The Lifelong Learning Program will remain online only for the Early Spring Session, due to pandemic-related booking restrictions on Carleton’s campus. While we will miss seeing you in person, the response to our online format makes us glad that we are still able to connect and engage, and provide opportunities for learning and entertainment.
Our engaging lectures series provide participants with entertaining learning opportunities, without required readings, assignments, or tests. Participants can easily interact with the experts and with other lifelong learners, and many participants even attend with a friend or family member. See for yourself why participants love our fully supported online events, and sign up for our mailing list to receive notifications of our program offerings, as well as selected free events at Carleton University.
This March and April, entertain (and challenge) your mind with one or more of our five exciting lecture series. Below are details for our Early Spring 2022 session. We hope to see you soon!
Lecture Series:
NEW MINI-SERIES, registration opens March 16: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Historical and Geopolitical Context
Memoir Writing: Writing Stories From Your Life
(Not So) Hidden Desires: The History of Sexuality
Rock, Pop and More: Music from the 1980s to the Present
Canada’s Great War and its Legacy
The Nature of Birds
Lecture Series 1
Memoir Writing: Writing Stories From Your Life
Lecturer: Dr. Anna Rumin
Series description: Hemingway said, “in order to write about life, you must live it”. Whether we call ourselves writers or not, writing gives clarity to our lived experiences. This hybrid workshop/lecture series is for those who are interested in honouring their lives through daily writing, experimenting with a variety of writing strategies, examining some of the ideas, objectives and approaches to memoir writing, and sharing their writing with fellow writers. This lecture series is intended for beginners.
Each week there will be a 2-hour lecture-based class (maximum enrolment 50 people) with the following structure:
- All six classes will begin with a mini lecture.
- In the next hour, participants will be given writing prompts and time to do in-class quick-writes.
- In the last half hour Anna will answer questions, share the writing prompts for the following week, and in some weeks, we will have guest speakers.
- Participants will have two ways to share their writing: by submitting it to the group blog, or by volunteering to read writing completed during in-class writing sessions.
- Every week Anna will randomly choose writing by participants, and will provide feedback, while modelling how to give supportive and effective feedback. We cannot guarantee that each person will receive feedback on their writing.
- To facilitate trust while sharing writing, participants are asked to use their webcams during lectures.
NOTE: THIS IS A HYBRID LECTURE/WORKSHOP SERIES WITH SOME WRITING AND Q&A COMPONENTS. IT IS NOT A SMALL-GROUP WORKSHOP FORMAT. Participants can expect the following:
- A lecture series outline that includes writing topics and prompts, suggested readings, a bibliography
- A general overview of how to begin, maintain and sustain a writing life
- A general overview of some of the commonly discussed topics in memoir writing
- The opportunity to experiment with “freewriting” using prompts during class time
- The opportunity to share writing with the larger group (on a volunteer basis)
- The opportunity to learn how to give effective feedback to fellow writers
- The opportunity to begin collecting stories from your life
- The opportunity to connect with other memoir writers, for optional ongoing writing friendships and groups
- Days: Mondays, March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11
- Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $200 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline: Enrolled participants will receive a detailed outline with resources before the lectures begin.
- Registration is now full, please join the waitlist here.
Lecturer biography: Dr. Anna Rumin is a native Montrealer whose identity has been shaped by the political landscape of her home province, her Russian roots, a passion for life-long learning that has been woven both formally in academia and informally through travel, voracious reading and writing, and a love for the stories hidden in our natural world. Her interest in narrative inquiry stems from her belief that not only do we all have a story to tell but that our stories help us to better understand who we were, who we are and who we are becoming. She has now designed nine memoir-based writing courses that invite participants to think of themselves as the narrators of their life as seen and written through a particular lens. Regardless of who she is working with, Anna is committed to supporting those she leads, by providing them with opportunities to set and meet their goals. In her spare time, Anna writes short fiction and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Read what LLeaP participants have said about Anna.
Lecture Series 2
(Not So) Hidden Desires: The History of Sexuality
Lecturer: Dr. Christine Chisholm
Series description: Sexuality is typically misunderstood as a private and marginal component of history, rather than central to how we mark and understand change over time. Historian and educator Dr. Christine Chisholm will guide you through an examination of how humans have talked about, expressed, and explored sexuality in the past. Lectures will provide information on the different ways in which people have defined and understood sexuality in different social, geographical, and temporal contexts. From ancient Greece to modern sex stores, participants in this class will get the chance to consider the various ways in which love, lust, desire, and bodily expression are central to human communities across the ages.
- Days: Wednesdays, March 9, 16, 23, 30, April 6, 13
- Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $160 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Registration is now closed. If you would like to register, please email lifelonglearning@carleton.ca
Lecturer biography: A historian of disability, sexuality, and medicine, Dr. Chisholm received her Ph.D. in History from Carleton University in 2019. Since then, she has taught as a Contract Instructor in the History Department, where her courses have focused on the histories of disability and sexuality. Her academic research concentrates on the lived experiences of Canadians disabled as a result of the drug thalidomide. When not at work, Dr. Chisholm can be found playing with her young daughter or working with her horses.
Lecture Series 3
Rock, Pop and More: Music from the 1980s to the Present
Lecturer: Keith McCuaig
Series description: Discover and enjoy the wide range of musical styles from the 1980s through to the 21st century, with LLeaP lecturer Keith McCuaig. The social and historical context of this music, its major figures, and descriptions of musical characteristics and sounds will be explored. The focus of this series is on various rock-related styles, but many other popular music forms will also be examined. We’ll discuss most of the major figures from this 40-year period, including 80s legends Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and Madonna; 90s rockers Nirvana, the Tragically Hip, and Alanis Morissette; and 2000s retro icons Amy Winehouse, Adele, and the White Stripes. From major pop and rock stars, to more obscure underground styles, get ready to listen and learn about a vast array of music! Join us to experience how music from the last 40 years not only continues and builds on 60s and 70s styles, but combines genres in new ways, resulting in exciting and historically aware popular music.
