Print this page Forbidden Places

This course will examine six ‘forbidden places’. These are countries or locations which were closed to outsiders for different reasons and by different means. We will examine how and why visitors were prohibited, what the powers who enforced exclusion hoped to achieve, what this meant for these places and the people who lived there, the long term effects of exclusion and how restrictions were eventually removed. The ‘forbidden places’ we will visit are Pripyat (Chernobyl), Ukraine; Area 51, Nevada (USA); Ancient Palace (Forbidden City) Beijing, China; Cuba; Kyoto, Japan; and Uluru, Northern Territory.

This is a Discussion Group course, if you aren’t already part of a group please see ‘Getting Started’ below.

COURSE INFORMATION

Course Author: Sonya Thompson

Course Code: D247

Supplied Material: Fully illustrated Course Booklet

Units & Pricing: 6 units / $78 per person

GETTING STARTED

Start your Group: Anyone can start a Discussion Group – seek out some like-minded friends or put up a notice in your local library, bookshop or workplace. Please note a minimum of 6 people is required to start a new discussion group.

Arrange the Meetings: New groups need to decide where and when to meet, and for how long – whatever best suits members' particular situations.

Run your Group: Choose a secretary to liaise with WEA and your tutor, a Discussion Leader to chair meetings, a reporter to take discussion notes to send to your tutor, and maybe a librarian to look after the books.

Start the Course: Contact WEA Sydney to enrol. Bookings can be made for one year, divided into two terms – Term 1 commences in February, Term 2 in July (Groups may make forward bookings for popular choices). Please indicate in what order your Group wishes to study the courses, if more than one course is booked.