status-quo that the many peoples of this region have long sought and waited for.

COURSE CODE: BALK Sec. 01: 8 Tuesdays, 3-5pm. Begins Apr. 5 | $250

WHITE PEOPLE CHALLENGING RACISM: MOVING FROM TALK TO ACTION — PART 1

Cory Allen, Margaret Bad Warrior | Co-facilitators While this five-session workshop welcomes participants of all identities, its focus is on racism as a system that White people created, maintain and condone—and White people have a responsibility to dismantle. The workshop will take participants beyond the headlines to impart an antiracist world view that will infuse every aspect of participants’ lives, when hearts are open to it. In this small online group setting you will: examine the role of White people in dismantling racism, becoming antiracist, and building an equitable society; We will also explore the impact of White privilege and how being unaware of that advantage helps perpetuate racism; write about your own racial awareness journey; enhance your understanding and capacity for action through discussion of short readings, videos, and other materials; share everyday racism-related situations where you may not have effectively responded and, using role plays, work out effective ways to challenge racism; and develop a specific plan for challenging racism in the workplace, an organization, or in the community, while being encouraged to find other people in your life who can provide support and serve as an accountability partner in implementing your plan. Please note: Attendance at all sessions and completion of all assignments are required. Each participant will receive a phone call from one of the facilitators prior to the start of this program to review the commitment and class requirements.

COURSE CODE: WPCR Sec. 01: 5 Tuesdays, 6-8pm. Begins Apr. 5 | $150 No class Apr. 19

THE AMERICAN TWO-PARTY SYSTEM:

A HISTORY

Brian Bixby | Ph.D. in History, UMass Amherst The United States has usually been dominated by two political parties. Major political figures such as the bastard of Nevis, Alexander Hamilton, and “Old Rough and Ready” Andrew Jackson helped shape the system, while Abe Lincoln and “Give ’em hell” Harry Truman overcame turmoil that threatened to destroy the major parties. In this class, we’ll examine how the two-party system has been shaped since the early days of the Republic, how the system flourishes, what happens when it falls apart, and why third-party challengers are rarely long-lived or significant. Handouts and bibliography provided.

COURSE CODE: ATPS Sec. 01: 6 Wednesdays, 3-5pm. Begins Apr. 6 | $190

FOUR HUNDRED SOULS: THE RISE OF AMERICAN SLAVE SOCIETY IN REAL TIME

Joshua Frank | Local Educator In this four-session course, we will explore the meteoric rise of American chattel slavery from 1619-1861 through economic, historical, legal, political, religious and scientific lenses provided in the book Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram Kendi and Keisha Blain. We will then apply these lenses to increase our understanding of the current racially polarized historical moment. Required book: Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 (edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain)

COURSE CODE: 400S Sec. 01: 4 Wednesdays, 6-8pm. Begins Apr. 6 | $130

PUBLIC ART AND PUBLIC MEMORY:

THE HISTORY OF PURPOSES AND PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC MONUMENTS

Anatole Sykley | Local Historian, Independent Scholar Since the Black Lives Matter movement has become a part of our social dialogue, a re-assessment about public monuments has surfaced. In the U.S., statues related to the American Civil War have triggered public contemplation about their meaning. In other countries, statues of colonial era leaders and slave owners have been taken down or defaced. In Boston, a statue commemorating the Emancipation of Slavery—thought to be uncontroversial for a century—has suddenly been removed. Yet public monuments and memorials have been with us since ancient times. What is their purpose? Are they statements of public consent, or are these sanctioned messages for the public to take note of? Are familiar historical monuments we know only being questioned today, or has there always been controversy with our public memorials? Is the era of placing memorials in a public place to make a statement no longer appropriate when society seems so fragmented and divided on many issues? What is the purpose of a permanent memorial when ideas and values in society can and do change over the generations, sometimes radically? This seminar will review the history of public memorials— starting from ancient times, and then focus on the profusion of public memorial building in the 19th and 20th century, and then reflect on the 21st century responses we have witnessed to public memorials, past, present and proposed.

COURSE CODE: PAPM Sec. 01: 6 Mondays, 3-5pm. Begins Apr. 11 | $190 No class Apr. 18

MAKING THE PEACE: PEACE CONFERENCES AND TREATIES, 1648 – PRESENT

Brian Bixby | Ph.D. in History, UMass Amherst Winning the war is one thing, winning the peace is another. And much more than territory can be involved. How peace is made can affect international law, the balance of power, human rights, and the possibilities of future wars. We’ll look at selected conferences and treaties, starting with the Peace of Westphalia at the end of the Thirty Years’ War in 1648, often hailed as the beginning of modern diplomacy. Notes and a bibliography will be supplied.

COURSE CODE: PEAC Sec. 01: 6 Thursdays, 3-5pm. Begins Apr. 21 | $190

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS:

FEMINIST ACTIVISTS AND AMERICAN PROGRESS

Emily Frank | Ed.D., Harvard Graduate School of Education Joshua Frank | Local Educator Starting from a foundation provided in the book Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram Kendi and Keisha Blain, we will explore how American feminist activists, often considered radical in their time, have helped make the United States more inclusive and equitable over time. We will then use this context to consider the role of women as political actors in our current polarized historical moment. Required book: Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 (edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain)

COURSE CODE: FAAM Sec. 01: 4 Wednesdays, 6-8pm. Begins May 4 | $130

BOSTON BY CENTURY:

HOW HISTORIC PLACES TELL THE TALE

Elizabeth Merrick | Author This online class explores Boston’s history a century at a time, inspired by historic buildings and other sites that help tell the story. This exploration will highlight key aspects of the 17th to 19th centuries through illustrated talks, discussion, and some optional readings. And because Boston’s history is central to U.S. history, we’ll find implications that reach far and wide.

COURSE CODE: BOCE Sec. 01: 3 Wednesdays, 5:30-7pm. Begins May 11 | $80

SHOWING UP RIGHT: POWER AND IDENTITY FOR VOLUNTEERS — PART 2

Laurie Rothstein | Cambridge Volunteers Showing Up Right is a workshop on identity and power dynamics grounded in your specific contexts. In this two hour session, hosted by Canopy Equity Coaching, we will build awareness of our own personal and social identities, examine ways that privilege and marginalization show up, and engage with real-life scenarios to equip our tool-kit to interrupt inequities. Prerequisite: Showing Up Right Part 1 or other similar training.

COURSE CODE: VLN2 Sec. 01: Friday, 12-1:30pm. Apr. 1 | Free

VOLUNTEER IN CAMBRIDGE:

FIND YOUR MISSION

Laurie Rothstein | Cambridge Volunteers Looking at current and year-round volunteer opportunities, this workshop offers participants a chance to receive individualized guidance, learn from each other’s experiences, and hear directly from local nonprofit agencies about available volunteer positions. The workshop is led by Cambridge Volunteers Director Laurie Rothstein in partnership with agency volunteer managers.

COURSE CODE: VLNT Sec. 01: Thursday, 4-5:30pm. May 19 | Free