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

• Read an interview with Darren Zook from our archive.