Dec 05
In preparing for my next OLLI course on local (Northeast) indigenous culture https://berkshireolli.org/IndigenousWinter2022 I have written a short essay on reparations. I will be able to devote only a short amount of time in one class (out of six) that will focus on the issue of racism: its origins in 15th century Europe, and its …
Jan 20
Here is a list of links to the slides I used in my classes, as well as various blog posts, articles, and other resources that have been referenced during my lectures, or mentioned in my emails to the OLLI students, or that came to mind as I was preparing this list. Background Here is a …
Nov 16
On a planet increasingly dominated by people—even the deep oceans today are being altered by humans—it probably makes sense to think about wilderness, too, as a human creation. Elizabeth Kolbert, in “Recall of the Wild” When I read Bill McKibben’s book The End of Nature, back in 1989 (it first appeared in The New Yorker), …
Apr 24
This post is a conglomeration of lecture notes, slides, and other information. I compiled all of this as part of my preparation for my OLLI course on Berkshire History, in which I talked about six different preserved properties that all have walking/hiking trails on them. An overview of the course can be found here. From …
Apr 20
OLLI Spring 2019 Course TH104: A Walk Through Berkshire History Michael Forbes Wilcox is a Berkshire native, having been born in the House of Mercy in Pittsfield. His parents lived in Stockbridge, where he spent the first 17 years of his life. He currently resides in Alford, where he is the Town Moderator. Wilcox is …
Apr 06
Overview of the Course First, a little bit about myself, and what I hope to accomplish in this course my introduction, as given in the first class my email: mfw@mfw.us my blog: http://www.mfw.us/blog/ Then, a tribute to my Grandmother Wilcox, who instilled in me a love of history and its lore Next, a tribute to …
Jan 13
Autism in the Age of Neurodiversity Outline for 2018 OLLI Autism Course at Simon’s Rock Great Barrington 6 Sessions on Fridays 1 to 3 PM 19 January to 23 February 2018 Michael F. Wilcox Alford Massachusetts http://www.mfw.us/blog/ mfw@mfw.us Promised: A review of the cultural history of autism, from ancient times to the present. An exploration …