Bowling Green, OH (January 6, 2015) – Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. (WCCOA) will once again hold the Great Decisions Lecture Series at the Wood County Senior Center (305 N. Main St., Bowling Green) for six consecutive Saturdays from 9:30-11 a.m. January 24-February 28, 2015.
The Great Decisions Lecture Series is an informative educational discussion group. Participants will be enlightened with up-to-date information on worldly topics facilitated by Bowling Green State University professors. The professors will provide an opportunity for questions and answers following each discussion session.
The series is co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women and WCCOA.
Registration is required due to limited seating. When registering, a name and phone number is required in case of cancellations due to inclement weather. Manuals are made available through advanced ordering. A fee of $22 is required to place an order. Manuals are to be purchased by January 16, 2015.
To register for this program, contact the WCCOA program department at (419) 353-5661, (800) 367-4935, or email [email protected].
A full list of topics and speakers is provided below.
Saturday, January 24
India Changes Course
Dr. Gary Hess
For voters, Modi embodied real change and an India that wasn’t stumbling, but running, to greatness. But for the U.S., change in India brings its own set of unknowns, heralding an age ruled by a prime minister new to national office and other policymakers who have been out of the public eye for a decade. Now, the U.S. has to determine how to best secure its interests as India asserts itself on the world stage.
Saturday, January 31
U.S Policy Towards Africa
Judy Pfaffenberger
Africa is in the midst of an unprecedented transformation. The continent is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it’s become a draw for foreign investors from across the globe. After the “Obamamania” of 2008 died down, though, the realization that Obama wasn’t going to overturn, or even prioritize, U.S. Africa policy kicked in. Still, the U.S. has promised to promote “strong institutions, not strong men,” and to favor good governance and healthy economies over profit. How can U.S. policy live up to its promise and values while securing its interests in the region?
Saturday, February 7
Privacy in the Digital Age
Dr. Stefan Fritsch
The idea of “privacy” has undergone significant changes in the digital age, as has the idea of privacy “harm.” Fearful of British spying, influence and intervention, the founding fathers granted citizens significant protections in the Constitution. Now, the tables have turned: Concerns about what some see as a U.S. “dragnet” and unwarranted privacy intrusions have compelled other countries to revamp their own privacy protections. Legislation, both at home and abroad, hasn’t kept pace with technological developments, leaving some wondering if privacy as we know it is long dead.
Saturday, February 14
Russia and the Near Abroad
Dr. Marc Simon
As the movement later known as the Euromaidan, or “Euro Square,” pulled western Ukraine closer to its European neighbors, another powerful force threatened to tear away the country’s eastern half: Russia. Putin’s pushback against European expansionism has the West wondering: If Putin’s Russia isn’t afraid to take an aggressive stance against Europeanization in Ukraine, what does that mean for the rest of Russia’s neighbors?
Saturday, February 21
Human Trafficking in the 21st Century
Fanell Williams
Human trafficking represents a multibillion in international trade per annum and continues to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries. While undeniably a global phenomenon, the U.S., as one of the world’s leading human trafficking importers, bears a special responsibility to combat this practice.
Saturday, February 28
Brazil’s Metamorphosis
Speaker TBA
Brazil — it’s the “B” in the acronym BRICS, five emerging economies once seen as soon-to-be superpowers. After economic troubles in the 1990s, Brazil has risen to new global prominence — it’s drawing in more investment, working on global issues ranging from climate change to peacekeeping, and even hosting the 2016 Olympics. But some of Brazil’s trickiest problems — deep divisions over how to tackle serious income inequality, weak civic institutions and poor regional leadership — have held it back.
*Note: Topics and speakers are subject to change.
The mission of the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc., shall be to provide older adults with services and programs which empower them to remain independent and improve the quality of their lives.
For information on programs and services, please contact the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc., at (419) 353-5661, (800) 367-4935 or www.wccoa.net.
