Lawrence University Seminars Continue at Bjorklunden

Lawrence University’s July seminars continue with topics such as the ballads and music of North Carolina, digital photography, Franklin Roosevelt, the failures of democracy in two very different places, and the structure of the classic English mystery.

“Banjos, Ballads, & Bad Women” with Sheila Kay Adams and “Enhancing Your Digital Photographs with Photoshop” with Philip Krejcarek will be the seminars offered from July 19 through July 24.

Shelia Kay Adams is Appalachian-born and has lived her entire life in Madison County, North Carolina. What she refers to as ‘love songs’ are actually the ballads, or story songs, brought from Scotland, England, and Ireland. A seventh-generation ballad singer and an accomplished clawhammer banjo player, Adams will share her memories, music, family, songs and heart.

In “Enhancing Your Digital Photographs with Photoshop,” art professor Philip Krejcarek will use his expertise to help participants enhance their digital photographs in the editing process. Krejcarek has taught at Carroll College for the past 31 years, and his work has been exhibited in many national exhibitions and has been included in various art collections.

For the week of July 26 through July 31, Lawrence is offering three seminars:  “The Failures of Democracy in West Africa and Chicago” with Dick Simpson, “Franklin Delano Roosevelt:  An American Life” with Tim Crain and “How Far from ‘Mayhem Parva’?” with Christine Harris.

“The Failures of Democracy in West Africa and Chicago” deals with two governments that are falling short of the ideals of a representative democracy as defined by political philosophers and as other nations and cities have achieved in practice. The course explores the successes and failures of these two very different places and the real challenges to each in the 21st century. Dick Simpson is Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago as well as a former Chicago alderman and Congressional Candidate.

“Franklin Delano Roosevelt:  An American Life” deals with a man that is considered one of the greatest presidents in all of American history. Elected for an unprecedented four terms in office, FDR faced many difficulties, yet he would meet all challenges with an unprecedented enthusiasm and optimism. Seminar presenter Tim Crain received his BA and MA degrees from Marquette University and his Ph.D. in modern European and modern Jewish history from Arizona State University.

“How Far from ‘Mayhem Parva’?” deals with the structure of the Classic English Mystery. Participants will study an example of the form by a top-notch modern writer, teasing out its themes and concerns and examining its literary style to try to account for the enduring appeal of this English ‘classic.’ Presenter Christine Harris joined the staff of the Lawrence University London Centre in 1997 and has been its Director since September 2003.

Since 1980, Lawrence University has sponsored a summer seminar series at Björklunden, a pristine 425-acre estate on the shore of Lake Michigan. Seminar classes meet weekday mornings and some evenings with remaining free time open for exploration of the area’s many cultural and recreational opportunities.

For more information on Bjorklunden’s Summer Seminars, call 920.839.2216 or http://www.lawrence.edu/dept/bjork.