McGill Community for Lifelong Learning

Until the advent of portable cameras in the 1850s, Africa was known only through explorers’ travelogues, engravings of paintings, fanciful fiction  and legend. Photography offered a way to dramatically change that. The talk will examine who the early photographers were, what they did and did not photograph, how they publicized their work and what impact it had on the Victorian image of Africa. The backdrop is the expansion of the British Empire, with examples drawn mainly from southern Africa.

Hearing loss affects at least one in three adults over 60, yet it remains widely misunderstood and frequently unaddressed. This presentation explores the nature of hearing loss, its impact on daily communication and social engagement, and why early recognition matters. Attendees will also learn about available support services, current hearing technology and practical strategies to improve communication — for themselves and those around them.

Many ancient fakes have been uncovered over the years, from the Shroud of Turin, Jesus’s alleged burial cloth, to the Piltdown Man, the “missing link” between apes and humans. Dr. Allen, a retired archaeologist, will answer such questions as: Is acquiring money the only motive for faking? How long has the practice been going on? Can faking fool the experts? How are fakes spotted? What happens if a museum discovers one in its collection? A series of cases — some not widely known — will be covered.

In our world of inflationary media, we face insidious threats of disinformation and “alternative facts.” Cervantes was there 400 years ahead. When the printing press led to media saturation — propaganda as well as mass-produced fiction — in Spain’s Golden Age, he exposed techniques for manipulating a narrative and the risks of acting on unverified information. If you thought Don Quixote mainly tackled windmills, come explore passages in which the humour, foresight and psychological reach of this first modern novel shine!