Global & Imperial History
Courses Online & in London
Thousands of years ago humanity migrated to almost every part of the world and as a consequence our history has since been global. Evidence from several thousand years show how the regions we now call the Middle East, South Asia and inland China were the first to see the emergence of agriculture and empires, each region defined by its eco-systems. Later, similar developments took place in Western and Central Africa and in Central and South America. Lastly, the region we later called Europe followed.
Since then, the connections between and within the different regions of the world have waxed and waned through the transfer of people, technologies, ideas, belief systems, and wealth. For several centuries this process has been defined by imperial cooperation, competition and conflict on the one hand and human creativity and resilience on the other. Much contested around the world, Europe emerged to become a global influence in this period, remaking several regions via the connections between with the imperial expansion and settler colonial state building of the 19th century, capitalism and industrialisation.
Today, historians are exploring these connections and their often-violent consequences with greater understanding than previously and, in the process of overcoming the Eurocentric and/or US-centric overall perspective(s), which came to dominate the discipline. This process is far from easy or simple, however. There is no quick fix. It is a longer conversation.
In recognition of this, we aim to make our courses not only enjoyable but also relevant to further your understanding of the varied links between our global past, present and future. Within our global and imperial history category, you will find courses of varying lengths as well as online, delivered either online or face-to-face, exploring different aspects of the journey to our global present.
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Courses available both in-person and online
We offer a range of courses allowing you to choose between online and in-person learning. All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, you’ll receive the same great City Lit experience. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.
- Global History Friday Lates: Certain Herbs to take their Smokes: A brief history of TobaccoCourse start date: Fri 22 Mar 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ellen CarpenterHow can we explain the European addiction to tobacco? Join us to discover the history of tobacco in global trading, from its growth in the Americas to its modes and patterns of consumption in Britain.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Empresses and KhatunsCourse start date: Tue 16 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingTravel across Europe and the Eurasian steppe to compare and contrast the role and status of Greek empresses with Seljuk and Mongolian khatuns.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00 - A history of global capitalismCourse start date: Wed 17 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vina TheodorakopoulouWant to understand the history of global capitalism. Join Dr. Vina Theodorakopoulou to learn about the historical transitions towards what we know as capitalism today – evolution of capital, the role of the state, labour, competition, race, and innovation-automation.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00 - The Portuguese Empire; establishment, world-making, demise and legaciesCourse start date: Wed 24 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ingrid Aguiar SchlindweinA journey through the rise and fall of the Portuguese Empire. Uncover pioneering navigation, understand colonial societies in Brazil, Africa, and Asia through their economies, culture, independence struggles, and legacies.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 - Global history for beginnersCourse start date: Wed 24 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Martin JorgensenWhat is global history? How is it different from other ways of understanding history? This introductory course will give you a sense of what it means to study global history.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00 - Global encounters: Europe and Africa, 1300-1600Course start date: Sat 27 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingExplore European perceptions of Africa and its inhabitants: from misconstrued tales of monstrous races and the legendary Prester John, to the charting of the west coast and rise of the slave trade.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Love Across the British EmpireCourse start date: Sat 11 May 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Angela PlattIn this course, we explore the meaning of ‘love’ in the British Empire from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century by looking through varied sources from film, literature, personal correspondence and more.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Global encounters: Europe and the Ottoman Empire, 1206-1368Course start date: Mon 13 May 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingThe Turks entered European consciousness in 1071 when they captured the Byzantine emperor at the Battle of Manzikert. So began centuries of uneasy co-existence between Christians and Muslims on the fringes of Europe.Full fee £149.00 - The capital of the Safavid Empire: Shah Abbas I and the transformation of Isfahan (1501-1736)Course start date: Fri 17 May 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Roberta MarinThis course will trace the origins and development of the Safavid dynasty and the ongoing conflicts with the Ottoman neighbours. The choice of Isfahan as the capital of the empire will be also analysed.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - The African diaspora in Europe: Migration, community and resistanceCourse start date: Wed 29 May 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ingrid Aguiar SchlindweinThis course explores African migration to Europe, community formation, and resistance, providing insights into the diverse experiences of the African diaspora in Europe since colonial times.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £64.00 - Global History Friday Lates: CoffeeCourse start date: Fri 28 Jun 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingSince the seventeenth century, coffee has had a mixed reputation. Discover how coffee has transformed from being seen as subversive and emasculating to, allegedly, replacing tea as the nation’s most popular beverage.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Global History Friday Lates: The Medieval Spice TradeCourse start date: Fri 26 Jul 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingJoin our Global History Friday Late session to discover how spice became the most valuable trade commodity in the pre-modern world that would ultimately lead to the discovery of America.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
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