History

Explore History, Politics & Economics

Whether you’re fascinated by the past, wishing to keep up to date with current affairs, or to develop a deeper understanding of democracy and capitalism, we have the course for you.

City Lit offers a wide range of history, politics and economics courses on weekdays, evenings and weekends. Our courses vary from skills-based courses on oral and family history projects, to the history of empire, the history of London and the study of global powers and international politics.

Gain critical thinking and analytical skills

Courses in the Humanities help you understand our world today, and the history that has informed the political, social and economic dynamics of modern times. Our courses, including short day courses, lectures and longer-term study over several weeks or whole terms, aim to inform you of the issues that interest and matter to you. Our courses also encourage the development of wider skills such as critical thinking and analysis, listening and discussion skills, and evidence-based interpretation.

Learn from expert tutors

Our tutors are experts in their fields and come from a range of backgrounds, and include academics, experienced educators, serving politicians, acclaimed authors and renowned guides.

Browse our range of courses below to choose your perfect option: both complete beginners and returning students are equally welcome.

Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. Crime and punishment in Old London
    Course start date:  Mon 10 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Diane Burstein
    Take a guided walk through the old City and its borders taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, tales of cutpurses and con men, the rise of prisons and the ghastly punishments that were meted out to wrongdoers. We go on a journey to Newgate Gaol, the Bridewell Prison and the places of execution including the notorious Tyburn Tree to hear tales of brutality, escapes and the bloodthirsty crowds who watched executions. Our tour includes London’s atmospheric legal quarter taking in the Old Bailey, The Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court to discover how London’s legal system developed .



    Meet outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the Statue of Queen Anne.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  2. More Free than Enslaved? An in-depth study of Old Doll’s Family, Barbados 1754-1838
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 15 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Join us for an in-depth study of this incredible, and possibly unique, family. What can their story tell us about the impact of race, social class and gender upon the lives of enslaved women in Barbados?
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £38.00
  3. London's East End in fact and fiction
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 15 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Sarah Wise
    Covering the early 19th century to the early 20th century, we will examine the history of the East End, and we will analyse how it was portrayed in works of fiction.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
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  4. Modern France: from de Gaulle and the Resistance to Macron
    Course start date:  Thu 20 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sebastien Ardouin
    (Re)discover France's complex politics during the Fourth and Fifth Republics, and the social challenges and tensions the country faced both at times of growth and modernisation and of crisis and doubts.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
    Rating:
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  5. The Ottomans and the Sublime Porte (1299-1922): Istanbul's control of the Mediterranean and the Balkans
    Course start date:  Fri 21 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Roberta Marin
    This course will offer an insight into the long and complex history of the Ottoman empire and of Istanbul, its iconic capital.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  6.  Feasting and banqueting: the politics of food in Medieval Europe
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 22 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Discover how dishes known as subtleties were used at medieval banquets not only to incite wonder but to set a political agenda.
    Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
  7. Windrush: celebrating London’s Caribbean communities – History Walk
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 22 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Want to learn more about Windrush and London's Caribbean communities and celebrate Windrush Day? Join A. S. Francis on this history walk!
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  8. The Mamluks (1250-1517) and the endless war against the Crusaders in the Holy Land
    Course start date:  Wed 3 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Roberta Marin
    This course will trace the political history of the Mamluks, from humble beginnings to the golden age of the sultanate. Special attention will be dedicated to their role as fierce opponents of the Crusaders.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  9. Medieval London 1000-1350: the archaeology of a capital city
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 6 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Stuart Brookes
    This one day course looks at a period that fundamentally shaped London as a city, from the laying out of a new town within the old Roman city wall to the rapid growth of the 11—13th centuries.



    Includes an introductory lecture and guided walk.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
  10. Unveiling the Forgotten Front: World War II & South America (A Focus on Brazil)
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 6 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Maisa Edwards
    Delve into the often-overlooked narrative of World War II and South America with a special focus on Brazil in this enlightening workshop. While much attention is given to the European and Pacific theatres, the significant role played by South American nations, particularly Brazil, remains a lesser-known aspect of this global conflict.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  11. Black internationalism in the heart of the Empire – History walk
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Want to learn more about the history of Black activism and anti-colonialism? Join A. S. Francis to learn more!
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  12. Empresses and Khatuns
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Travel 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
  13. A history of global capitalism
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Wed 17 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Vina Theodorakopoulou
    Want 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
  14. The merry monarch: Charles II & the Restoration era
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Ellen Carpenter
    Join us for a six-week course to explore politics, society, religion and culture during the Stuart Restoration era, with reference to the reign of the ‘Merry Monarch’ Charles II (1660 – 1685) and the succession crisis that followed his death in 1685.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
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