National Osher Online

National Osher Online is a pilot project of the Osher National Resource Center (NRC). It kicked off in the fall of 2022, and UR's Osher Institute was one of the original pilot sites. We continue to offer these classes each semester.

These national classes feature some of the best, most experienced instructors across the Osher network. The hope is that the pilot will be eventually scaled nationwide and offered to the entire Osher network.

Osher Online courses will not replace any existing, local programming but instead offer a unique, online learning modality with a variety of courses to supplement existing offerings by individual institutes. This pilot program will provide members across the country with a means to connect with each other and learn together by participating in this new initiative, while maintaining membership at their local institute.

We are grateful to the Bernard Osher Foundation, Northwestern University, and the Osher NRC for their support and hard work in making this happen.

Courses

National Osher Online - August Wilson and His American Cycle - The First Five: 1904-1957

August Wilson was the first African American playwright to have a Broadway theater bear his name, honoring his powerful portrayal of African American culture. We will read, watch, and examine plays from Wilson's American Cycle, which represents each decade of the 20th century. We will explore his life and influences while focusing on 'Gem of the Ocean,' 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone,' 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' and 'Seven Guitars.' Note: The new refund policy applies.

Wednesdays; Oct 7, 14, 21, 28, Nov 4, 11, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - Cults and New Religious Movements in America

America has long been fertile ground for new and alternative religions. We'll examine New Religious Movements (often labeled 'cults') within the US, explore why some became accepted, others faded, and some led to controversy or tragedy, and consider both insider perspectives and outsider views while analyzing their history, beliefs, and practices. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Tuesdays, Oct 6, 13, 20, 27, Nov 3, 10, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - Early 20th Century Avant-Garde: From Rebellion to Abstraction

Journey into the vibrant world of early 20th century art and witness the birth of abstraction. This transformative period reshaped the cultural landscape, from the bold colors of Fauvism, through the fractured forms of Cubism, to the dreamlike realms of Surrealism. We'll feature leading artists including Matisse, Kandinsky, Picasso, Mondrian, Duchamp, and Dali. We will explore their aesthetic goals and the social and cultural currents that influenced them. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Thursdays; Oct 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, Synchronous Online

National Osher Online - Living off The Laughter: History of Comedy in America

This course is a history class with a laugh track. We'll analyze the 20th and 21st centuries against their historic context, using humor as the platform. We'll discuss how comedy was shaped by and responsive to American society, and how comedians influenced and shaped American life. We'll cover Silent Films, Vaudeville, Radio, Screwball and Romantic Comedies, and the Golden Age of Television. We'll study how each generation's identity influenced what (and whom) they laughed at. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Wednesdays; Oct 14, 21, 28, Nov 4, 11, 18, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - Post-War Architecture: The Innovative Architects of the Midcentury Modern Period

From new industrial materials to innovations in housing, mid-20th-century designers worked to shape an aesthetic that reflected post-World War II ideals. Let's explore the optimism linking design and lifestyle, especially through open living spaces. We will examine the Case Study Program and the work of designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, John Lautner, Eero Saarinen, E. Fay Jones, and Donald Wexler, within the context of rapid social change. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Wednesdays; Oct 7, 14, 21, 28, Nov 4, 11, Synchronous Online (2 seats (15%) remaining)

National Osher Online - Power and the People: The Evolution of the US Federal Judiciary

The American Experiment began with the Declaration of Independence and led to the creation of the federal judiciary, one of the country's greatest experiments. We will trace the evolution of the courts from their English roots to their formal establishment, explore how the Supreme Court derives its authority from its ability to connect with the people and protect democracy, and examine the creation of the federal judiciary and the power of the Marshall Court. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Thursdays; Oct 15, 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, 19, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - Sacred Mountains of the World

Across cultures and throughout history, mountains have held powerful symbolic meaning. We'll explore how the Buddhists of the Himalayas, the Inca of the Andes, the Inuit of the far north, and European Romantics understood and approached these landscapes. We will examine the beliefs, traditions, and mythologies inspired by the world's mountains. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Mondays; Oct 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - Some Assembly Required: The Story of the North American Kit Home

Let's discuss the history and cultural impact of kit homes in North America, focusing on their peak from 1905 to 1945. We will learn how to identify mail-order houses, examine their rise, decline, and industrial innovations, and consider how kit homes intersected with issues of race and gender. Looking at the industry and the people who lived in these homes, we will discover why they remain an important part of the cultural landscape. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Wednesdays; Sept 30, Oct 7, 14, 21, 28, Nov 4, Synchronous Online (2 seats (15%) remaining)

National Osher Online - The 60s Through the Great Speeches

The 1960s is a decade wrapped in myth and misunderstanding. Let's cut through that haze by turning to something powerful and concrete: the significant speeches of the era. We will listen to the voices that moved a nation and shaped history. With preserved recordings, we will discover what these speeches still have in them to teach us today. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Fridays; Oct 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov 6, 13, Synchronous Online (4 seats (31%) remaining)

National Osher Online - The History and Experience of Route 66

Route 66 is as much an idea as it is a place. Since 1926, it has evolved from a busy highway into a symbol of nostalgia, travel, and the American road. Today, it serves as a kind of pilgrimage route, marked by neon signs and preserved roadside landmarks. Let's explore its history, cultural meaning, rise and decline, revival, and preservation, while considering the future of this iconic American highway. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Mondays; Oct 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - The Invisible Thread: 3,500 Years of Global Supply Chain

We often only notice the global supply chain when it breaks. Yet for millennia, the movement of goods has been the silent engine of civilization. Let's track the evolution of trade from an executive's perspective. From the sunken treasures of Bronze Age merchant ships to the high-tech intermodal systems of today, we will explore the vessels that carried the world's wealth and the complex networks that keep our modern shelves stocked. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Mondays; Oct 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )

National Osher Online - The Search for an American Sound

Since the 1890s, when Americans were beginning to develop their own traditions in classical music, composers have recognized the dilemma of creating the American sound. We will explore how classical musicians, and Broadway and Hollywood composers, most of them Jewish, followed parallel paths in creating sounds that reflect these lands and its people. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Still, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein and others will be the protagonists of this lecture. Note: The new refund policy applies.

Mondays; Oct 12, 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, 16, Synchronous Online