OUR SPRING 2019 PROGRAM THE BIG ISSUES
OUR SPRING PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE DAY - & OF THE FUTURE. GET INFORMED & INSPIRED, & MAYBE A LITTLE SCARED!
OUR SPRING PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE DAY - & OF THE FUTURE. GET INFORMED & INSPIRED, & MAYBE A LITTLE SCARED!
TUESDAY COURSEs -
MODERATED BY PAT SIMKE
MODERATED BY PAT SIMKE
Empty Planet: Fact or Fiction?
Tuesdays, April 16 & 23 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room #8214
For half a century, statisticians, pundits, & politicians have warned that a burgeoning planetary population will soon overwhelm the earth's resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different kind of alarm. Rather than growing exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline. Is this believable & what would it mean? Could this save us from the worst of climate change? Could people become more valuable in the global economy? Could it mean that the Ponzi scheme that is our global economy falls apart? Could it even mean a decline of our civilization as the dynamism of a growing population disappears?? See more here.
Tuesdays, April 16 & 23 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room #8214
For half a century, statisticians, pundits, & politicians have warned that a burgeoning planetary population will soon overwhelm the earth's resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different kind of alarm. Rather than growing exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline. Is this believable & what would it mean? Could this save us from the worst of climate change? Could people become more valuable in the global economy? Could it mean that the Ponzi scheme that is our global economy falls apart? Could it even mean a decline of our civilization as the dynamism of a growing population disappears?? See more here.
Why Conservatives Win. Hint: It's Not Their Policies
Tuesdays May 14 & 21 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room TBA
Why do conservatives attack violence in the media while promoting the right to own machine guns? Because they are able to communicate a set of values that makes these ideas consistent. People say Trump lied in 2016. But he actually was able to get across a greater truth that people understood & made the facts irrelevant. What's the logic of conservatism that enables them to do this? How do Conservatives use moral values to make their policies appealing? What do conservative family values have to do with the rest of conservative politics? Instead of telling hard truths, conservatives use a tool called framing. Framing is about ideas—ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, that make policies look logical & sensible. See more here.
Tuesdays May 14 & 21 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room TBA
Why do conservatives attack violence in the media while promoting the right to own machine guns? Because they are able to communicate a set of values that makes these ideas consistent. People say Trump lied in 2016. But he actually was able to get across a greater truth that people understood & made the facts irrelevant. What's the logic of conservatism that enables them to do this? How do Conservatives use moral values to make their policies appealing? What do conservative family values have to do with the rest of conservative politics? Instead of telling hard truths, conservatives use a tool called framing. Framing is about ideas—ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, that make policies look logical & sensible. See more here.
THURSDAY COURSES -
MODERATED BY JOHN SIMKE
MODERATED BY JOHN SIMKE
Power in the 21st Century:
Who Will Have It &
What Will That Mean?
Thursdays April 18 to May 9 (4 Weeks), from 2-4 PM At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room #8214
Power will be distributed differently in the 21st Century than now. State power is shifting from West to East, but state power is itself declining. Rather power is being shifted downwards & outwards. In a world of climate change, AI & global ageing, the determinants of power will likely be resilience, demographics & the talent of all citizens. Will the U.S. remain top dog? Will the world still be run out of Wall Street? Will cities become the main locus of power rather than countries? Will corporations continue to be the main economic actors? Will people take power from governments & institutions? See more here.
Who Will Have It &
What Will That Mean?
Thursdays April 18 to May 9 (4 Weeks), from 2-4 PM At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room #8214
Power will be distributed differently in the 21st Century than now. State power is shifting from West to East, but state power is itself declining. Rather power is being shifted downwards & outwards. In a world of climate change, AI & global ageing, the determinants of power will likely be resilience, demographics & the talent of all citizens. Will the U.S. remain top dog? Will the world still be run out of Wall Street? Will cities become the main locus of power rather than countries? Will corporations continue to be the main economic actors? Will people take power from governments & institutions? See more here.
2016 Socialism: I'ts Baaack!
Thursdays May 16 & 23 (2 Weeks) from 2-4pm At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room TBA
Bernie started it. AOC is taking it further. Even Trump is now worried about the return of socialism. Socialism was supposed to be dead, with the fall of the Soviet Union & its ideology. However, like Monty Python’s parrot, maybe it ain’t dead after all. Forget Venezuela & Cuba. Socialism is actively being touted as a solution to the many ills of our own political & economic system. Look at Jeremy Corbyn in the U.K., winning more votes than in the history of the Labour party; Bernie Sanders, almost taking the 2016 Democratic nomination; and now younger people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez energizing huge numbers with the Green New Deal. Could it be that socialism, in an updated form, is making a serious comeback? Why??? What does it look like? Is this an appropriate response to what ails us or an irrelevant trip to the past? Time to dust off your Che poster? See more here.
Thursdays May 16 & 23 (2 Weeks) from 2-4pm At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room TBA
Bernie started it. AOC is taking it further. Even Trump is now worried about the return of socialism. Socialism was supposed to be dead, with the fall of the Soviet Union & its ideology. However, like Monty Python’s parrot, maybe it ain’t dead after all. Forget Venezuela & Cuba. Socialism is actively being touted as a solution to the many ills of our own political & economic system. Look at Jeremy Corbyn in the U.K., winning more votes than in the history of the Labour party; Bernie Sanders, almost taking the 2016 Democratic nomination; and now younger people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez energizing huge numbers with the Green New Deal. Could it be that socialism, in an updated form, is making a serious comeback? Why??? What does it look like? Is this an appropriate response to what ails us or an irrelevant trip to the past? Time to dust off your Che poster? See more here.
OUR WINTER 2019 PROGRAM
FRIDAY AFTERNOON COURSES
MODERATED BY PAT SIMKE
Pat will guide discussions on 2 very important current books on economics-for-the-many by credible authors.
These courses are for small groups who are concerned about current threats to our financial system and who want to discuss practical ideas for change:
These courses are for small groups who are concerned about current threats to our financial system and who want to discuss practical ideas for change:
The Value of Everything:
Making & Taking in the Global Economy
Fridays. February 1 & 8 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 7192
Course full. To go on waiting list e-mail us at
learningexperiences@bell.net
What really creates value for people? Not what the accountants & economist say. There is a highly distorted view of of who creates value & who extracts value created by others. We will discuss the stories we are being told about who are wealth creators in modern-day capitalism, stories about which activities are productive as opposed to unproductive & why populists will change this. See more here
Making & Taking in the Global Economy
Fridays. February 1 & 8 (2 Weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 7192
Course full. To go on waiting list e-mail us at
learningexperiences@bell.net
What really creates value for people? Not what the accountants & economist say. There is a highly distorted view of of who creates value & who extracts value created by others. We will discuss the stories we are being told about who are wealth creators in modern-day capitalism, stories about which activities are productive as opposed to unproductive & why populists will change this. See more here
Banking for the People, Not the Bankers
Fridays March 1 & 8 (2 weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 7192
Next year is the 90th anniversary of the Wall Street Crash. The Great Depression that followed that market meltdown led to new economic thinking. It spawned full employment policies, increased spending on welfare, & a new set of multilateral organizations. We haven’t learned from these lessons after the 2008 crash. This course will discuss how the benefits of bank credit can be maintained for all of us while eliminating risks of having our deposits taken way through the new "bail in" laws passed with no public debate....See more here
Fridays March 1 & 8 (2 weeks), from 2-4 PM
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 7192
Next year is the 90th anniversary of the Wall Street Crash. The Great Depression that followed that market meltdown led to new economic thinking. It spawned full employment policies, increased spending on welfare, & a new set of multilateral organizations. We haven’t learned from these lessons after the 2008 crash. This course will discuss how the benefits of bank credit can be maintained for all of us while eliminating risks of having our deposits taken way through the new "bail in" laws passed with no public debate....See more here
Friday morning Courses
moderated by John Simke
Monopoly - It's not a Game Anymore
February 1, 8, 15 & 22 (4 Weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
1 spot left
We'll explore how our economy, and that of other developed countries, is dominated by a few large players in almost every industry, extracting excessive resources from you, me and everyone else. We'll go on to discuss how we an take down these enemies of the people (the real ones). See more here
February 1, 8, 15 & 22 (4 Weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
1 spot left
We'll explore how our economy, and that of other developed countries, is dominated by a few large players in almost every industry, extracting excessive resources from you, me and everyone else. We'll go on to discuss how we an take down these enemies of the people (the real ones). See more here
The Geopolitics of the Arctic
March 1, 8 & 15 (3 Weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
Course full. To go onto waiting list, please e-mail us at learningexperiences@bell.net
As climate change opens up the Arctic to shipping and resource development, a struggle is emerging for dominance in this region, with potentially dangerous security and environmental consequences. We'll discuss what's at stake in the Arctic and what Canada should be doing to advance its interests. See more here
March 1, 8 & 15 (3 Weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
Course full. To go onto waiting list, please e-mail us at learningexperiences@bell.net
As climate change opens up the Arctic to shipping and resource development, a struggle is emerging for dominance in this region, with potentially dangerous security and environmental consequences. We'll discuss what's at stake in the Arctic and what Canada should be doing to advance its interests. See more here
The Business School and Its Consequences
March 22 & 29 (2 weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
We'll discuss how business schools have become a massive industry within the walls of universities, pushing a hard neo-liberal ideology, and what this is doing to the students, universities and society. The impact of business schools on our society is significant, but largely unrecognized. We'll pull the covers off and specifically debate whether B-Schools really have any value or actually harm society. See more here
March 22 & 29 (2 weeks), from 10 AM to Noon
At OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 5230
We'll discuss how business schools have become a massive industry within the walls of universities, pushing a hard neo-liberal ideology, and what this is doing to the students, universities and society. The impact of business schools on our society is significant, but largely unrecognized. We'll pull the covers off and specifically debate whether B-Schools really have any value or actually harm society. See more here
Pop Up Courses
We will periodically offer "pop-up courses" at short notice on hot current issues.
So watch your e-mail!
ARCHIVED COURSES:
"Click here to see courses we have archived
We will periodically offer "pop-up courses" at short notice on hot current issues.
So watch your e-mail!
ARCHIVED COURSES:
"Click here to see courses we have archived