Reimagine Learning History: Diverse and Inclusive History Courses at City Lit

Dr Martin O. Jorgensen, PhD
Published: 16 January 2025
Indian soldiers in WW1

Broaden your perspective and learn new skills by taking a history course with a difference

What if studying history could be a more diverse and dynamic experience? And what if you had a chance to add your own voice to the conversation?

Histories, Memories & Heritage is a new collection of City Lit history courses offering inclusive approaches to learning about our past. Exploring history — including the stories of communities that are often written out of official narratives — is an eye-opening experience. Whether you want to study Black British History or Oral History, you can gain a whole new understanding of our culture and heritage.

When we understand our collective memories and experiences more deeply, we can move towards creating a more open and reflective society. Why not become an active part of that journey?

Connect with the history that’s all around you

We engage with our past in different ways, often without even thinking about it. From architecture to landscape, our surroundings are shaped by the generations before us. Whether it’s the Victorians or the Windrush Generation, Britain is filled with fascinating and diverse stories.

Beyond landscape and architecture, language also links us to the past. English has a rich and fascinating history, plus let’s not forget Welsh, Cornish, Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic. Language is a kind of living history as it changes over time and gives us insights into how different societies saw the world.

Social norms and values are also a fascinating way of tracing history, as we can explore how these are negotiated by each generation. For instance, the acceptability of certain behaviours change over time, reflecting the shifts that societies go through.

Another way to engage with the past is via stories and memory, including from your family, community and local area. When we connect with the history that’s all around us, we realise that the past hasn’t vanished — it’s still here, impacting us and influencing us. Studying history gives us a chance to understand ourselves better.

A stack of booksA stack of books
Studying history gives us a chance to understand ourselves better.

Engage with the past in a fresh new way

Most of us engage with our past consciously and unconsciously in what we call our collective ‘history culture’ and ‘cultural memory’.

Our collective history culture describes the way that we engage with our past through ‘official’ channels. This can include in university, college and school, as well as via books, museums and archives. But sometimes, traditional ways of presenting history can make it seem dull or remote, rather than the living, dynamic force it actually is.

Yet beyond books and institutions, we also have a shared cultural memory. This describes the many ways we engage with and remember the past, including events that happened before we were born. Our cultural memory shows up in things like film, TV, music, literature, politics, remembrance events, and even symbols.

Our collective history culture and cultural memory serve different purposes, yet they also impact one another. For example, think about the history you might have learned at school. Was it politicised? Did it only promote some aspects of our past while leaving out other important experiences and perspectives?

And what about historians themselves — is it their responsibility to challenge our ideas of the past? Should they be bringing more people into our collective history culture, including more marginalised communities and voices? And do all of us have a role to play in centering diverse stories and memories?

It’s possible to engage with history in a fresh new way, where you become an active participant in the process and share your own perspective. For instance, what stories have shaped you and your community? By exploring this, you can play a part in deepening our shared insights into British history and beyond.

Go beyond traditional approaches to history

Studies of our history have often tended to centre on nations, political events, elites and notable leaders (mostly men). This means that our ways of engaging with the past often overlook the contributions made by working-class people, women, children, young people, minority groups and migrant communities. As a result, we miss out on learning about the richness of our wider heritage, as well as the contributions that more marginalised groups have made.

Take the tradition of wearing red poppies to commemorate both world wars. Some people wear a white poppy instead, as they see this as a statement of peace and a challenge to how we look at war. Yet the red poppy is more widely worn by public figures, including politicians. Why is this?

Or how should we approach the vital contributions from people across the British empire to the First World War? These are still largely treated as marginal despite being central to the outcome of the war. Or why is Windrush Day not celebrated more widely across the UK? And what do each of these examples say about the politics of our collective history culture?

In other words, we can all be more inclusive in how we go about learning history. This includes looking beyond the UK to learn from the historical cultures of other countries and peoples. Central to this is understanding the sensitive histories and memories of empire, not just of Great Britain, but also of France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Portugal and the US.

What’s more, the imperial histories of different communities in the UK need to be acknowledged, unpacked and discussed. This has to be done with a willingness to understand experiences and perspectives different to the dominant historical narrative. What cultural memories can we centre by listening to them, exploring them and appreciating them?

For instance, how do the diverse experiences of British colonial rule across Scottish, Welsh, Cornish and Irish communities compare to those in countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh? And what are the perspectives of British descendants of migrants from colonised countries? Also, how do race, gender, age, sexuality and faith inform people’s experiences? It’s vital to learn how to talk about our shared past sensitively and inclusively, especially when perspectives might differ.

Close up of Poppies on Remembrance WreathsClose up of Poppies on Remembrance Wreaths
Some people wear a white poppy instead, as they see this as a statement of peace and a challenge to how we look at war. Yet the red poppy is more widely worn by public figures, including politicians. Why is this?

Develop key skills for studying history

With so many conversations to be had and so many stories to share, where do we begin? One way is to develop a toolkit for understanding history in a deeper, more inclusive way. Our Histories, Memories & Heritage courses don’t just offer fascinating insights, they can also help you to build the following key skills:

Oral history 

Gaining practical skills in researching oral history means that you can explore the stories and memories around you, including of your family and local area. Taking a course in oral history can also be the starting point for art, film and performance projects, as well as community initiatives. Plus it can be a fascinating hobby or a way of feeling a deeper connection with past generations. Whatever your reasons for gaining oral history skills, they can enrich your life and open up a space for others to share their experiences.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking skills are key to questioning, evaluating and challenging dominant historical narratives. Investigating why some memories and experiences are centred over others is the starting point in developing a richer, more nuanced view of our past.

Understanding different perspectives

When it comes to history, the ability to look beyond the familiar is crucial. Engaging with viewpoints out of your zone of familiarity will broaden your horizons and enrich your understanding. You’ll also start to feel more comfortable about considering perspectives that might be different to yours. The ability to sit with difficult truths is a key skill in co-creating more inclusive ways of engaging with our past.

By developing these key skills on a history course, you’ll gain a much better understanding of how the past impacts the present. This includes things like our material conditions, social norms and values. As a result, you’ll be able to take a more reflective and open-minded approach to history.

Become a detective of the past

Gain deeper insights into our shared heritage by taking a City Lit history course. Why not learn about Key Figures in Black British History, like Mary Seacole and Ignatius Sancho? Or journey further afield by studying the legacies of empire in Nigeria, Cyprus, India, Pakistan and Palestine? Or unearth the untold stories surrounding you with Oral History for Beginners? Our courses cover multiple perspectives and experiences, plus offer opportunities to build skills in historical research and critical thinking.

Each course works towards the overall aim of contributing to our collective awareness of the rich, complex and diverse links between past and present. Join us to gain new insights, expand your horizons, and develop a better understanding of our collective heritage and memories. History isn’t just for historians — you can be part of the conversation too. 

Study History at City Lit

Explore the stories that define us by signing up for a Histories, Memories & Heritage course in London or online. Engage with history in a whole new way and become part of a dynamic discussion of our past.


Reimagine Learning History: Diverse and Inclusive History Courses at City Lit