Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
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- 50 films from the 50s: Hollywood's last stand
Course start date: Mon 23 Sep 2024 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John WischmeyerThe 1950s was the beginning of the end for the Hollywood studio era, a golden age in place since the 1920s. The fifties are more difficult to pin down than the 1930/40s due to explosive diversity in both subject matter and cinematic technology, the profound influence of WWII, the development of European neorealism and the first signs of the French New Wave. An emphasis on teen culture emerged, represented by the brief career of James Dean. Film stars became anti-heroes. The moguls who founded Hollywood began to disappear. The studio business model was doomed. Hollywood reacted both defensively and creatively, going for broke—and producing some of the finest and most enduring films in its history, films that transformed the culture, from Sunset Blvd. (1950) to Some Like It Hot (1959)—both by Billy Wilder. From The Asphalt Jungle (1950) to The Misfits (1961)— Marilyn Monroe’s first and final films, both directed by John Huston. From Here To Eternity (1953 Fred Zinnemann) to A Place in the Sun (1951 George Stevens, part of his American trilogy). Fifties’ films reflected a darkening America. (See related courses on Fifties Musicals, Melodrama and Film Noir).Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Reading hieroglyphs: module 1 Course start date: Mon 30 Sep 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Hugo CookImprove your ability to read texts in hieroglyphs and gain (or continue to gain) a deeper understanding of ancient Egyptian literature and culture. Suitable for those who have completed the "Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs: a continuation course" but also for those who have attended Reading hieroglyphs courses in previous years.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £209.00 Concession £136.00 - Introduction to art history Course start date: Mon 30 Sep 2024 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayAre you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Contemporary cinema: the best films of the yearCourse start date: Mon 6 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John WischmeyerThis crucial course on contemporary cinema coincides with the sheer variety of films released immediately before BAFTA /Academy Awards season. Join a community of cinephiles to discuss and debate your favourite films of the past year and compile a list—The List of Best Films—added to and modified as new films are released each week. Students become critics in an ongoing class conversation, some even sharing their inner-geek in a guilt-free environment. As we meet on Mondays, some students extend the day by going to the special price Monday Matinees at several neighbourhood cinemas. Whether you call it homework or dedication, that’s entertainment!Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £149.00 - Writing Modern AmericaCourse start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julian BirkettAmerican novelists have never shied away from exploring the urgent issues of their time in prose that is urgent, exhilarating, often hilarious, always compelling. The current generation of American writers is no exception. Race, sex, the changing demographics of the US,and the hopes and failures of the American dream figure prominently in current American writing. We’ll be reading some of the best novels that depict the conflicts and concerns of America today.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Modern political philosophy: ideas and ideologies in the 21st century Course start date: Mon 20 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Christopher HornerWhat are the key philosophical ideas behind the issues and debates of today? This is an opportunity to explore in more depth the concepts and ideologies that are shaping the politics of the 21st century. - Classic Drama: Agamemnon, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore, The Way of the WorldCourse start date: Mon 20 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jenny StevensWe will read and discuss three classic plays: Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, John Ford’s ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore and William Congreve’s The Way of the World. Focusing closely on structure, language and tone, we will analyse how dramatists across time have explored themes such as sexual politics, family relationships and revenge through their plays. In addition, we will consider the social, cultural and historical contexts in which the plays were produced.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Styles in art: from medieval to modern
Course start date: Mon 27 Jan 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Leslie PrimoA survey of Western art from the Gothic to the Victorian age, discussing Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism, and the ideas shaping each period.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Poetry from the EdgeCourse start date: Mon 12 May 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Laurie SmithSome poets began their writing lives, and sometimes lived much of them, outside the 'normal' modern urban lives which most of us experience. They have lived at the margins and despite - or perhaps because of - their geographic, political or emotional isolation, they have become major poets. We will look at how each has achieved national and international success with their poetry. Poets include C P Cavafy, Stevie Smith, Derek Walcott, Seamus Heaney and Bob Dylan.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - The Book of Love: great novels of love and passionCourse start date: Mon 23 Sep 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julian BirkettMany of the world's greatest books – as well as many of the worst - have taken romantic love as their theme. Take this opportunity to read some of the very best - novels which explore the complexity, heartbreak and frustration as well as the ecstasy of this most powerful human emotion.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
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