Boise State’s Renaissance Institute is poised for an informative and intellectually stimulating fall with short courses and lectures designed to encourage discussion and deepen understanding. Topics range from Idaho politics and culture to democracy at large, from the continent of Africa to the far reaches of the universe, from cutting edge technology to songbird migration.

Finishing its third year, the Renaissance Institute brings adult learners together in a social context to expand their intellectual horizons and enrich their lives. The sessions are offered in relaxed, comfortable settings in the community, and membership is open to all.

The fall 2005 courses include:

Idaho Politics: History, Culture and Ideology. Participants will learn the present political and economic landscape of Idaho by exploring the forces and people that shaped the state’s past in this class taught by James B. Weatherby, director of the Center for Public Policy at Boise State. Students will be introduced to historically consequential figures and colorful characters including America’s first elected Jewish governor, legendary political bosses, Idaho’s most liberal senator and “economic bloc” legislators of the 1940s to 1960s. They will also ponder how contemporary economic changes, recent waves of migration and the increasing hold of Idaho conservatism are linked to the past and shape Idaho’s future. The class will be held from 10 a.m.-noon each Tuesday at The Flicks, 646 Fulton St., Boise.

Africa and the World: The Collision and the Aftermath. The vast, vibrant, and diverse continent of Africa has a history unlike that of any other. Participants will delve into this troubled continent with historian Peter Buhler who will discuss the traditional African past, explore and explain transitions to the Colonial Era, and elucidate African reactions to colonialism. Buhler is chair of Boise State’s History Department. He has spent portions of his life in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Classes will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin Literary Center, 801 South Capitol Blvd., Boise. Parking is available immediately adjacent to and in front of the building and in Julia Davis Park. The class is limited to 40 people.

Two Faces of Democracy. There is a strong impetus today to export democracy, but democracy assumes the shape of the country in which it arises. In this course, participants will analyze and compare the world’ s first modern democracy, the United States, and the world’s largest democratic nation, India. The course will focus on how democracy operates in the United States and India, demonstrating that democracy in both nations is not a finished product but a continuing process toward improvement. The class will be led by Mohan R. Limaye, a Fulbright scholar from India and an emeritus professor in the College of Business and Economics at Boise State, and Ross E. Burkhart, associate professor of political science and chair of the Department of Political Science at Boise State. The class will meet from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays at The Flicks, 646 Fulton St., Boise.

From the Big Bang to the Present and Back Again. This course will introduce participants to the latest ideas about the universe’s beginning, evolution and ultimate fate and will take them on a journey back in time using the latest cosmol ogical maps to help understand their place in space and time. The day’s activities will include a lecture, a planetarium program with a constellation tour and viewing opportunities at Centennial Observatory in Twin Falls and at the Bruneau Sand Dunes Observatory near Mountain Home. Weather permitting, powerful telescopes will provide views of both the surface of the sun during the day and the night sky. Class instructors include Chris Anderson, production specialist at the Faulkner Planetarium and coordinator at the Centennial Observatory, and Bob Niemeyer, director of the Bruneau Observatory. A bus will depart the Boise State Stadium Parking Lot (University Drive and Broadway Avenue) at 11 a.m. for Bruneau and will return at about 9:30 p.m. A $70 fee includes instruction, transportation, entry fees and a box lunch. Because part of the class may be presented en-route, all participants are asked to take the bus. The class capacity is 30.

In addition to the classes, four lectures will be offered as follows:

Many things drive globalization, but nothing more than information technology. Admiral Archie Clemins, a venture partner with Highway 12 Ventures and founder and president of Caribou Technologies Inc., an international consulting firm, will discuss change management in government and business sectors. Clemins, who is known for his military career as commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, specializes in alliance building and focusing on business opportunities within the government.

Step into the world of “CSI” with forensic biologist Greg Hampikian and learn how and to what extent DNA can prove guilt or innocence. Hampikian is as an associate professor in Boise State’s Biology and Criminal Justice Administration Departments. A court-certified DNA expert, he has consulted on dozens of cases across America.

The Boise Ridge supports one of the largest concentrations of migrating raptors and songbirds on the continent. Just east of Lucky Peak at the Idaho Bird Observatory, cutting-edge research in the migration flyway is under way. Participants will learn about that research and of opportunities to observe birds right here in Boise from Greg Kaltenecker. He is the director and founder of the Idaho Bird Observatory and established the observatory to provide world-class opportunities for Boise State graduate students to study bird migration. Information will be provided for those who wish to help count and band birds. An informal follow-up field trip is planned for Oct. 8.

What makes an organization limited by resources and located in a mid-sized and relatively remote location successful? Nancy Napier, a professor of international business at Boise State and executive director of the Global Business Consortium, asked that question of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, ProClarity and Bronco football. She will present the outcomes of her research at this lecture.

Boise State University’s Division of Extended Studies, in concert with community partners,, offers the Renaissance Institute. Annual membership is $50; $35 for a second family member. One-season memberships are also available for $30. Membership assures seating at the lectures in the lecture series and provides the opportunity to register for Institute courses. Because of the added costs to the Institute, there is an additional fee for the courses. A scholarship program is available that provides potential members with annual membership fees and half the cost of classes. For more information, to request a brochure, to register, or to request a scholarship application, call Extended Studies at 426-1709 or visit www.boisestate.edu/extendedstudies/renaissance.

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