CiviCRM Event2378
Course
Art, Architecture, and Design: Four Great Courses, Four Great Cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon and Paris) (Best of OLLI)
Course
Art, Architecture, and Design: Four Great Courses, Four Great Cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon and Paris) (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
This special Best of OLLI offering brings together four courses by architectural historian and longtime OLLI faculty member Pierluigi Serraino, this year’s recipient of the OLLI @Berkeley Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award.
Travel with Pierluigi through Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, and Paris, exploring how political events, cultural traditions, commerce, natural disasters, and the changing currents of European history shaped each city’s architecture, art and urban landscape. Taken together, these four courses offer a fascinating new way to see some of Europe’s great cities — and the connections between them.
Faculty Bio
Pierluigi Serraino Ph.D., FAIA is a practicing architect and educator. He is the author of numerous books on architecture, including Taschen's Modernism Rediscovered and, most recently, The Modern Garden: The Outdoor Architecture of Mid-century America.
This is a Best of OLLI Special Compilation
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- This special compilation of four courses — 20 individual classes — is available for $150 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
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
- Read an interview with Pierluigi Serraino from our archive.
Art, Architecture, and Design: Four Great Courses, Four Great Cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon and Paris) (Best of OLLI)
What Is Economic Justice? The American Edition (Best of OLLI)
Course
What Is Economic Justice? The American Edition (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
America may have its own economic woes, but how does the United States compare to other countries in terms of achieving economic justice? Could the Nordic model, with its high taxes in exchange for generous public services, work in America? Or should we seriously be reconsidering democratic socialism as a solution? This course will focus on pathways to economic justice paved in other countries to ask if they really are the success stories some have claimed and if so, whether they would be feasible as solutions in the United States.
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 Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
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
- Read an interview with Darren Zook from our archive.
What Is Economic Justice? The American Edition (Best of OLLI)
Tracking the Progress of A.I. (Best of OLLI)
Course
Tracking the Progress of A.I. (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
The best way to understand the pace of progress in artificial intelligence is to look at how far we’ve come in the past 12-18 months. In this continuing series we will look at the latest developments in AI models, tools and research to understand the shape and pace of AI progress. We'll combine hands-on demonstration and DIY experiments with a peek at the latest academic research to help you build an experiential grounding in humanity’s most consequential invention.
This course is appropriate for both newcomers to the world AI and those who've already tried their hand at it, including those who've taken Robert's classes before. To bring everyone up to speed — and to faciliate a rapid, hands-on start to the class — an "AI Primer" video with Robert Todd is posted in Member Dashboards. It provides a general overview of AI, serving as a good introduction and/or helpful refresher.
Faculty Bio
Robert Todd is an innovator and tech executive who now writes, teaches about, and builds products and companies using technology that learns.
This is a Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
Member Praise for Robert Todd
Robert Todd is engaging, knowledgeable and humorous (the last being important to me, maybe not to other people). I learned a lot and am using AI every day.
The class's far ranging history and knowledge of technology, knowledge transfer, and AI was terrific. Fun to see a professor so excited about their topic.
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Robert Todd from our archive.
Tracking the Progress of A.I. (Best of OLLI)
Lenny: Portrait of an American Maestro (Best of OLLI)
Course
Lenny: Portrait of an American Maestro (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
Larger than life, Leonard Bernstein was the most brilliant and beloved American musician of the 20th century. Composer, conductor, pianist, teacher, writer, socialite, tennis player, concert innovator, and prodigiously talented crossword puzzler, Bernstein was an international superstar who lived a full and very public life. His multi-faceted career is the stuff of legend, from On the Town and West Side Story through three symphonies, Chichester Psalms, and Serenade. In this course we will explore his life and music with recordings, videos, and stories. Featured will be a very special appearance by Jamie Bernstein, who will share stories and insights about her father and his music.
Faculty Bio
Conductor and violist Ben Simon has performed for audiences around the world with major orchestras and chamber ensembles. From 2002 to 2023, he served as Music Director of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and is a popular lecturer on musical topics.
This is a Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
Member Praise for Ben Simon
The instructor's very deep, well researched knowledge of the subject (Bernstein) was impressive. His presentation of the course was well organized and insightful.
This course was amazing! The instructor’s enthusiasm was infectious. I learned so much.
Faculty Q&A
Lenny: Portrait of an American Maestro (Best of OLLI)
Not Exactly Crime Fiction (Best of OLLI)
Course
Not Exactly Crime Fiction (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
The modern genre of crime fiction enjoys enormous popularity internationally, with readers thrilling to whodunits, hard-boiled detective stories, thrillers, police procedurals, and more. Though these works range from the dryly analytical to brutally violent, they tend to be formulaic: the reader knows what to expect in terms of form, and the aim is usually the solution of a crime. But there are many works of literature that are concerned with crime of various kinds that do not follow a generic formula. These, like crime fiction works, can offer glimpses into various societies, the human psyche, relationships, and more. They also present a broader range of literary strategies than generic crime fiction does.
In this course we will read works by acclaimed authors from three countries: Sweden, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Ireland. Each week we will read either a short novel or a few short stories, looking at the authors, the historical and societal context of the works, the nature of the crime(s) committed, the genre of the work and how it lends itself to the representation of crime, and more.
