University Summer Forums 2011

Take a closer look at timely topics this summer at UW-Madison

uw-madison campus

Continuing Studies and its campus partners are proud to sponsor two University Summer Forums, academic courses addressing contemporary issues in American society. The Forums are open to the public for free and to registered students for the regular credit fees. The Forums are offered in two sessions. Both sessions meet Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Grainger Hall (note different times and rooms for each Forum series).

All Forum sessions are free to the public, but pre-registration is requested. Please phone 608-262-5823.

Download Summer Forum pdf (one page).

Personal Genomes (Anthropology 604)

June 14-June 30
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 pm
Prof. John Hawks
May be taken for 3 credits (credit fees apply)
Location: 1100 Grainger Hall

Genetic technology has begun to revolutionize our understanding of human health, personal genealogy, and history. As sequencing becomes cheaper and more widespread, most of us will be engaging with genetic information in some aspect of our lives. You will discover some of the ways this future is leading us:

* Techniques to use genetic information to uncover your genealogy
* Explore the frontier of sharing genetic information
* Issues surrounding the use of testing for insurance and health care
* Ways of uncovering human history
* Genetics of Neandertals and other ancient humans

Lead instructor: John Hawks, associate professor of anthropology. Guest lecturers will include leaders in the field of personal genomics and researchers engaged in applying genetics to understand historical relations among people in the world.

The Meaning of Life (Philosophy 304)

July 12-August 4
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00 pm
Prof. Russ Shafer-Landau
May be taken for 3 credits (credit fees apply)
Location:  Grainger (Morgridge Auditorium)

Whether life can have meaning, and if so, how, are two of life’s Big Questions. This course will examine different approaches that thinkers and philosophers have taken to the issues surrounding the large question of life’s meaning.

The course will examine:

  • What role personal desires—and their satisfaction or frustration—play in a meaningful life
  • Whether happiness is the end-all and be-all of personal meaning
  • What links are there between a good life and a meaningful life
  • Whether religion is essential for a meaningful life
  • Whether immortality and transcendence are essential to the prospect of a meaningful life