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SEPTEMBER 8th - OCTOBER 13th, 2011
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PAGING THROUGH THE MIDDLE AGES
10AM to 12 NOON Thursdays at
Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound
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Also called the Dark Ages by historians, the period in European history between 800 and 1400 CE (Common Era) has been the inspiration for tales of heart-stopping adventure, astounding events of the Christian Church, and deeds of daring-do by kings, courtiers, knights and damsels in distress. What was society like during this period? What were the major influences? How did people live?
Scott Cameron, Gordon Greene and Judy Thomson join forces to bring you their views on Medieval Architecture and Material Arts, Medieval Music, and Medieval Technology. Join us as we shed some light on the much romanticized but perhaps not well understood Dark Ages.
September 8th
Scott Cameron |
The Dark Ages Were Not Dark, Part 1
The evolution of technology in the medieval world set the stage for modern times. This lecture will take you on a journey through the development of agriculture where surplus crops made possible our present day system of land holding and economics. We will explore the emerging technology of castle building with a photographic travel tour through Britain and Western Europe where impregnable fortresses dominated the countryside for six hundred years.
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September 15th
Scott Cameron |
The Dark Ages Were Not Dark Part 2
Gallant knights fighting for honour, fair damsels spinning thread in a garret and serfs scratching out an existence on the land all needed new technology. From time keeping to the invention of the wheelbarrow, from the introduction of the horizontal loom to the use of gunpowder, the Medieval era gave us a passage into the present.
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September 22nd
Gordon Greene |
Early Church Music
Pope Gregory's efforts to unify the Church established a repertoire of chant that
monks decided to elaborate with a second voice part, and from that innocent beginning, harmony has developed in the west, while eastern cultures elaborated melody with no interest in multiple voices.
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September 29th
Gordon Greene |
Later Church Music
Music notation became sufficiently precise by the 11th century, that we can perform today what they heard in their cathedrals. Music in three and four parts was a regular feature of major feast days. Secular minstrels also contributed an extensive repertoire, some of which is available and has been recorded. Richard the Lionhearted was such a minstrel. The sessions involve hearing much of that early repertoire.
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October 6th
Judy Thomson |
"The White Mantle of Churches" (Raoul Glaber, 1003)
ln a time when the Christian Church was the only solid and unswerving marker in life, and the source of great power, generations of builders made churches of incredible complexity and beauty, all to the Glory of God. This lecture outlines the development from Roman basilica to Early Christian, Romanesque and Gothic styles. The engineering skills, building materials, processes and competitions of such massive construction projects tell a fascinating story.
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October 13th
Judy Thomson |
Illuminated Manuscripts and Stained Glass windows
No word processing and graphic design programs for the medieval scribes, and no paper either instead; animal skins, feather quills, gold leaf and ear wax were the materials of choice. The development of glass served as rich decoration in medieval cathedrals, replacing translucent horn as the material of choice for church windows. But what windows they were! In each case, these important medieval arts give us wonderful images of everyday life.
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6 lectures, $40.00
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OCTOBER 20th - DECEMBER 1st, 2011
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STORIES IN OUR LIVES:
The Ways and Whys of Narrative
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Gary Draper
10AM to 12 NOON Thursdays at
Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound
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Gary Draper returns with a series that examines the important roles played by narrative in entertainment, in art, and in our lives. He will look at a broad range of story forms, with consideration of their histories and their effects. Why do we tell stories? Why do we listen? And what is it we're looking for?
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Connecting with Stories: How we start. Why they matter.
Part One - Narratives in literature
From our earliest connections in life, stories are part of how we understand ourselves and the world around us. We'll look at the enormous variety of ways stories touch our lives.
Part Two - Poetry
We need to go back to classical civilization for the western origins of story, especially in epic poetry. We'll consider some of the notable embodiments and values (then and now) of stories in verse.
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| October 27th |
OCTOBER 27 - NO LECTURE SCHEDULED
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| November 3rd |
Narratives in Literature
The Novel
In western literature, the novel has been, for several centuries, the single most important literary source of narrative. We'll discuss some of the variations on the form, from its inception up to the present.
