Arlington Community Education

Explore the ins and outs of Arlington’s town government and learn how to get involved and make a difference. We’ll cover what happens in daily operations and how Arlington’s legislative branch, Town Meeting, works. Discover where the levers of power are—and how to apply pressure to move them. Understand the months of decision-making behind the town budget and when and how the public can influence the process. No mere “civics academy,” this class turns knowledge of local government into the power to be heard, make change, and get results.

Explore the captivating geological features of our planet. We will delve into different geological formations and processes, learning more about mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, deserts, and more, and highlight stunning examples like the Himalayas, Iceland’s tectonic activity, and the Grand Canyon. Online interactive tools such as Google Earth, the USGS Earthquake Map, and EarthViewer will help us visualize geological concepts and track recent global earthquakes. No prior knowledge or materials are required—just bring your curiosity about the complexities of the natural world.

Massachusetts has set an ambitious goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and achieving it will require transforming how we power our homes, travel, manage waste, and use land. Explore how policy, technology, and markets are working together to drive the state’s decarbonization effort—and the challenges that stand in the way. We’ll start with big-picture energy planning strategies, then take a look at the transition needs of key sectors. Finally, we’ll take a deep dive into building electrification and the future of the gas system. Whether you want to shrink your own carbon footprint or play a role in local climate action, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how Massachusetts is working toward a more sustainable future.

Why does religion exist? Where does it come from? It’s pervasive throughout human history, yet individual traditions are surprisingly different. The demise of religion at the hands of science, often predicted since the 1600s, has not occurred. This course explores the emerging field of Cognitive Science of Religion to address these questions. We’ll examine religion on a macro level, focusing not on specific traditions but on religion as a cross-cultural and enduring human phenomenon. Ultimately, we’ll consider the question: Is religion the result of real contact with the supernatural, or a creation of the human brain?

Explore the rapidly changing landscape of American news media to better understand the cultural and political upheavals shaping our world. Using The Siren’s Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource, by MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, along with works by other contemporary thought leaders, we’ll trace the explosion of information and the destabilizing distractions we face while trying to make sense of it all. Gain tools to cut through the noise and think critically about the media you consume.