The Cockefair Chair and members of the talented faculty at UMKC deliver short, engaging courses on national issues, Kansas City history and current events and literature and the arts. Join in to experience thoughtful analysis on a variety of subjects.
In Spring 2025, the Cockefair Chair presents four fascinating courses. The courses and the method of presentation for each (in-person, synchronous zoom or hybrid) are described below.
Spring 2025 Cockefair Chair Courses
The Destruction of Knowledge and the Threat It Poses to Democracy
Bryan LeBeau, Ph.D.
Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
February 6, 13, 20, and 27
Online Zoom course
$50
In this class we will study the different ways knowledge is being threatened in the United States. This topic would take many weeks to cover in its entirety, but for this class we will take a look at the history of censorship in the US; attempts to suppress essential knowledge in schools; book banning and the threat it poses to public libraries; how social media, artificial intelligence, and disinformation contribute to a culture of conspiracy; and whether censorship is ever necessary or justified. Other topics will be mentioned and sources provided for those interested in pursuing them independently.
Quantifying Good Cinema Performance
Mel Sangyi Zhao, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Media, Art, & Design
Tuesdays, 10:30 – noon
March 11, 18, and 25
UMKC Administrative Center, Brookside Room
$40 ($55 with parking permit)
This course will examine what really good acting consists of in very different types of cinema around the world. It will include viewing various performances to gain insight into how acting is defined by different styles of filmmaking. We will focus on understanding actors’ performances as part of filmmakers’ stylistic choices by studying several filmmakers and the different approaches to performance they represent. These directors include Eric Rohmer, Robert Bresson, Edward Yang, Agnès Varda, Chloé Zhao, David Lynch, Hannah Peterson, Sean Baker, Nagisa Ōshima, etc. To further the understanding of different approaches to performance, each class will also contain a small in-person acting exercise.
Demystifying Trade Wars: Past and Present
Zhongjin Li, Associate Professor, Department of Economics
Wednesdays, 1:00 – 2:30
April 2, 9, 16, and 23
UMKC Administrative Center, Plaza Room
$50 ($70 with parking permit)
Throughout history, trade wars have left lasting impacts on nations, industries, and global relations. This course explores the historical precedents and modern dynamics of trade conflicts to provide a comprehensive understanding of their origins, mechanisms, and consequences. Our goal is to demystify the economics of trade by examining policies dating back to the nineteenth century and culminating in a detailed analysis of current trade tensions, particularly the ongoing dispute between the United States and China. Participants will navigate the realities of trade conflicts amidst mounting political rhetoric, gaining insights into trade policies, industrial policies, and related social impacts.
Women in Art
Izabel Galliera, Ph.D., Dorothy and Dale Thompson Missouri Endowed Associate Professor of Art History, Department of Media, Art, and Design
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
April 29 and May 6 and 13
UMKC Administrative Center, Plaza Room
and Zoom
$40 ($55 with parking permit)
Taking both a chronological and thematic approach, this course explores women artists through different times periods and cultural contexts. Following an introduction to feminist theory, Prof. Galliera will consider the presence and representations of women in art during the Italian Renaissance (looking at the work of artist Sofonisba Anguissola), the Baroque period (focusing on the work of Artemisia Gentileschi and Elisabetta Sirani), 19th century England and France (considering the Impressionist Berthe Morisot) and feminist art generations from the 1960s to the 1980s (paying attention to artists such as Betye and Alison Saar, Judy Chicago, and the Guerilla Girls). Throughout the course, we will consider the role of women as artists, as critics and historians, viewers, subjects and objects.
Register Here
PLEASE NOTE: If in the future you decide to purchase additional classes, you must use the edit button in your confirmation email to return to your form.
For questions, please contact Kim Rudolph at rudolphk@umkc.edu.