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| November 10th |
Listening to stories
Part One - Words in your Ear
There's something very special about being read to, or otherwise hearing stories. We'll explore some of the sources of oral stories, and look at some of the pleasures of spoken texts.
Part Two - Words and Music
Folksongs, ballads, popular songs, and Broadway: one way and another, they all have a story to tell…or sing. We'll examine some examples of each, and think about the difference a tune makes to a tale.
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| November 17th |
Narratives in Literature
The Short Story
Since the nineteenth century, the short story has been an important literary form of narrative. Given the speed of life in the 21st century, it's a more appealing form than ever: we'll look at some of the starting points, and some of the current versions of the short story.
November 24th
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Looking at Stories: From Still Life to Video
Narratives aren't always told - they may also be seen (a picture, you'll remember, is worth a thousand words - at least in some people's minds). Visual stories can appear in the most unexpected places, from cartoons to high art: we'll take a look. Drama and film are made to be watched.
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December 1st
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And so they read happily ever after: Endings
We'll gather up all the forms we've looked at, perhaps add one or two more, and wrap up the story by examining the wrap-ups of stories. What does the ending mean? Do stories ever end?
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6 lectures, $40.00
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JANUARY 12th - FEBRUARY 16th, 2012
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CHANGING WORLD ORDER - PART II
10AM to 12 NOON Thursdays at
Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound
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An examination of Post-Cold War international political institutions, inter-ethnic relations, food distribution, energy (oil/gas) distribution and population movements.
January 12th
Dr. Larry Black |
Post-Cold War NATO - Further Expansion or Fade Away?
On the occasion of naming M. S. Gorbachev "Man of the Decade" in1990, Time Editor-At-Large Strobe Talbott wrote that it was "time to think seriously about retiring the North Atlantic Treaty Organization." A few years later Talbott was Bill Clinton's most vociferous advocate of NATO expansion to the East. The wide-ranging ramifications of NATO's decision to enlarge are the subjects of this session.
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January 19th
Dr. Larry Black
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The RIC and Power Shifts in Eurasia - Central Asia as Playing Field
Leaders of the RIC (Russia, India, China) meet on a regularly scheduled basis and present a common stance on most world affairs. They are partners in powerful organizations, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They have a firm grip on the world's natural gas supply and consumption. With Iran and Pakistan, they surround Central Asia and Afghanistan. This session is about the RIC in global geopolitics.
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January 26th
Jennifer Armstrong-Lehman |
Post-Cold War United Nations - Ascending or Descending?
The UN is not an independent or autonomous organization. Member states decide what it can and cannot do. And it would appear that the more powerful states - not least through the Security Council - have been able repeatedly to influence how the UN has engaged in peacekeeping and state-building operations. The UN record over the past two decades has been at best a patchy one.
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February 2nd
Dr. Michael Johns
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Inter-Ethnic Relations - Festering "Hot Spots"
The world was horrified in the 1990s by genocide in Rwanda and ethnic cleansings in the former Yugoslavia. After 9/11 the world's attention quickly shifted elsewhere. While no longer front-page news, most countries in the world continue to struggle with some form of ethnic conflict. We examine the current state of ethnic relations around the world, highlighting "hot spots" of conflict and discuss the various options available to countries to help resolve these tensions before the onset of violence.
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February 9th
Dr. Michaels Johns
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World Population Movements - Cup Half Full or Cup Half Empty?
Every day millions of people are on the move, leaving one country for another, some for economic opportunity, some to avoid wars or environmental disasters, and others because they no longer feel safe from their own government. We examine the global phenomenon of population movement and the impact it has on the international system. The unique challenges faced by countries in the European Union where the policy of a borderless Europe has caused large-scale movements of people into and out of individual countries - with or without the received states' permission, are examined.
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February 16th
Alanda Theriault
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The Politics and Culture of Food Distribution
With economic power quickly shifting towards Eurasia and Central Asia, there are new concerns about how to feed such large and industrious populations. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a leading advocate for discussion and debate about policies that influence the principles and methods of where food is grown, how much can be made available, who has access and how to transition and modernize modes of food production for the benefit of many. We explore the most pressing issues, the politics and culture of distributive food policies as they pertain to the new emerging economic powers.
