Explore History, Culture & Writing
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
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- The history of the FBI: 1908-1976Course start date: Mon 5 Jun 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Dafydd TownleyThe online course will assess the impact of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the leadership of its first Director, J. Edgar Hoover, on US politics, society and culture from its beginnings in 1908 until 1976.
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 £45.00 - Picture book writing
Course start date: Mon 12 Feb 2024 (and 9 other dates)Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Andrew WealeWould you like to write a picture book text for young children? This course is designed for children's writers and for illustrators wishing to write their own stories; a starter course to develop both your ideas and your technique.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £139.00 - Chinese history for beginnersCourse start date: Mon 19 Jun 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise GreenWant to dip into Chinese history? Join this beginners' course in Chinese History and learn about China's political, social, cultural and economic history, alongside major events of Chinese history.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £45.00 - Ways of reading: understanding literary theoryCourse start date: Mon 19 Jun 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jenny StevensThis course explores the critical perspectives which have shaped literary study in recent decades. We will focus on key developments in literary theory and the influence these have had on how literary works are read and interpreted. We examine a range of theoretical approaches and consider the numerous connections that can be made between them. We also explore how thinking about literature has been informed by different disciplinary areas such as history, philosophy, linguistics and psychoanalysis.
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 £99.00 Concession £64.00 - Ways into creative writing: intensiveCourse start date: Mon 19 Feb 2024 (and 11 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah LeipcigerNot sure whether creative writing is for you? Give it a try on one of these fun and supportive short courses covering the basics of fiction and poetry. Increase your confidence and produce work through guided exercises and discussion.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £139.00 - The Stalin Regime: 1928-1941Course start date: Mon 18 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Nick MorganThis is an introduction to the history of the Stalin regime in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1941. Students will learn about key events during the Stalin years and how historians approach them.
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 £99.00 Concession £64.00 - Writing an academic essay
Course start date: Mon 15 Apr 2024 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sinead KeeganA crash course in essay writing – beginnings, middles and ends. Suitable for students on A level and access courses or undergraduates.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 - Thinking through philosophy: a guideCourse start date: Mon 23 Oct 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Christopher HornerWhat is morality and what is it based on? Is the mind a ghost in the machine?
What can I really know? This is a beginner’s introduction to how philosophy tackles questions like these and many others.Full fee £99.00 - Accelerating cultures: technology and form from the 19th century to nowCourse start date: Mon 15 Jan 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you ever get the sense that things are constantly speeding up? Well, you’re not the only one! Since industrialisation, writers and artists have explored the accelerating effect of technological advancement. From the new perceptions of space and time produced by the railways to Marinetti’s Manifesto of Futurism, art and culture has always been in dialogue with new technologies, and the new subjective experiences they produce has likewise influenced literary and artistic form. In this course we will explore a range of materials (literature, art, photography, film) from the last 200 years to consider how cultural representations of gathering speed continue to help us to negotiate the now.Full fee £99.00 - The art of the essay: from Michel de Montaigne to Audre LordeCourse start date: Mon 22 Jan 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Dalia NeisWe will go on a journey to investigate the art and form of the essay through collectively reading a variety of essayists from the early 20th century to the present day. We will explore the essay’s hazy boundaries between diary, literary criticism, nature writing, elegy, aphorism, political tract, and mystical/religious experiences through key essayists including Walter Benjamin, Virginia Woolf, Clarice Lispector, Audre Lorde, Etel Adnan, James Baldwin, David Rattray, and Claudia Rankine.
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 £99.00 Concession £64.00 - The future of democracyCourse start date: Mon 15 Apr 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Christian SchneeWant to think about and discuss what makes and breaks a democracy? Join Dr. Christian Schnee to engage in this vital discussion.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £64.00
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