Walt Disney’s “American Century” and the California Dream

Course

Walt Disney’s “American Century” and the California Dream

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Statue of Walt and Mickey (free use)

In this course, we discuss what publisher Henry Luce called “The American Century,” focusing on the ways “Disney” (the person, the company, the art, the movies, the theme parks) influenced American culture, ideals, urban design, and national consciousness. We will pay particular attention to the relationship of the Disney phenomenon to the myth of the California Dream.

Faculty Bio

Kathleen Moran is a founder and faculty member of UC Berkeley's American Studies Program and has taught courses in History, English, Film, Geography, Architecture and Art History. She is a recipient of Berkeley's Distinguished Teaching Award.

This is an In-Person Course

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Sept. 17., and ends on Thursday, Oct. 22
  • Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 p.m.)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Faculty Q&A

Walt Disney’s “American Century” and the California Dream

Virginia Woolf’s Visionary Novels

Course

Virginia Woolf’s Visionary Novels

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Photo of Virginia Woolf staring straight at camera

Arguably the most important literary force shaping the language and approaches of 20th-century literature in English, Virginia Woolf’s novels reshaped the way we understand the genre through her quietly radical visions. This course will address Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and The Waves (1931).

Faculty Bio

Stephanie Wells is a literature professor at College of Marin with a focus on modernism and postmodernism in American and British novels and poetry. She is the recipient of the 2025 OLLI @Berkeley Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award.

This is an In-Person + Livestreamed Course

  • Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
  • Classes will also stream live simultaneously
  • Classes will not be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Sept. 17, and ends on Thursday, Oct. 22
  • Classes meet for 6 weeks, two hours per session (10 a.m.–noon)
  • All course materials will remain in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Stephanie Wells 

Absolutely OUTSTANDING! I treasure every moment of this course. Thank you Stephanie Wells for teaching these courses and sharing your insights so freely and enthusiastically. I have learned so much in such a short time. 

An intelligent, stimulating instructor who is well versed in her subject. I would say the same for all of the courses I have taken from Stephanie Wells.

All the material selected was organized, presented and discussed thoughtfully and shared with great insight that expanded my appreciation, perspective of understanding. I found it so exciting and rewarding to both meet and revisit so many authors and explore the wide range of material, subjects and styles explored by these women.

Faculty Q&A

Virginia Woolf’s Visionary Novels

Rebuilding Democracy: Making the Case for Optimism

Course

Rebuilding Democracy: Making the Case for Optimism

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Thursday, October 8, 2026
A hand clutching the American flag

Not a day goes by, it seems, without someone trying to draw a parallel between the current state of American politics and the “fall of Rome.” The pessimists among us tell us that things are too far gone, there’s no coming back and the American era has passed. Scholars write volumes that describe how democracies die, but where is the book that tells us how democracies recover, rebuild, renovate, and rejuvenate? This course is that book, with a focus on American democracy. If you know where to look and what to do, there is still room to look forward with optimism.

Faculty Bio

Darren Zook teaches in political science and global studies at UC Berkeley. His areas of interest include comparative politics, human rights and international law. He has received numerous teaching awards for his creativity in the classroom, and was recently named one of the “Top Ten Most Inspiring Professors at UC Berkeley” by College Magazine. He lectures all around the world, and has published six books. 

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
  • Classes will also be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Sept. 173, and ends on Thursday, Oct. 8
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (10 AM–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Darren Zook

Dr. Zook is one of the best teachers I've ever had and I'm 80!

Darren Zook is an amazing teacher. He's a well-organized, extremely knowledgeable, and always engaging.

I have taken several classes with Darren Zook and will take several more. His scope and depth of knowledge is extraordinary. And he is able to communicate it effectively and effortlessly. 

