Past Events
Photo Group
The theme for this meeting is "Getting Older". Meetings are a mix of showing member images and informal discussions of particular photographic issues. We welcome both newcomers and seasoned photographers. Everyone welcome whether you wish to submit images or just look and socialize.
Contacts: Derek Applegarth (derek.jenny@shaw.ca) and Mike Whitfield.
Poetic Odyssey
All who are interested in writing, reading or listening to poetry are welcome.
Contacts: Philip Resnick (Professor Emeritus, Political Science) and George McWhirter (Professor Emeritus, Creative Writing).
Film Group
Series Ten: With their supposed idiosyncratic personalities, yet paradoxically broad-based fandom, artists (across all disciplines) have been frequent subjects of the popular cinema since its early days. For example, Vincent Van Gogh has had numerous films produced about his life, continuing even in recent years. Because they seem above the ordinary, artists fascinate us: their specialness offers a glimpse of a more brilliant existence for ourselves. Such a glimpse, however, can be a trap not only for us, whose dreams of a more intense life are easily exploited by a consumerist society eager to fulfill them, but especially for the artists themselves, whose humanity as well as their artistic contribution can be cheapened.
February 25 – Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1967), directed by Jean-Marie Straub, decenters the story of the great composer by shifting the focus to his second wife through voice-over readings from her diary. Along with these readings (concerned with day-to-day activities from the composer’s life) the film offers a wealth of Bach’s music, presented “not as commentary [as it usually is in films] but as aesthetic material itself” as Straub himself explained. Further challenging convention, the music is exhibited unadorned, so as not to detract from its power.
When: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 3:30pm
Where: Room 135, Earth Ocean Sciences Main Bldg, 6339 Store Road
Philosophers' Café
What do Canadians expect from Democracy?
Democracy (rule by the people) is a “taken for granted” concept in Canada. But from Athenian democracy through Magna Carta to the Enlightenment the concept has evolved and continues to do so. Is there a process for updating the rules of democracy? Freedom of assembly and speech, inclusiveness and equality, equitable taxes, consent, voting, right of life and minority rights are all questions that need to be resolved in the public square. Even the question of who “the people” are and how authority is shared among us is controversial and bears directly on the kind of democracy Canadians deserve.
All Cafés are in the Tapestry classroom, 3338 Wesbrook Mall, starting at 10:30 am. After the Café join us for lunch at Tapestry by calling 604-225-5000 or by checking in at the front desk when you arrive to reserve a spot.
Friday, 21 February 2020 - 10:30am to 11:30pm
Travel Group
The Travel Group will meet three more times this winter at 3pm on the third Thursday in February, March and April. Members of the group usually talk about a trip they have made, but sometimes travel professionals or others who have interesting travel stories to tell, are invited to present. In addition to presentations, Travel Group meetings provide opportunities to share travel information and discuss questions with fellow travellers. All emeriti, their partners and friends are welcome. Email richard.spencer@ubc.ca to be added to the mailing list.
When: Thursday, February 20 at 3pm
Where: Frederic Lasserre 5C, 6333 Memorial Road
Senior Scholars' Series
Universities and the Search for Truth: The Unanticipated Education of an Idealist
Born long ago, in a place far away (Brooklyn, to be precise), Paul Marantz went off to university to study physics but wound up specializing in Soviet politics and the Cold War. He arrived at UBC for what he assumed would be a short stay, but remained here for his entire career. Along the way, he came to appreciate the importance of collegiality, civility, and mutual respect; he shed some comforting illusions; learned much about the challenges of engaging in the fair-minded weighing of evidence; and witnessed the entirely unexpected demise of the Soviet Union and cessation of the Cold War. Over the years, academic fashions changed, and earlier ideas about truth and free speech are now widely contested.
Co-sponsors: Emeritus College and Green College; organizer Emeritus Professor Ken Carty. For more, see www.greencollege.ubc.ca. Come at 4:30 for tea and coffee in the Green College Piano Lounge and stay for refreshments after the talks. To attend dinner, please make a reservation no later than noon on the business day before the day on which you want to dine. Without prior reservation, we cannot guarantee that you will be served. Pay for your meal at the servery counter by cash, debit or credit (MasterCard, Visa). For reservations call 604-822-0912, or email kitchen@gcdining.ca.
Thursday, 13 February 2020 - 5:00pm to 6:30pm