Thurgood Marshall: Mr. Civil Rights and the Fight for Racial Justice

Free speech lies at the heart of our American identity. The Founding Fathers enshrined this right in the first 45 words of the Bill of Rights. But what does the First Amendment really mean? How have views of its provisions evolved since 1791? The First Amendment grants us freedom of religion and the press, as well as the rights to petition and peaceful assembly. But perhaps no doctrine is as important to liberty as the freedom of speech. In this 12-lecture audio course, First Amendment expert Professor David L. Hudson, Jr., leads you on a gripping tour of free speech law in the United States. Holding it up as a blueprint for personal liberty, you will examine the history of the First Amendment as well as the terminology and theories that undergird it. Freedom of speech encompasses all manner of expression, both verbal and non-verbal. Through a close reading of the Free Speech Clause and a recap of the Founding Fathers' historical moment, you'll see why it was and continues to be a cornerstone of American culture. In five hours, this succinct and brilliantly-taught course gives you the opportunity to comprehend the historical, legal, and philosophical basis for one of your most vital rights. You will better understand current free speech debates and gain valuable insight into the First Amendment's future.

Join one of the world's leading psychologists in exploring the scientific basis for sustaining great relationships.  You couldn't ask for a better professor. Prof. DeWall and coauthor, David Myers, publish the world's best-selling psychology textbooks, reaching millions worldwide. Combining captivating case studies, cutting-edge scientific research, and practical advice, Prof. DeWall gives you the knowledge and tools to be successful in love and relational life. He will help you understand not only why humans desire close relationships but also why some close relationships flourish while others fail. The course will bust relationship myths ("never have an argument") and replace them with practical advice guided by scientific evidence ("use strategies to argue effectively"). First, you will learn about how humans evolved to have a fundamental motivation for positive and lasting relationships. The second section emphasizes the hidden benefits of close relationships. You will learn how relationships literally get under the skin—affecting your hormones, brain functioning, immune system, and gene expression. The third and final section explores the recent and growing phenomenon of online relationships. Prof. DeWall winds down by addressing the power of social networks in shaping your health and behavior. The lessons you'll take away from this course are precious. Learn how you can begin building more connected relationships, companies, and societies today.

What is it about King Arthur that still holds our attention 1,500 years after he first materialized from the murky depths of history and legend? Named one of America's best professors by the Princeton Review, Christopher R. Fee transports you through space and time in search of answers. In his insightful audio course, you will trace Arthur's path across Britain. You'll visit such iconic sites as Tintagel, Glastonbury, and Stonehenge in search of physical reminders of this legendary king, his court, and a mighty stronghold remembered through the mists of time as "Camelot." Traveling across literary and literal landscapes, you'll search for evidence for Arthur in ancient manuscripts and modern-day archaeological excavations. Through 24 energetic lectures, you will see how much Arthur has been refashioned for succeeding generations of audiences—first in Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and England, and later across the globe. Like the Knights of the Round Table on their epic quest for the Holy Grail, you will scour recorded history for the true face of the "Once and Future King." Last, you'll consider the most popular of the countless books and movies dedicated to King Arthur, his court, and their adventures. As you explore the unwavering interest in Arthur across centuries of popular culture, you will learn to look behind the façade of all things Arthurian—discerning the factual basis for the man, the myths, and the legends.

No civilization is so intertwined with the history of Christianity, and the greater Western world, as Rome. Now, you are invited to explore ancient Rome's legacy with award-winning professor and prolific author Christopher M. Bellitto. In this fascinating audio course on the Roman monarchy, republic, and empire, you will explore the essentials of Roman civilization: the creation of a city at the center of world history, its political legacy, its architectural and cultural achievements, its treatment of women and slaves, and its tragic flaws. You will begin by placing ancient Rome in world history by looking at its origins and contexts in terms of geography and chronology. You will then explore the overlooked monarchy that ran for over two centuries until it was replaced by a republic that slowly took over the Mediterranean for 500 years. You will follow Rome as it defeated Carthage in three Punic Wars, facing challengers like Hannibal. As you travel from the Republic to the Empire to Rome's eventual ""fall,"" you will encounter such infamous figures as Julius Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, Caligula, and Nero. You will see how paganism, Judaism, and Christianity interacted, often violently, and how Christianity transformed a stumbling empire. Finally, you will ask whether Rome truly fell at all.

Named one of America's best professors by the Princeton Review, Christopher R. Fee invites you to explore your heritage from an unconventional angle: through the origin and development of the English language. Professor Fee is an award-winning professor and medievalist whose expertise spans Old English, Old Norse, and historical linguistics. With flair and gusto, he draws from this well of knowledge to help you trace the evolution of English across a fascinating range of cultures. In liberal arts fashion, this series of 24 lectures mixes the study of technical subjects (like phonetics, linguistics, and historical grammar) with cultural and historic topics, such as the impact of the Norman Invasion on Old English, the advent of the printing press, the place of Ebonics in the modern public-school curriculum, how English became a world language, and how close the Vikings came to ensuring that this course might have been about Danish instead of English. Prof. Fee has a knack for combining scholarly insight with great storytelling. Expect to enjoy his account of the characters "worthy of a seamy soap opera" tasked with writing a dictionary. Language is the foundation of human culture. It is a vital part of who we are and a subject invaluable to anyone interested in the humanities.

How does your brain work? This 15-lecture audio course will increase your excitement and wonder about the mysterious organ responsible for so many of the invisible but important things (like love, personality, and emotion) that make us who we are. The field of neuroscience is booming, heralding bold new discoveries and fresh insights into human nature, our behaviors, the mind - body connection, and even artificial intelligence. Now, How Your Brain Works: A User's Guide to Neuropsychology gives you exactly the sort of orientation you need to contextualize these discoveries and understand your brain. Your guide is Professor Gerald D. Griffin (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania), winner of several awards from national research institutions and of the Janet L. Andersen Excellence in Teaching Award at Hope College. You will find that Prof. Griffin brings an infectious energy to every lecture. He makes you appreciate what a fascinating and multidisciplinary field neuroscience is - building on the discoveries of biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology to arrive at new understandings of the nervous system and behavior. Though this course, you will gain a better understanding of how the chemistry, structure, and electrical connections of your brain give rise to complex perceptions and behavior. By the end, you will understand how a multitude of small, delicate changes in the nervous system shape your reality.