Faculty Q&A

Rebuilding Democracy: Making the Case for Optimism

Bach’s Muse: The Goldberg Variations

Course

Bach’s Muse: The Goldberg Variations

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Grid of multicolored squares

What is the nature of creativity? How does limitation spark generation? What does 250-year-old music have to do with John Coltrane? In this class, we will explore these questions and more through J.S. Bach’s keyboard masterwork, the “Goldberg” Variations. Together, we will ask what makes the piece tick — how Bach took a simple idea and ran with it to conjure 30 different worlds. Then, we’ll follow the piece into the present, where it continues to inspire artists around the globe. No prior knowledge of Bach or the “Goldberg” Variations required.

Faculty Bio

Lowry Yankwich is an award-winning podcaster, pianist, and lawyer. His podcasts, “30 Bach” and “The Tonic,” probe music’s place in history, society, and others’ lives. He has taught on music and podcasting at Harvard, Stanford, and Temple University

This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365 (3rd floor), at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
  • Classes will also stream live simultaneously, and be recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and ends on Wednesday, Nov. 4
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 p.m.)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31
Bach’s Muse: The Goldberg Variations

Modern Industrial Design in the U.S.

Course

Modern Industrial Design in the U.S.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Metal handle of modernist coffee pot

Industrial design was a consequential creative art in North America. This course will cover the contribution of American masters in fashioning the 20th-century world, from coffee pots to train cars.

Faculty Bio

Pierluigi Serraino, Ph.D., FAIA is the author of Modernism Rediscovered. His latest book is The Modern Garden: The Outdoor Architecture of Mid-century America.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
  • Classes will also be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and ends on Wednesday, Nov. 4
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10:30 AM–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Pierluigi Serraino

Pierluigi is a wonderful instructor--I always learn something new from him, as well as something to think about. He always opens my eyes.

Course materials, organization, Pierluigi's deep knowledge of the specific area and ability to fit it into larger context of regional traditions and international design trends, and receptivity to participant questions & observations ... all great! Highly recommend!

Faculty Q&A

Modern Industrial Design in the U.S.

Of Thee I Sing: Celebrating Songs About America at 250

Course

Of Thee I Sing: Celebrating Songs About America at 250

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
An American flag painted guitar

This new course will examine great American songs of the past 80 years from every musical genre, and will ask the question: “What makes these songs unique to America?” Each of the sessions will examine a different theme and explore eight to 10 songs; the story behind each song, the composer and their background, an analysis of the lyrics, music and the recording, and the impact that each song has had on American culture.

Faculty Bio

Pete Elman is a musician, performer, composer, studio musician, and producer of 30 albums. He has created 14 different classes on popular music for OLLI.

This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and ends on Wednesday, Nov. 04
  • Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 PM)
  • There will no class on Oct. 28
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Pete Elman

Another wonderful class from Pete! Once again, he added to my appreciation and understanding of the music and contributions from artists I already have enjoyed and admired for so long.

I gained so much appreciation for the musicians and their music than I expected to. Very, very enjoyable. I'll take any course Pete Elman offers.

Faculty Q&A

Of Thee I Sing: Celebrating Songs About America at 250

Global Lens: Documentary Films with a Wide-Angle Point of View

Course

Global Lens: Documentary Films with a Wide-Angle Point of View

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Peering into a camera lens

This course offers a dynamic tour of global nonfiction filmmaking, revealing how directors speak to audiences shaped by their own cultures. Refreshing, revealing, and sometimes jarring, these international perspectives invite OLLI members to explore how filmmakers wrestle with reality, storytelling, and ethics. Screenings of recent, rarely seen documentaries spark discussions of each film’s aims, techniques, and artistic choices, building a sharp vocabulary for understanding how documentaries create meaning and emotion.

Faculty Bios

Karen Davis is senior film programmer emerita for the Mill Valley Film Festival and professor emerita at California State University at Monterey Bay.

Niels-Ole Rasmussen is a director at Copenhagen Film and built his craft in broadcast news before finding his sweet spot in documentaries and series created for Danish, European, and Taiwanese audiences.

This is an In-Person Course

Schedule Highlights  

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and ends on Wednesday, Oct. 21 
  • Classes meet for 5 weeks, 2 hours 15 minutes per session (9:45 AM–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Faculty

Karen is a captivating instructor! Can't wait for her next class.

