Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses

The name Disney is synonymous with the story of American animation. In this course, we will learn about the history of the Disney Animation Studio during the lifecycle of its founder, Walt Disney. We will explore the origins of the studio within the context of early American animation, and discuss key films from its ‘classic’ era of production, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940) and Bambi (1942).







Dr Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.

Come and revel in the sheer variety and possibility of poetic form, as we consider how form might shape what a writer has to say and how they say it. This course will allow you to explore the many shapes that a poem can take.

Are you brand new to creative writing? Do you want to build your confidence in a supportive environment alongside other beginners? This gentle short-course guides students taking their first steps on the path to becoming a creative writer.

This interactive lecture outline course explores how the United States became involved in the conflict in Vietnam and its impact on US politics, society and culture.

This online course offers an introduction to the concept of the 21st century British dramatist as a social observer, enabling a deeper understanding of how playwrights can illuminate and comment on social issues. Join us to find out how playwrights Polly Stenham, Jez Butterworth and Phillip Ralph have interrogated a variety of societal ills including a miscarriage of justice, dependency issues, class and the façade of contentment amongst the upwardly mobile.

This ‘What is Social Anthropology?’ course, will introduce you to the 19thC birth of the discipline, an understanding of cross-cultural human behaviour and the similarities and differences between societies on a global and local level.