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 encounters: Gold, the Enslaved and Exotic Animals: Europe and Africa before 1700
Course start date: Sat 14 Jun 2025Location 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 - The Battle of Lepanto 1571Course start date: Tue 24 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingThe Battle of Lepanto, possibly the largest naval battle in 2000 years, has been described as the last European crusade that led to the decline of the Ottoman empire. But has its significance been exaggerated?Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Global History Friday Lates: ChocolateCourse start date: Fri 27 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Linsey HunterJoin our Global History Friday Late session to explore the history of chocolate from its origins in the Americas to its widespread consumption as a global commodity in the modern period.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
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