Explore History, Culture & Writing

Explore the nature and environment within and beyond Botticelli's most iconic paintings, La Primavera and The Birth of Venus. Learn how closely the artist studied nature and what it can teach about the changing climate we live in today.



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

Want to understand the history of global capitalism. Join Dr Mineshima-Lowe 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.

Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre loom large in the history of drama in England. But what came before the Bard? What is the history of drama in the period before named playwrights were producing scripts for professional actors to perform in front of paying audiences? This course will cover the dramatic works of the late medieval period (c. 1350-1550), their fascinating cultural, social, and political contexts, and their influence on the development of drama in England.



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

The '90s were an amazing decade for film and pre-streaming television. Rom-com was at its height and screwball comedy was back with Pretty Woman (1990 Gerry Marshall) and Groundhog Day (1993 Harold Ramis). Audience and critical favourites were big box-office: Titanic (1997 James Cameron), Pulp Fiction (1994 Tarantino), The Silence of the Lambs (1993 Jonathan Demme), Se7en (1995 David Fincher). The ