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Friends of the Heyman Center
The Friends of the Heyman Center, under the direction of James V. Mirollo, Parr Professor Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature, is made up of people who help ensure the advancement and vitality of the Heyman Center for the Humanities. For more than twenty years, the Friends have contributed to the support of the myriad activities of the Center, including its superlative lecture series, which continues to be free and open to the public.
Friends of the Heyman Center Carl Hovde Colloquia Series
In Memory of Carl Hovde, Chair, 1999-2009
About
The Friends of the Heyman Center offers discussion courses led by Columbia's most renowned teachers and scholars to alumni and friends of the University who wish to continue organized education without the need for academic credit. These colloquia are planned as active discussions rather than lectures, and the faculty leaders are among the best teachers in the University. No papers or examinations are required. We charge only a small fraction of normal tuition, and after expenses these funds help both to improve our programs and maintain the building -- one of the most congenial on campus.
We offer two courses each term, typically one dealing with East/West topics, and another about some aspect of Western thought. Classes meet from 5:30-7:30 every other week for six sessions. This fall and spring the charge is $500 for one course and $800 for both -- and at this higher level, spouses are welcome without further charge. You would pay far more for courses carrying academic credit, and at the Heyman Center, you will be studying with Columbia's finest teachers.
The colloquia this fall and spring will be led by four outstanding teachers, most popular with those who often attend our courses. Books for both courses can be purchased at Book Culture (formerly Labyrinth Books), located on 112th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave, and can be reached by phone at 212-865-1588. These courses are not listed in the regular University Bulletin; if there is confusion, ask for the text-book department.
Fall 2009 Colloquia
In Praise (and Dispraise) of LoveJames Mirollo, Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus, will lead a colloquium comparing Western and Asian societies from a particular point of view. His full title is "In Praise (and Dispraise) of Love: Representations of Love in Literature as a Many-Splendored and Not-So-Splendid Thing, Directed to God, Nature and Especially Other Creatures". The reading list contains such varied texts as the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, on the one hand, and an Indian Sufi Romance, on the other. "In Praise (and Dispraise) of Love" syllabus (pdf) This class will meet on the following Mondays at 5:30pm: 9/21, 10/5, 10/19, 11/9, 11/23, 12/7. A make-up, if needed, will be held on December 14. Please note: these dates are tentative but are not likely to change much if at all. | The Public Life: Citizenship and the CommunityAbout the second colloquium one might wish to say that we move from the private to the public realm as Senior Scholar Dr. Peter Pazzaglini pursues his examination of vital social and political texts. Of course this tentative separation of private and public is false. All social policies and systems of rule are deeply involved with private emotions (though love may or may not be involved). We are social creatures by both instinct and necessity, and the earliest written records in the world usually concern commercial supplies, tax records, the inscriptions of rulers, and the like. How do we get along with one another? These issues never die, but a great many people do as a result of our disagreements. Professor Pazzaglini's texts range from ancient to modern, Aristotle to John Rawls. "The Public Life: Citizenship and the Community" syllabus (pdf) This class will meet on the following Thursdays at 5:30pm: 9/17, 10/1, 10/15, 10/29, 11/12, 12/3. A make-up, if needed, will be held on December 10. Please note: these dates are tentative but are not likely to change much if at all. |
Spring 2010 Colloquia
The BiblesMichael Stanislawski This colloquium will be led by Michael Stanislawski, Nathan J. Miller Professor of Jewish History and Chair of Contemporary Civilization. It will examine various scholarly approaches to the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, including High Biblical Criticism and literary, historical, and archeological approaches to these crucial texts in the history of humankind. It will discuss how these approaches differ from the traditional views of the Bible in Judaism and Christianity, and if, and how, these different modes of interpretation can be reconciled. "The Bibles" syllabus (pdf) This class will meet on the following Tuesdays at 5:30pm: 1/26, 2/9, 2/23, 3/9, 3/23, 4/6. A make-up, if needed, will be held on April 13. Please note: these dates are tentative but are not likely to change much if at all. |
The Country House in English LiteratureDeirdre David This colloquium will be led by Deirdre David, Professor Emerita of English at Temple, and will discuss the importance and meaning of the country house in the English novel. From Jane Austin to Ian McEwan, novelists have imagined the country house in various ways: sometimes it is merely setting for plot and development of character, but at other times it can assume richer significance as, for example an emblem of rural and social harmony, a monument to the political and cultural power of its inhabitants, or a crucial aspect of English national identity. This course will place emphasis upon the twentieth-century novel in the context of imperial decline, World War II, and shifting ideas about social class and gender. This course will also explore the growth of the British Heritage Industry in the 1980s, the popularity of Masterpiece Theatre, the enduring popularity of "Country Life" magazine, and visits to the country houses organized by the National Trust. "The Country House in the English Novel" syllabus (pdf) This class will meet on the following Thursdays at 5:30pm: 1/21, 2/4, 2/18, 3/4, 3/25, 4/15. A make-up, if needed, will be held on April 22. Please note: these dates are tentative but are not likely to change much if at all. |
Register
Additional support beyond our fees is very much appreciated and brings notices of the Lunchtime Lecture Series at the Heyman Center. All support beyond the course charge is fully tax-deductible. A gift of $25 or more also brings a subscription to the Columbia University Record.
Acceptance is on a first come, first served basis, and you will be notified of your registration status upon the Heyman Center's receipt of your registration form with payment. To register for one or both of this semester's colloquia, click the following link:
Registration Form (pdf)
Please contact Judy Huyck at 212-854-4631 or jh87@columbia.edu with any questions.
For directions to the Heyman Center, please Click Here. Classes are held in the Common Room, one floor up from the entrance level.