Explore History, Culture & Writing

The history of the cinema is a rich, rewarding and dynamic area of study. Cinema, because it is both an art form and an industrial product, can be studied from several different historical perspectives. These have included investigations into the history of technological development associated with cinema’s origins and its subsequent development, but historians have also explored its evolution into an art form. They have written about important individual figures or influential groups and have examined specific films in great detail. Historians have also examined the national, cultural, political and social contexts that might offer insight into the cinema at a given historical moment. They have examined the changing demographic and viewing habits of spectators and explored the mutability of cinemas themselves. With so much to consider and so many different approaches to take, the history of cinema continues to evolve. As such this advanced level film studies course will explore what it means to study film history, examine the various methodologies that one might take, while at the same time looking at relevant filmic and cinematic examples.

The term film noir has been used to describe visual style, themes and narratives in a range of American genres, particularly crime films of the 1940s and 1950s, but it has also been used to describe areas of British, French, and, as part of the giallo tradition, Italian cinema. Explore film noir through a range of critical concepts and historical periods, while assessing its enduring appeal.



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

Join us to gain an understanding of the partition of British India in August 1947 from the perspective of history (written and oral), literature and film.



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

How, why and where did people travel in the Middle Ages? We will look at maps, itineraries and household accounts to explore the logistics of travel before 1500 CE.



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

In 1789 ordinary French people successfully rebelled against the absolute monarchy and privileged nobility. Find out how the struggle over the social and political system which would replace the Ancien Regime would divide both France and Europe. Tutor: Zoe Quinn.



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

In this course we will explore more than just the Cold War between the USA and USSR. We will explore the meaning of Cold Wars, where they were (and are) fought, how and by who.



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

Explore post-colonial Africa's political, economic, and social journey since independence. Gain insights into state building, governance, development, and identity, fostering a holistic understanding of Africa's evolution.

Join us to explore the fascinating histories of the lesser studied South Asian nation-states of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from decolonisation to the present.



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

The twenty first century has placed a question mark over subjects that we thought were settled: politics, states, nations, and peoples. This course explores these themes to help understand what might happen next.



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

Journey through the history, literature, film, music and art of the 70s, an era of economic struggle and cultural change. While America continued to reflect aspects of 60s social upheaval, a more energised 'New Right' was emerging in defense of political conservatism and the traditional family, schisms that still exist today. We investigate the cross currents across the many facets of the 70s through a 'taster' of each subject area.



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

Take a virtual tour of the ‘must see’ pilgrimage sites of medieval Europe. Pick up tips from William Wey, a seasoned pilgrim of the fifteenth century, as you plan your trip to Jerusalem.



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