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Upcoming Online Events

The Agora Foundation is a nonsectarian 501(c)3 non-profit endeavor, providing great books seminars and other educational opportunities to those who are busy with careers, families, and daily responsibilities yet are seeking to further their education. The goal of these offerings is to provide an understanding of the ideas that shape civilizations and to promote civil discourse on complicated subjects. The Agora Foundation has facilitated over 1,650 great books seminars and teacher trainings, covering a wide variety of topics including literature, philosophy, political science, theology, history, art, psychology, and more, featuring ancient and modern texts from around the world. In addition to seminars, since 2014 Agora has produced 39 panels, gatherings, and video interviews, promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects. Hundreds of these events can be freely viewed and listened to on this website.

 

Generously funded by The Ahmanson Foundation, Southern California Edison, The Shanbrom Family Foundation, the Ventura County Community Foundation, the WRG Foundation, the Constance Eaton and William Hart Fund, the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Ojai, CIty of Ojai, and private donations, the Teachers for Lifelong Learning Program provides training to high school teachers in this engaging approach to learning, and The Ojai Chautauqua provides panels promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects. 

Upcoming Regular Events

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Online Seminar Series

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

Wednesday, September 30

12:30-2:00PM PDT

A story with no real beginning or end, the work has come to assume a preeminent place in English literature. Published in 1939, the book would take Joyce two decades to complete. Join us as we read this text a few pages at a time, every other Wednesday afternoon. 

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September 30 Reading:

Book Three - Chapter Three of Finnegans Wake by Joyce (page 522, Line 1)

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Schedule:

12:30 - 2:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Barry Rabe

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

Online Seminar Series

Love's Labor's Lost
by William Shakespeare

Saturday, October 3

12:00-2:00PM PDT

Since the end of 2020, Agora has held seminars on 31 of Shakespeare’s plays: all of the histories, all but one of the tragedies, just over half of the comedies.  What remain are these eight: seven comedies and a tragedy, among them some of his greatest plays.

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October 3 Reading:

Love’s Labor’s Lost

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Schedule:

12:00 - 2:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Eric Stull

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

Online Seminar Series

Monday Night Poetry

Monday, October 5

5:00-6:00PM PDT

Join us as we explore, through close reading, what makes a poem. Each online session will focus on a single poem or two shorter ones. No preparation is required— we’ll read aloud and discover the poems together. Each of the seminars is self-contained, so join for any or all that interest you.

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October 5 Reading:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

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Schedule:

5:00 - 6:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Carol Seferi

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

View the Onsite Ojai Chautauqua Panel Series
The Future of Ojai - Our Rising Generation -
Are we planning thoughtfully for the youth of the valley?

Sunday, August 30, 2026

An Introduction to The Agora Foundation. What is liberal education? 

An Introduction to The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua Panels.

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