With the celebration of their 30th anniversary, the next set of Senior Professionals classes are here with a new range of topics covering populism and political polarization, philosophy, American literature, and more. The series will include the Fall 2019 Academy of Seniors, Mornings with the Professors, and the Classroom Journey Bus Trip.

A complete list of classes, times, locations, and costs can be found at the Senior Professionals website.

The Academy of Seniors kicks off Wednesday, September 11, with a talk discussing the recent rise of populism on a global scale that has called into question the quality of contemporary democracy. This phenomenon entails the rise of both right-wing variants and left-wing variants. Drawing on comparative examples, this presentation will explain these variants in terms of the widespread imposition of austerity policies associated with financial globalization. It traces distinctions to the specific ways in which social protections have been dismantled in different countries.

The Mornings with the Professors starts Friday, September 27, and will discuss a variety of topics. Some topics include myth and facts about marijuana, local biodiversity, and solving community problems.

The Senior Professional’s Classroom Journey Bus Trip will travel to Springfield, Illinois on Tuesday, October 8, to visit the Illinois State Museum, which collects objects that tell the history of the state of Illinois.

Register for classes online, or call (309) 438-2160.