Faculty Bio
Linda Haverty Rugg is a professor in Berkeley’s Scandinavian Department. She has taught OLLI courses on Ingmar Bergman, crime fiction, saga literature, eco criticism, and Mark Twain. She is also a recipient of OLLI’s “Distinguished Teaching Award.” She received her undergraduate degree with departmental honors in English and German from Barnard College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Comparative Literature from Harvard University.
This is a Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
Member Praise for Linda Rugg
Linda Rugg is such an engaging instructor, and she has a deep passion ... that invigorated all of us.
Dr. Rugg is an exceptionally gifted teacher. She is brilliant, funny and down to earth. The class exceeded all expectations
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Linda Rugg from our archive.
Not Exactly Crime Fiction (Best of OLLI)
War, Race, and the Constitution: Lessons from the WWII Japanese American Incarceration (Best of OLLI)
Course
War, Race, and the Constitution: Lessons from the WWII Japanese American Incarceration (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
The World War II incarceration of nearly 127,000 persons of Japanese ancestry is a case study in the constitutional breakdown of the separation of powers when national security is asserted over civil liberties. We’ll examine: the Asian immigrant experience that set the stage for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s issuance of Executive Order 9066; the question of loyalty; the government’s false justifications of the incarceration to the Supreme Court and to the American public; and how this history is being repeated today.
Faculty Bio
Susan Kamei is the author of When Can We Go Back to America? Voices of Japanese American Incarceration during World War II. She is an educator and news commentator on the continuing relevance of this tragic history to contemporary issues today.
This is a Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
Member Praise for Susan Kamei
Susan was an absolutely spectacular teacher. She was an excellent lecturer, her slides were fantastic, and she answered a ton of questions with great knowledge. I felt lucky to be able to take her class.
Professor Kamei was amazing! I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is so knowledgeable, so personable, and knows so many personal stories about Japanese incarcerees and their families. Although I already knew the basic facts about the incarceration, I learned so much about the human dimension. Just wonderful.
This was an amazing course! Susan was fantastic! So knowledgeable, an excellent teacher, and her passion for the topic and her family history really added to her lectures. I feel so much smarter after this class. I also really appreciated the recommended materials many of which I read/listened to and that also enhanced my class experience.
Faculty Q&A
War, Race, and the Constitution: Lessons from the WWII Japanese American Incarceration (Best of OLLI)
Behind the Scenes for History Lovers (Best of OLLI)
Course
Behind the Scenes for History Lovers (Best of OLLI)
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, March 28, 2027
This class is for ardent readers of history who are also interested in how history is written as discussed by acclaimed historian Adam Hochschild. Hochschild will deconstruct four of his books, describing how he constructed the narratives, the challenges in doing the research, and why he chose the particular characters, scenes, and events through which to tell the story. He will then examine how other historians have handled the same material—some of them drawing very different lessons from it. Finally, he will discuss the reactions and repercussions each book produced, some of which he never anticipated.
The books discussed:
- Class 1: King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa
- Class 2: Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves
- Class 3: To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918
- Class 4: Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
Faculty Bio
Adam Hochschild, author of 11 books, is both a renowned historian and a long-time writing teacher at U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. He has been a finalist for the National Book Award and is a three-time winner of the Gold Medal for Nonfiction of the California Book Awards.
This is a Best of OLLI Course
- Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
- Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through March 28
- Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
- Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10
Member Praise for Adam Hochschild
Professor Hochschild is a brilliant lecturer who answered questions with thought, grace and kindness.
The lectures presented new and important information in a way that demonstrated Professor Hochschild’s humane approach to writing narratives about complex and difficult historical topics.
Faculty Q&A
- Read a recent interview with Adam Hochschild discussing his work and course.
Behind the Scenes for History Lovers (Best of OLLI)
China, the U.S., and Global Politics: Emerging Threats, New Opportunities
Course
China, the U.S., and Global Politics: Emerging Threats, New Opportunities
Thursday, February 18, 2027
Thursday, March 11, 2027
Prevailing political theory tells us that democracies thrive in cooperative environments. In short, democracies work best when they play well together. Yet over the past decade or so, many democratic partnerships and alliances have grown apart and atrophied, thereby weakening the “brand” of democracy on the global stage. Is this slow decay irreversible? Or is there a possibility for the rebuilding of democratic partnerships and alliances on the global stage in a way that ensures the vibrancy and longevity of global democracy? This course argues strongly in the affirmative.
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, Livestreamed + Recorded Course
- Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 202/204, 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 Thursday, Feb. 18, and ends on Thursday, March 11
- Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (10 a.m.–noon)
- All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through March 28
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
- Read an interview with Darren Zook from our archive.
China, the U.S., and Global Politics: Emerging Threats, New Opportunities
Toni Morrison’s Masterworks
Course
Toni Morrison’s Masterworks
Thursday, January 21, 2027
Thursday, February 25, 2027
Toni Morrison is one of the world’s greatest novelists and prose stylists. Her treatments of race, gender, history, and above all, humanity and love in America are matched only by her ability to craft a sentence stunning enough to knock you to the ground. This course will focus on a small selection of Morrison’s most important novels, from the beginning of her career to the present, as well as some of her critical writings.
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 202/204, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
- Classes will also stream live simultaneously
- Classes will not be video recorded
- Please read each selection before the scheduled class discussion, if possible
- You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Thursday, Jan. 21, and ends on Thursday, Feb. 25
- Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (1-3 PM)
- All course materials will remain in Member Dashboards through March 28
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
- Read an interview with Stephanie Wells from our archive.
Toni Morrison’s Masterworks