CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION

Week 1 - June 27-July 3, 2010
Roger Rosenblatt and More Friends

In a reprise of 2008’s “Week 3”, Chautauqua’s most popular week ever, Roger Rosenblatt returns with even more friends for another week-long conversation and celebration of the literary arts. Humor, pathos, new worlds are here to explore, with some of today’s most prominent authors, interviewed by a master at getting to the heart of the story.

Week 2 – July 4-10, 2010
The Ethics of Leadership

What constitutes leadership? When one is designated a “leader,” what are the particular obligations of leadership? How are these responsibilities expressed in ethical terms? Does ethical leadership imply social responsibility? Is leadership different age to age? In our annual Applied Ethics exploration, we will examine leadership from the points of view of business and politics, education and sports, from those who make headlines and from those who lead by following.

Week 3 – July 11-17, 2010
From Asia to the Middle East: Energy, Capital, and Conflict

Considering the geographic expanse from Asia to the Middle East, this week will examine the exchange and flow of capital, oil, and natural gas between India and China on one hand, and the Middle East as represented by the Arab gulf and Iran on the other. We will ask how tensions in Pakistan and Afghanistan, peace-making efforts from Turkey, and the Arab-Israeli conflict influence diplomacy in this huge area of the world where great wealth and greater conflict coincide.

Week 4 – July 18-24, 2010
Nuclear Power & Nuclear Weapons: The Right to Have & to Hold

Building on some of the primary components of Week Three, this week will investigate the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the increasing use of nuclear power as a source of energy. With particular attention paid to Asia, the Middle East, and Russia, we will examine the front-end investment required to develop nuclear power, and the international challenges implicit in its use. We will learn more about the nations who currently have nuclear capacity, how the concerns about nuclear waste check the development of beneficial applications, and what controls are available and necessary to secure the future of the planet.

Week 5 – July 25-31, 2010
Picture This: Photography

In collaboration with Kodak and George Eastman House, this week will celebrate the history of photography, its contribution to and relationship with surrounding culture, its place in the art world, and its reflection of technological innovations that have reshaped the industry. We will meet photographers practicing their craft, and SEE this nexus of art, science, culture, biography, and history.

Week 6 – August 1-7, 2010
Excellence in Public Education

Our nation’s founders believed that high-quality public education is a requirement for a robust and functioning democracy. This week will examine current efforts that are dramatically improving the performance of public education in the United States. Specifically, we will look at the impact of talented and motivated superintendents, leadership training for principals, trends in teaching teachers, and innovations in curricula. We will discuss the responsibilities, interactions, and support from national, state, and local government leaders, parents and grandparents, and local community groups. We’ll leave with a better understanding of what is required and what is working, and what each of us can do to fulfill the goal of greater academic excellence for students in our schools.

Week 7 – August 8-14, 2010
Sacred Spaces

What makes space sacred? Legendary religious destinations? Natural or created beauty? Is sacred space defined by what happened there? This week, (in partnership with the World Monuments Fund), we will explore the confluence of religion, architecture, history, geography, and culture. We will learn about the sacred spaces of the Abrahamic traditions, the communal spaces that define civilization, and the sacred in the personal that provides peace amid chaos. Through the ten morning and afternoon lectures, we will visit some of the most important and threatened historically sacred sites of the world.

Week 8 – August 15-21, 2010
Powering the Future

As much of the world embraces the urgency for developing alternative sources of energy, and sources of fossil fuel become less reliable and more expensive, this week will explore the most promising new innovations and technologies currently in development for sustainable, affordable, and renewable power. Speakers this week will address these issues, as well as the science, economics, and politics behind bio-fuels, solar, wind, and clean-coal technology, and the critical role businesses and governments will play in creating a new energy paradigm.

Week 9 – August 22-28, 2010
The Supreme Court

This week will offer a historical analysis of the Supreme Court and its most notable Justices while examining the larger issues before the current court, including recent decisions, the agenda, and the process for appointments.

Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Vertical Theme:
Walk a Mile in Different Shoes

Literature – fiction, poetry memoir, history, biography, science – has always initiated transport to different worlds. Each book chosen as a CLSC selection in 2010 will allow the reader a better understanding of a culture, location, historical period, or perception not often encountered by Chautauquans. Through great writing, the authors honored by the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle will present perspectives that will inform, challenge, intrigue, and fascinate.