Vision: Imagining the Future
How can we let go of the world as it is to bring about the world we want?
August 29, 2025
Welcome to Dark Times Academy!
I would also like to be wise.
In the old books it says what wisdom is:
To shun the strife of the world and to live out
Your brief time without fear
Also to get along without violence
To return good for evil
Not to fulfill your desires but to forget them
Is accounted wise.
All this I cannot do:
Truly, I live in dark times.
Brecht
These are hard times for those of us who love learning for the joy of learning and teaching for the joy of teaching.
Between intrusive ed tech, AI nonsense, authoritarian administrations and governments, it can seem like learning and teaching are lost in the shuffle. And at the heart of it all corrosive unfair practices that keep students in debt and teachers struggling.
Dark Times Academy aims to offer a bright spot in all of this darkness–a place for affordable learning of the liberal and useful arts. A place where students can explore the world with curiosity and a sense of wonder–guided by teachers who care about their subjects and their students. And are fairly compensated for their work.
The world kinda sucks right now, but even in these dark times we can learn and teach together.
Direct Action! Education for Resistance and Rebellion
Direct action gets the job done! From climate to immigration, activists have been freeing us all through vigorous challenges to power.
August 27, 2025
Making Hope: Climate Action for Dark Times
More than just the climate is changing in the world today. Governments are falling one by one to fascism and far-right political parties. With them comes an institutionalisation of doubt, denial, and a turn away from collective solutions to our shared problems.
August 15, 2025
New courses from Dark Times Academy
New courses from Dark Times Academy to focus on climate action, practical activism, and creating vision
August 12, 2025
How to fight Trump’s cyber dystopia with community, self-determination, care and truth
A presentation to the Asia Pacific Media Network by Mandy Henk, co-founder and director of Dark Times Academy.
April 27, 2025
Courses for May-June 2025
New online course from Dark Times Academy set to take on the Tech Bros with an all-star guest speaker line-up
April 15, 2025
Other News
How to fight Trump’s cyber dystopia with community, self-determination, care and truth
A presentation to the Asia Pacific Media Network by Mandy Henk, co-founder and director of Dark Times Academy.
April 27, 2025
Unmasking Theocracy: Project 2025 and the Christian Nationalist Agenda
Taking inspiration from the long history around the world of folk education, particularly the Scandinavian and Appalachian traditions, this course is designed to offer a fun, affordable and rigorous experience–that serves the needs of working adults.
April 3, 2025
NZ education provider has US Embassy grant terminated
NZ education provider has US Embassy grant terminated after refusing to provide course material for alignment with new US government policies
February 19, 2025
Innovation without Disruption–Visiting Risingholme and the Hagley Adult Literacy Centre
Last week has been an absolute whirlwind for us at Dark Times Academy. In addition to our amazing classes, we also were invited to deliver a counter disinformation workshop for the adult and community educators down in Christchurch.
September 28, 2024
Instructor spotlight: Phill Simpson
Your class is titled A Pedagogy of Possibility – critical reading and writing. What do you think is the most important thing for people to know about this course?
September 28, 2024
What I’ve Been Learning – Painting
I spent the weekend with a paintbrush in my hand, which is my favourite way to spend a weekend these days. About 3 years ago I decided to learn how to paint. I had been “art curious” for a while, but one weekend I decided to go ahead and just learn how to do it.…
August 28, 2024