Japan is notorious for its variety of ghosts, demons, and monsters, generally known as "yōkai." Featured in a current exhibit at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, these creatures have played a significant role in Japanese heritage and popular culture. For centuries, people painted them, printed them, played with them, performed them, wore them on their clothing, and they continue to do so today. Curator Felicia Katz-Harris explains traditional yokai art and folklore and considers their persistent presence in the modern world. Felicia Katz-Harris is the senior curator and curator of Asian folk art at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Her exhibitions include: Yōkai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan; Tako Kichi: Kite Crazy in Japan; Folk Art in Focus; and the award-winning Dancing Shadows, Epic Tales: Wayang Kulit of Indonesia. Katz-Harris authored books on these subjects as well as articles on Thai spirit houses, material religion in Asia, and Asian folk art.

Read and discuss topics from a broad cross-section of the world press, academic blogs, and policy think tanks to gain a better understanding of issues in current events and foreign policy. Moderator Jim Munroe supplies core materials for discussions and welcomes additional materials from participants. All points of view are welcome, especially constructive and civil rebuttals. Because the world is in such flux, topics are not finalized until four to six weeks before the first meeting. No class Feb 15. Limited enrollment.

Jim Munroe has moderated current event discussion groups since 2007. He retired after 25 years of service at Los Alamos National Labs. His work in nuclear non-proliferation included extensive travel in the former Soviet Union and the newly independent states.

New Mexico is transitioning from coal-based electricity generation to a renewable energy future through a major bill passed in 2019: the Energy Transition Act. While the goals are clear, there is no roadmap to achieve them. In this presentation, we touch on the electric system improvements needed to achieve those goals and how those affect the consumer. We also address oil and gas extraction, its contribution to the state's revenues, and its effect on land and water use. Abbas Akhil was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2018 and served for one term. He brings a working history of renewable energy and energy storage to the legislature. Akhil was born in Hyderabad, India, a pluralistic society where Muslim and Hindu communities existed side by side for generations. After moving to the US, Akhil completed his Masters at NMSU and worked at the Public Service Company of New Mexico. He later worked at Sandia National Laboratories where he developed energy storage and microgrids.

The US Supreme Court began its most recent term in early October 2020 with a full docket. The Court heard cases on the Affordable Care Act, the regulation of "robocalls," religious liberty, and Congress's continuing efforts to obtain materials from the Mueller investigation. Andrew Schultz reviews many of the Court's most important decisions and previews the remaining cases to be decided before the end of the current term. Andrew Schultz is a director at the Rodey Law Firm where he practices in the litigation department. He is the only graduate of the UNM Law School to serve as a law clerk at the US Supreme Court, serving as clerk to Byron R. White. Schultz has been a visiting professor at UNM's School of Law and continues to serve as an adjunct professor. In 2018, he was selected as the Albuquerque Bar Association's Lawyer of the Year.