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Remember, it's never too late to register for a class, even after it's begun. You can always catch up with any sessions you may have missed by watching the video recordings of previous sessions. The time remaining to register before the first class session is below, so stop hesitating and get to it!

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Offered:

as in-person classes, live-streamed Zoom sessions and video recordings

  • • This course is offered during the 2024 Term 2 (May-Jun) period as an in-person course at the EarthDiverse Centre in Hamilton, New Zealand, live-streamed via Zoom if you live elsewhere, and as video recordings of the live sessions if you cannot attend the regularly scheduled class.

Date & Time:

Begins Wednesday 5 June 2024

  • • Our 2024 Term 2 The History of Love course meets on Wednesdays from 11:00am-1:00pm beginning on 5 June 2024 (New Zealand time) and continues for three consecutive weekly sessions. The last class of the Term is held on Wednesday 19 June 2024.

  • • If you live outside of New Zealand and wish to Zoom in to our live class sessions, check the nearest local Time Zone equivalent below:

Time Zone equivalents:

for live-streaming Zoom Sessions from New Zealand. If your Time Zone doesn't suit our live-streamed class, you can also access our courses by watching the live-recorded sessions that are posted to the course webpage each week, usually within 1-2 days.

  • Honolulu, Hawai’i: begins Tue 4 Jun 2024, 1:00-3:00pm

  • US Pacific: begins Tue 4 Jun 2024, 4:00-6:00pm

  • US Central: begins Tue 4 Jun 2024, 6:00-8:00pm

  • US Eastern: begins Tue 4 Jun 2024, 7:00-9:00pm

  • London, UK: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 12:00-2:00am

  • New Delhi, India: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 4:30-6:30am

  • Bangkok, Thailand: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 6:00-8:00am

  • Singapore & Shanghai: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 7:00-9:00am

  • Tokyo, Japan: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 8:00-10:00am

  • Sydney Australia: begins Wed 5 Jun 2024, 9:00-11:00am

Description:

HIS218: The History of Love

  • • Who would have thought that such a universal part of the human condition had a history, one that exhibits huge shifts, and changes in patterns of conduct.

  • • This three talk series tracks that changeable history via art, artifact, literary record, music, social revolution and historical example. It traces the origins, development and final resting place of that ephemeral and eternal phenomenon we call Love.

  • • Delivered as three 2-hour talks.

Session 1: The Evolution of Love

Wednesday 5 June 2024

From the animal kingdom (mating for life and courtship), early hominids, the oldest story, the Song of Solomon, Helen and Paris, Plato, a Greek army of homosexuals, the poetry of Ovid, Aphrodite, Jesus of Nazareth, to the Karma Sutra and beyond. Love was a many varied thing, but mostly prescribed within clearly defined parameters.
Greek goddess

Session 2: Medieval Period to the Romantic Movement

Wednesday 12 June 2024

From the late medieval period to the Romantic movement in the 18th and early 19th century, major changes took place which saw a revolution in the concept of love, fostered by the Enlightenment. It began with the troubadours, got played out in the life and poetry of Dante, was exhibited in the story of Lancelot and Guinevere and eventually writ large in the lives of people like Byron and Shelley.
man and woman in the arms of each other

Session 3: The Modern Period

Wednesday 19 June 2024

All you need is love, sang the Beatles, but Freud had a different take on the matter. The second sexual revolution took place in the 60’s and we are still living with that legacy. D H Lawrence had a hand in it, so did Pop music and Pop art. It saw the advent of the pill, promiscuity, feminism, gay rights, soaring divorce rates and cynicism. The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock, is only the half of it.
Man and woman facing up

Course curriculum

    1. EarthDiverse Course Information

    2. EarthDiverse Zoom instructions

    1. Session 1: Evolution of Love: Prehistory to History

    2. 20240605 T2.1 HIS218 The History of Love

    3. 20240605 T2.1 HIS218 video

    1. Session 2: Late Medieval Period to the Romantic Movement

    2. 20240612 T2.2 History of Love pdf

    3. 20240612 T2.2 History of Love video

    1. Session 3: The Modern Period

    2. 20240619 T2.3 History of Love 3 PDF

    3. 20240619 T2.3 His218 video

About this course

  • Video and PDF content of class presentations or whiteboard notes are uploaded weekly after each live session
  • Begins Wednesday 5 June 2024
  • NZ time: Wednesdays 11:00-1:00pm

