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Sample Background Materials
Semper Curious offerings vary by topic and by format. Topics refer to the subject matter, whereas formats refer to the structure: how much time is required, over how many days, using what modalities, and so on.
Among the most popular offerings have been the Topical Seminars. The topic of each seminar connects an academic subject to an issue of general interest. This yields a deeper understanding of the general-interest issue, while also serving as a natural gateway to concepts and methods of the academic subject. The format of the Topical Seminars is one hour of readings/media plus one hour of live discussion.
To get the flavor of these offerings, here are excerpts from background materials from several Topical Seminars.
Getting the Most from Semper Curious
Embrace openness and curiosity
Don't typecast yourself intellectually. Don’t reflexively avoid unfamiliar topics. Instead, wander outside your comfort zone, linger a while, and get comfortable with their vantage point, their style of questioning, their sense of what matters.
Use the background materials to establish a context and generate questions
The background materials are usually brief, but they often invoke unfamiliar ideas. So take a bit of time, jot down questions as they occur, and perhaps think about what might count as an answer.
Participate actively in the live sessions
So much media consumption these days is passive. Live discussion — especially when led by a knowledgeable guest expert — reactivates our minds. Also, so much current discourse is adversarial. Semper Curious is a place for collaborative inquiry. Take the opportunity to be a generous, constructive participant.
Request an Introductory Session
If you would like to learn more about Semper Curious, we strongly encourage you to attend an Introductory Session. The session will help you understand how Semper Curious works and why it is organized as it is. It will also give you a better sense of our scholar network, answer your questions, and help you decide if Semper Curious is a fit.
The session is hosted by a Semper Curious facilitator. It is interactive, usually involves a small group of participants, and lasts about 30 minutes.
To attend, please fill out this request, and we’ll be in touch about the details.