Excellent teacher, very interesting films, and loved learning about talented people in film that I either knew nothing about and/or are just amazingly gifted people.

Faculty Q&A

Global Lens: Documentary Films with a Wide-Angle Point of View

Intergenerational Dialogue: Humans, Humanity, Humanoids, Tech — What Now, What Next?

Course

Intergenerational Dialogue: Humans, Humanity, Humanoids, Tech — What Now, What Next?

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Robot and human fingers touching

If the age of AI seems unsettling enough, consider what comes next: physical AI, or three-dimensional AI in the form of humanoid machines. Once the focus of outlandish sci-fi lore, physical or humanoid AI is already being rolled out by tech companies as the unavoidable wave of the near future. But will this make human life better, or will it prove to be the beginning of the end of what we call humanity? Will we need to redefine humanity, or reclaim it? Note: These three conversations take place between OLLI members and undergraduates in Darren’s UC Berkeley class. 

Faculty Bio

Darren Zook teaches in political science and global studies at UC Berkeley. His areas of interest include comparative politics, human rights and international law. He has received numerous teaching awards for his creativity in the classroom, and was recently named one of the “Top Ten Most Inspiring Professors at UC Berkeley” by College Magazine. He lectures all around the world, and has published six books. 

This is an In-Person Course

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and ends on Wednesday, Oct. 7
  • Classes meet for 3 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10–11:30 a.m.)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Darren Zook

Dr. Zook is one of the best teachers I've ever had and I'm 80!

Darren Zook is an amazing teacher. He's a well-organized, extremely knowledgeable, and always engaging.

I have taken several classes with Darren Zook and will take several more. His scope and depth of knowledge is extraordinary. And he is able to communicate it effectively and effortlessly. 

Faculty Q&A

Intergenerational Dialogue: Humans, Humanity, Humanoids, Tech — What Now, What Next?

Modern Industrial Design in Europe

Course

Modern Industrial Design in Europe

Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Iconic Barcelona chair against white

When modernity took over craftsmanship, industrial design was born. This course will survey the creativity of European masters and their visions for our everyday objects.

Faculty Bio

Pierluigi Serraino, Ph.D., FAIA is the author of Modernism Rediscovered. His latest book is The Modern Garden: The Outdoor Architecture of Mid-century America.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
  • Classes will also be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and ends on Wednesday, Oct. 7
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10:30 a.m.–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through May 31

Member Praise for Pierluigi Serraino

Pierluigi is a wonderful instructor--I always learn something new from him, as well as something to think about. He always opens my eyes.

Course materials, organization, Pierluigi's deep knowledge of the specific area and ability to fit it into larger context of regional traditions and international design trends, and receptivity to participant questions & observations ... all great! Highly recommend!

Faculty Q&A

Modern Industrial Design in Europe

The OLLI Salon: Reading Like a Writer, Writing Like a Reader

Course

The OLLI Salon: Reading Like a Writer, Writing Like a Reader

Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
peering at a spine of book with pages flared open

Great writers are great readers. In this course, participants explore how writers transform memory, observation, and imagination into compelling stories. Each session combines discussion of published work, a conversation with a guest author about their creative process and reading life, and a generative exercise. This is a course for readers, writers, and anyone curious about how stories are made. Get to the heart of storytelling, memory, history, and perspective with activities that allow participation through conversation, observation, and interpretation. No writing experience required. Writing opportunities are available but never mandatory.

Faculty Bio

Mina Witteman writes in English and Dutch. She is a longtime teacher of creative writing, trained and certified by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

This is an In-Person Course

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and ends on Tuesday, Nov. 10
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (1–3 PM)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Mina Witteman

Excellent instruction and examples for us to improve our writing and editing of our manuscripts.
Mina is an engaging lecturer with very helpful content for writers. She had enlightening responses during question-and-answer periods in class. 
Everything worked well. The class was very well-paced, and the lessons built on each other. 
The OLLI Salon: Reading Like a Writer, Writing Like a Reader
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