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6 lectures, $40.00
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MARCH 1st - APRIL 5th, 2012
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LANDS FOR THE FUTURE - Conservation and Preservation
10AM to 12 NOON Thursdays at
Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound
For the first 500,000 years of our existence humans considered the earth's treasures and resources inexhaustible. In the past few decades we've learned the opposite. We now stand aghast at what we've done to our planet, and realize what may happen in a century or less if we continue on our present path. This series brings together individuals from government agencies, NGO's, as well as private conservationists to discuss where we are now and what we can do to preserve our natural habitats and conserve our resources.
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March 1st
Gord Miller
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Environmental Issues for Today:
Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
The Commissioner reports annually to the Ontario Legislative Assembly on major environmental issues facing Ontario. In his lecture Mr. Miller will present the results of his Fall 2011 Annual Report.
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March 8th
Peter Middleton |
The Local Setting
Grey/Bruce counties occupy a unique corner of Ontario. With a geology that reaches back to the Silurian era, and that has been deeply etched and shaped by successive periods of glaciation, the region has a rich variety of natural resources that have attracted the interest of peoples over millennia. Before European settlement, indigenous peoples occupied the land and fished the waters. Today the land is a magnet for cottagers, adventurers, holiday-goers, and naturalists. It is also drawing increasing interest from those interested in its aggregate deposits, water, and wind potential. Peter will introduce us to the region and some of the challenges it now faces.
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March 15th
Don Wilkes
Beth Kummling
Caroline Schultz
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Who Is Preserving The Land?
BALL brings together 3 key figures representing national, provincial and local agencies to present and discuss their organizations' roles in preserving the land.
Part One
Don Wilkes - Parks Canada
Parks Canada is a Government of Canada agency mandated to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations.
Beth Kummling - Bruce Trail Conservancy
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a charitable organization committed to establishing a conservation corridor containing a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment, in order to protect its natural ecosystems and to promote environmentally responsible public access to this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Caroline Schultz - Ontario Nature
Ontario Nature is a charitable organization that protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. From spearheading the creation of a wilderness area in Algonquin Park in 1934 to working for the creation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan in 2001; Ontario Nature has been at the forefront of the Ontario conservation movement.
Part Two
Q&A with our panel of speakers.
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March 22nd
Robert Patrick
John Cottrill
Tod Wright
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BALL brings together 3 key figures representing national, provincial and local agencies to present and discuss their organizations’ roles in conserving the land.
Part One
Robert Patrick - Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment
CONE is a non-profit alliance of environmental groups, conservation organizations,
concerned citizens and businesses dedicated to the protection of Ontario's
Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. CONE plays a provincial
leadership role in influencing and improving government decisions on water, aggregate,
land use, transportation, economic and other sustainability issues.
John Cottrill - Grey Sauble Conservation Authority
Grey Sauble Conservation Authority owns and manages over 11,000 hectares of the most scenic and environmentally sensitive lands in Grey and Bruce Counties. Working along side other agencies, service clubs, municipalities, Provincial and Federal governments and private landowners GSCA strives to protect and enhance a healthy watershed environment.
Tod Wright - Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
Part Two
Q&A with our panel of speakers.
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March 31st
Albert Koehl |
Political Action. Endangered Spaces. Endangered Species:
Albert Koehl, Senior Litigator, Ecojustice
"At Ecojustice we can help change the big picture. We have the expertise to educate, influence, and even force decision-makers to protect our environment and make Canada a healthier place to live while offering hope to others around the world."
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April 5th
Anne Bell |
What of the future?
Anne Bell, PhD. - Director of Research and Education,
Ontario Nature
Over the last 150 years, the landscape of Ontario has been fundamentally altered. In the regions surrounding the Great Lakes, where vast expanses of pine and hardwood forests once flourished, factories, shopping malls and endless rows of houses stand, all at the expense of our wildlife, wetlands and woodlands. The loss of natural areas, wildlife habitat and overall biodiversity is widespread and a matter of great concern. Ontario Nature works to protect and restore the species, spaces and landscapes that represent the full diversity of nature in Ontario.
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6 lectures, $40.00
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