Note: This series picks up where “Rock in the Late 1960s and Beyond” left off. There is no prerequisite for this series, but if you enjoyed Keith’s first two rock courses, you will enjoy completing the journey!
- Days: Thursdays, March 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7, 14
- Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $160 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Registration is now closed. If you would like to register, please email lifelonglearning@carleton.ca
Lecturer biography: With an M.A. in Music and Culture, and over 25 years experience as a musician, Keith McCuaig is dedicated to all things music and art. Keith has taught a dozen different courses through Carleton University’s Lifelong Learning Program; is a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa; and has presented at international musicology conferences. From performing, writing, and recording, to giving music lessons, lecturing, and working with community music programs, Keith’s life and passion is music. (Photo Credit: Anita Grace) Read what participants have said about Keith McCuaig’s lecture series.
Lecture Series 4
Canada’s Great War and its Legacy
Lecturer: Dr. Tim Cook
Series description: In this lecture series, renowned Canadian military historian Dr. Tim Cook will share his award-winning research on Canada and the Great War, on the home front and overseas, including hundreds of rare photographs, works of art, and archival material. There will be an emphasis on the soldiers’ experience from 1914 to 1918: how they coped and endured, and how they fought and clawed their way to victory. A new sense of identity was forged through the service and sacrifice of Canadians, even as the country was torn apart along existing and new fault lines. Canada was never the same. Together with Dr. Cook, you will also explore the contested memory of the war, including the impact of Canada’s 66,000 dead, the veterans’ experience, memorial making, and why we are still haunted by the war.
- Days: Thursdays, March 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7, 14
- Time: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $160 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Event Poster
- Registration is now closed. If you would like to register, please email lifelonglearning@carleton.ca
Lecturer biography: Dr. Tim Cook, CM, FRSC is the Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum, where he has curated permanent, temporary, travelling, and digital exhibitions. His 13 books of Canadian military history, including The Fight for History: 75 Years of Forgetting, Remembering, and Remaking Canada’s Second World War (2020), have been recognized with multiple awards. He has been CBC’s on-air historian for Remembrance Day for over a decade. For his contributions to history, he has been elected to the Royal Society of Canada and he is a member of the Order of Canada.
Lecture Series 5
The Nature of Birds
Lecturer: Michael Runtz
Series description: Interest in birds has ‘soared’ during the pandemic. Whether you are a novice or a long-time birder, this series’ fascinating information and spectacular photography will help you better understand and enjoy the natural world around you. This extravagantly illustrated series by Carleton University’s celebrated naturalist Michael Runtz will examine the life of birds, providing exciting insights how our feathered neighbours acquire colours, fly, navigate, attain food, find a mate, and survive environmental stresses. In addition, you will learn tips on how to attract and identify birds, from an expert naturalist and educator.
MORNING SERIES
- Days: Fridays, March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 22 (note, no lecture April 15 Good Friday)
- Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $160 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Registration is now full, please join the waitlist here.
AFTERNOON SERIES
- Days: Fridays, March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 22 (note, no lecture April 15 Good Friday)
- Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $160 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Registration is now full, please join the waitlist here.
Lecturer biography: 
Michael Runtz is one of Canada’s most highly respected naturalists, nature photographers, and natural history authors, with 14 bestselling books to his name. (See an article featuring Michael Runtz and his new Algonquin Park book.) A dynamic communicator, Michael Runtz is equally at home in the television or radio studio, lecture hall or classroom. His Natural History course is the most popular of its kind in Canada, due to his award-winning infectious and enthusiastic teaching style. You may have seen (and heard) him hosting the international television series Wild by Nature, speaking as a frequent guest on television and radio shows such as CBC Radio Noon, or delivering presentations for groups as diverse as outdoor educators, professional biologists, schoolchildren, and naturalists’ clubs.
Read what participants have said about Michael’s lectures.
NEW! Lecture Series 6
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Historical and Geopolitical Context
Lecturer: Dr. Milana Nikolko
Series description: This timely mini-series on Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine will provide a detailed analysis in three parts, focusing on the complex history of two countries, post-soviet development, and the current state of affairs. Join Dr. Milana Nikolko for an exploration of history, politics, and international relations discourse, to better understand the context for the current conflict. Our last lecture will include a conversation with Dr. Dani Belo from Webster University, USA. Dr. Belo has expertise in the security situation in the region, as well as Russia’s policies toward neighbouring countries.
PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Nikolko will present this online lecture series from a broadcast booth in the new Carleton University at Kanata innovation space.
- Days: Wednesdays, March 23, 30, April 6
- Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Location: Zoom (This lecture series is offered via Zoom, which can be used on computers and mobile devices. We recommend you use a computer/laptop with high-speed internet. A camera and microphone will enable you to participate more fully, but they are not required. See our Support page for details.)
- Fee: $80 (HST included)
- Lecture Series Outline
- Registration now full, please join the waitlist.
Lecturer biography: Milana Nikolko, PhD, is an adjunct professor at the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS), Carleton University. From 2005 to 2014 she was associate Professor of Political Science (Docent) at V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University (Ukraine), and in 2008 was appointed as visiting professor in the Political Science Department, Valdosta State University (USA). Dr. Nikolko is co-editor of Post-Soviet Migration and Diasporas: From Global Perspectives to Everyday Practices (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017). Her fields of interest include research on Ukraine’s nation-building process, mediation of grey zone conflicts, migration and diasporas in post-Soviet space. Read what participants have said about Dr. Nikolko’s lectures.