Crash Course
A glimpse of Notre Dame classes in action
All lectures begin at 2:30 p.m. in 141 DeBartolo Hall. No ticket is required.
The Odyssey, from Homer to Nolan
Friday, Sept. 11 (vs. Rice)
with Aldo Tagliabue (Classics)
Long before Matt Damon strung his bow, the ancient trickster hero Odysseus had captivated audiences with clever schemes and a grueling journey home. Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film has sparked a massive cultural moment for Homer’s The Odyssey. But why does a story born nearly 3,000 years ago still command our attention? The truth is, the modern superhero era didn't start in American comic books — it began in ancient Greece around 800 BCE.
In this engaging session, attendees will trace the ancient origins of the superhero archetype, discover what Odysseus has in common with Iron Man, and compare Homer’s cunning king with Nolan's adaptation on the IMAX canvas.
History of the Broadway Musical
Friday, Sept. 18 (vs. Michigan State)
with Tarryn Chun (Film, Television, and Theatre)
What makes the Broadway musical a truly American theatre form? Best known for sparkling song-and-dance numbers and show-stopping special effects, Broadway musicals have always also reflected and responded to specific historical moments and sociopolitical concerns. This course examines both how Broadway performance styles and stories have changed over time, and how these changes index broader shifts in American culture and values. In this session, attendees will delve into the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The King and I to see how a show set in 19th-century Thailand reflects postwar American internationalism and what a polka can teach us about power dynamics.
Fighting Poverty with Economics
Friday, Oct. 9 (vs. Stanford)
with Adrienne Judson (Economics)
What is poverty? How has poverty changed over time? How can we learn what works and what doesn’t when alleviating poverty? In this session, attendees will explore these questions through the lens of economics, combining theory and empirical evidence. They'll also be introduced to the Poverty Research Fellows, an innovative program that engages A&L students in the fight against poverty, preparing them to join the next generation of anti-poverty researchers, policymakers, and leaders.
Foundations of Theology
Friday, Nov. 6 (vs. Miami)
with Fr. Kevin Grove, C.S.C.. (Theology)
Introduction to Philosophy: God and Logic
Friday, Nov. 13 (vs. Boston College)
with Jeff Speaks (Philosophy)
The Anthropology of Your Stuff
Friday, Nov. 20 (vs. SMU)
with Meredith Chesson (Anthropology)
What does our stuff say about us — as individuals, members of families and communities, and people with histories and heritages? How do people use new and old technologies to craft their present and future pathways in life? In essence, how does a person use material culture as a tool to craft and recraft their self throughout their lifetime? In this session, attendees will explore just how much our stuff matters, and the extent to which what we wear, what we gift to others, what we purchase for ourselves, and how we use and discard these possessions all make profound statements about who we want to be and what kind of world we want to live in.
Visit the full archive of previous lectures in the College's Ahead of the Game and Saturday Scholars series (including video for many).