Summer Shorts are one-time events open to OLLI @Berkeley members and non-members. Each Short features acclaimed speakers discussing issues impacting the state of our country, Constitution, and shared humanity. Just $20 for OLLI members and $40 for non-members per Short.
Democracy Noir: A Film Screening and Conversation with Director Connie Field
June 9
As Viktor Orbán dismantles Hungary’s democratic institutions, three women — a journalist, a politician, and a nurse — work tirelessly to fight for their country’s soul in Democracy Noir, a chilling expose of far-right nationalism and an inspirational beacon of resistance. After the screening, director Connie Field will discuss the making of the film and what drew her to the subject of the grassroots fight for democracy in Hungary.
"Every Day, Computers are Making People Easier to Use," with David Temkin and Paulina Borsook
June 23
This exploration traces the evolution of Silicon Valley companies, culture, and customers from the early days of marginal idealistic geekery to today — a world in which Silicon Valley products have redefined nearly all aspects of how we live and think, and which mediate our every action.
Countering the Attack on the Rule of Law, with Erwin Chemerinsky and Bill Sokol
June 30
Can the President deport legal residents to a prison in a foreign country or unilaterally dismantle government agencies? Can the Secretary of State revoke a visa based on someone’s speech or writing? Can the government cut university funding because of campus protests? Erwin Chemerinsky, one of the nation's leading constitutional law scholars, and interlocutor Bill Sokol will examine the attack on the rule of law in the Trump administrations and propose how best to counter it.
The Dollar and Its Discontents, with Barry Eichengreen
June 30
Are predictions of the dollar's demise greatly exaggerated? Economist Barry Eichengreen, one of the foremost experts on the international financial system, will discuss the implications of the U.S. dollar in the age of cryptocurrency and government deregulation, and the forces propelling both. A facilitated Q&A will follow.