Culture Short Courses in London and Online

From the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance, to Prohibiton and the Depression, this online intertextual course explores the political, social and cultural context of 1920s America through a study of literature, history, music, film and art of the period. With different tutors for each specialism, the course provides a 'taster' in each subject as a gateway to further study in understanding this fascinating period in American culture and society.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

From the Great Depression to the New Deal, from Swing and big band music to gangster films and screwball comedies, this online intertextual course explores the political, social and cultural context of 1930s America through a study of literature, history, music, film and art of the period. With different tutors for each specialism, the course provides a 'taster' in each subject as a gateway to further study in understanding this fascinating period in American culture and society.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

Read and discuss John Cheever's 1964 short story, The Swimmer', a suburban take on The Odyssey and view its 1968 cinematic transformation ('The Swimmer', Dir. Frank Perry). Develop your understanding of plot, characterisation and narrative in a film making context. We will consider and discuss what is lost or gained in translation of fiction into film through a consideration of both mediums.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor brought Americans into WW2, while the European need for goods pulled the USA out of the Depression of the 30s, providing new opportunities for women, African Americans and other people of colour. Post-War America saw a new energy, of hope but also despair. This online intertextual course explores the political, social and cultural context of 1940s America through a study of the literature, history, music, film and art of the period. With different tutors for each specialism, the course provides a 'taster' in each subject as a gateway to further study in understanding this fascinating period in American culture and society.



This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

This class explores the work of Orson Welles, examining his performances, films, and persona in the context of the literary, cinematic, cultural worlds that inspired him. We explore Welles’s engagement with modern culture through his absorption and reworking of different art forms, from drama and poetry to cinema and magic.