Meet our Instructor:

History, Literature & Philosophy Instructor Peter Dornauf, MA Dip Tchg

Peter Dornauf has taught in secondary schools, Wintec and Waikato University collectively for over 25 years. He is a well know Waikato artist, art critic and a writer of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. His book “Days of Our Deaths” serves as the basis for one of Peter’s other popular EarthDiverse courses, “A Cultural History of Death.” Peter also teaches our “The Spiritual in Modern Art” course and continues to develop additional EarthDiverse courses for future Terms.

Location:

This is a hybrid class with both in-person sessions in our classrooms and streamed live via Zoom.

All in-person classes are held at the EarthDiverse Centre located at 401 Anglesea Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton (located just north of the Hamilton Central Bus Station) (entrance is located on the side of the building, see map below). Those looking for parking for our evening classes can park just in front of the building in any of the available car parks. Daytime parking can be found in our dedicated car parks, or free 2-hour on-street daytime parking can be found just in front of Anglesea Street.
Location

Distance Learning:

This course has distance-learning options for those unable to attend the live class sessions in Hamilton. Students have three options for attending our courses once they have registered:

  • Attend in-person classes in our Hamilton classrooms at the regularly scheduled day and time.

  • Attend our live on-line classroom sessions via Zoom at the regular scheduled day and time.

  • Watch the live-recorded class sessions at your leisure, at a time, day and place more suited to your schedule.

Distance-Learning options:

Live Zoom sessions and Video-Recordings

  • • In addition to our in-person classes in Hamilton, our courses offer distance learning options for those unable to attend classes in-person. Live-streamed Hamilton classes are available via free Zoom software for those living outside the Waikato. Live-streaming allows you to participate fully in your own learning, ask questions of the instructor and participate fully in the same way as if you were in the physical classroom.

  • • Those unable to attend the scheduled date and time of the actual class sessions, or those who need to miss a class or two due to previous engagements or unexpected illness, can watch any or all of the live-recorded video sessions on their computers, laptops, tablets or mobile devices and study at their own pace and in their own time.

  • • Detailed instructions on how to access our distance learning components will be sent after completing your registration. There are no additional fees for this service. However, distance learners will need access to a desktop or laptop computer with a good quality web-camera (tablet devices and mobile phones can also access our live-streamed classes), a built-in microphone (most modern laptops have built-in microphones) or a headset with a microphone. You will also need to download and install the free Zoom software on your computer or device. Those accessing the video recordings will be able to do so with a simple web browser on any device.

Pricing options:

• All prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST. • Unwaged includes students, seniors, retirees and unemployed. • Prices remain the same regardless of your chosen method for accessing this course.

Notes:

Those who cannot make the class meeting day and time via live Zoom sessions may consider accessing this course through the weekly recorded video sessions. Class videos are usually posted within 1-2 days of each live class session and are available for your own personal learning on a day and time of your choosing.

  • • This class has no assignments, required readings, quizzes, tests or exams.

  • • All classes encourage questions and group discussion.

  • • PDF copies of each class presentation are posted weekly to the course webpage usually 1-2 days after each class so that you are free to focus on class content rather than taking notes. You are most welcome to come, sit back, relax, take part in and enjoy the discussions!

  • • Course fees include a short tea/coffee/snack break in the middle of each session.

  • • There are no refunds for missed classes.

  • • Guests of registered participants are welcome to attend a single class at no charge.

  • • Certificates of Completion for any particular Term Course or Series are available for Professional Development purposes upon request at the end of each Term or Series.

Prerequisites:

A keen desire to learn more about the History of Love!

  • There are no prerequisites for this course.

  • Open to adults of any age (years 16 and above).

Testimonials:

Love your courses!

Vicki Jacobsen

I have so enjoyed and appreciated all of the courses I have attended.  They have spurred long held interests and I am looking forward to pursuing the knowledge and the way of considering and understanding I have gained from you and your programmes. (2022 Term 2)