WICE upcoming events

VS081 Talk: Why do smart people do dumb things? (08 Sep 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered how otherwise intelligent people can believe that the earth is flat, that vaccines cause autism, or that Bill Gates caused COVID to use nanochips for mind control? In this talk, Dr. John Eigenauer will address the mysteries of irrational beliefs and behaviors with insights into how our brains work.

Registration opens 8 August.

John Eigenauer is an intellectual historian and professor emeritus of philosophy at Taft College in California. He holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies from Syracuse University. His work has been published in variety of publications. He has spoken internationally on human rationality and the pedagogy of critical thinking. His book, 'Paris and the Birth of Public Knowledge,' is available online. John lives in Vincennes and has been a WICE member for a year.

VS171 Gothic Studies: From Romanesque to the Parish Church of Kings (12 Sep 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Gothic architecture was born just outside of Paris in the 12th century and sparked a rapid and widespread revolution in art and architecture across France and Europe. Through structural innovations and masterful artistry in stone, glass, and paint, this new style made tangible a mystical philosophy of divine light as a bridge between heaven and the earthly realm. Paris, with its rich layers of history, contains traces of each phase of the Gothic style as it evolved from its Romanesque roots through to the Renaissance. These walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting six churches in roughly chronological order, each church offering a window into the ways in which Gothic architects, artisans, and patrons experimented with light, structure, and technique to create a reflection of heaven in their medieval world.

Beginning at Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, we’ll see the preeminent surviving example of Romanesque architecture in Paris, in the nave of the church, and compare that to the Early Gothic choir of the same church. From there, we’ll continue across the river and study a superb example of a church built fully in the Gothic style, Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, the parish church of the French kings.

Matt Potts is a licensed architect in the US, where he practiced for 10 years after studying architecture in New York and Rome. He has lived in France since 2022 where he founded his own interior architecture firm. Matt is passionate about France’s rich built heritage - whether renovating a 16th-century manor house in the Burgundian countryside for his family, designing thoughtful renovations for his clients’ historic properties across France, or studying great works of Gothic architecture. He splits his time between Paris and Burgundy, enjoying the best of city and country life in France with his wife and their two sons (one human, one canine).

VS151 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: Who is responsible for the defense of Europe? (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

A series of sessions will focus on the problems of European security. Is Europe now independent or is it still a dependent of the United States? How will it manage without the US? Topics include NATO, the European Union, American foreign policy and European politics. Suggested readings are available for those who are interested in studying the issues in greater depth.

Session I European Security: Who is responsible for the defense of Europe?

What is NATO’s raison d’être? What is Article V? Is Europe an ally or a protectorate? Can Europeans defend themselves? Does the US need allies in Europe? Is NATO an asset or a liability? European vs American approaches to world order, terrorism, international law, globalization, nuclear proliferation. Can Europe deter Russia without the US nuclear umbrella? Can France provide such an umbrella? Direct vs extended deterrence. What is a strong Europe without a strong Germany? What is a strong Germany without nuclear weapons?

Mark SHEETZ is a member of WICE who lives in Paris. He taught international politics for over twenty-five years, including courses in International Politics, European Security, American foreign policy and US-European relations. Prof. Sheetz received his Ph.D in political science from Columbia University, M.A. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and A.B. in government from Dartmouth College. Prof. Sheetz was a Fulbright Scholar and Chair of Security Studies at the College of Europe. His scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as International Security, Security Studies, Foreign Policy, Economic Diplomacy, and the Journal of Cold War Studies.

VS291 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: European politics/economy/defense (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Session II European politics/economy/defense

What is Europe? Is US a part of Europe? How about Russia? Can the EU move beyond economic cooperation to forge a security community? Can Europeans afford to keep their promises of spending 5% of GDP on defense? Does Europe in fact need its own autonomous defense identity? If so, will it strengthen Europe or weaken NATO? What about die deutsche Frage? What would a nuclear Germany mean for Europe? Risk of a German Sonderweg?

Are we looking at the end of globalization? If so, what are the consequences for Europe? How can EU economies deal with threats from US tariffs and Chinese imports? What about energy policy and the geopolitics of Russia and the Middle East?

VO101 Gothic Studies: In the Shadow of Notre Dame (10 Oct 2026)

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 13 September.

Gothic architecture was born just outside of Paris in the 12th century and sparked a rapid and widespread revolution in art and architecture across France and Europe. Through structural innovations and masterful artistry in stone, glass, and paint, this new style made tangible a mystical philosophy of divine light as a bridge between heaven and the earthly realm. Paris, with its rich layers of history, contains traces of each phase of the Gothic style as it evolved from its Romanesque roots through to the Renaissance. Over the course of four sessions, these walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting eight churches in roughly chronological order, each church offering a window into the ways in which Gothic architects, artisans, and patrons experimented with light, structure, and technique to create a reflection of heaven in their medieval world.

The most influential work of Gothic architecture inside Paris is, of course, Notre Dame. We'll admire the cathedral from afar before exploring the tiny chapel of Saint Julien-le-Pauvre, just across the river, which was built contemporaneously and by many of the same craftsman. Then we'll take a quick walk around the corner to see Saint-Severin, a jewel box of Parisian gothic splendor, and discuss the ways in which it was influenced by and riffed on Notre Dame's legacy, several centuries after the cathedral's completion.

VO131 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: American foreign policy (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Session III American foreign policy

What is foreign policy? Is it the protection of interests or values? What is Trump’s policy toward Europe? How does this policy compare with traditional US foreign policy? What has changed? Why has it changed? What do the 2025 National Security Strategy and 2026 National Defense Strategy tell us about the geopolitical strategy of the Trump administration?

If the US is focused on the Western Hemisphere and China, who is responsible for Europe?

VO271 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: Russia/Ukraine and the Future of Europe (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Session IV Russia/Ukraine and the Future of Europe

What is Russia’s interest in Ukraine? Is Russia seeking expansion or security? Is Macron right when he said that there can be no European security without Russian security? Is Russia a threat or just a great power whose time has come and gone? How does Russia’s power match up vis-à-vis the European allies? Can Europe normalize relations with Russia? Does it have to?

VN141 Gothic Studies: Flirtations with Classicism (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 11 October.

Gothic architecture was born just outside of Paris in the 12th century and sparked a rapid and widespread revolution in art and architecture across France and Europe. Through structural innovations and masterful artistry in stone, glass, and paint, this new style made tangible a mystical philosophy of divine light as a bridge between heaven and the earthly realm. Paris, with its rich layers of history, contains traces of each phase of the Gothic style as it evolved from its Romanesque roots through to the Renaissance. Over the course of four sessions, these walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting eight churches in roughly chronological order, each church offering a window into the ways in which Gothic architects, artisans, and patrons experimented with light, structure, and technique to create a reflection of heaven in their medieval world.

Beginning at the architectural treasure box which is Saint-Etienne-du-Mont behind the Pantheon, we’ll use this tour to study late Gothic creations and the ways in which Renaissance ideas from Italy start to make their way into ecclesiastical French architecture. Heading downhill from there and across the river, we’ll enter the elegant late Gothic church of Saint Gervais and study its influence on later Classical church architecture.

VD121 Gothic Studies: Legacy of Gothic Architecture (12 Dec 2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 15 November.

Gothic architecture was born just outside of Paris in the 12th century and sparked a rapid and widespread revolution in art and architecture across France and Europe. Through structural innovations and masterful artistry in stone, glass, and paint, this new style made tangible a mystical philosophy of divine light as a bridge between heaven and the earthly realm. Paris, with its rich layers of history, contains traces of each phase of the Gothic style as it evolved from its Romanesque roots through to the Renaissance. Over the course of four sessions, these walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting eight churches in roughly chronological order, each church offering a window into the ways in which Gothic architects, artisans, and patrons experimented with light, structure, and technique to create a reflection of heaven in their medieval world.

The fourth and final part of this series on Gothic architecture in the parish churches of Paris will begin at Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs which provides an interesting insight into how Gothic sensibilities married Renaissance ideas about architecture. Concluding our series, we’ll walk towards Les Halles to the French Renaissance wonder that is Saint-Eustaches, a grand and highly enigmatic church whose proportions if found in any other city would surely be a cathedral.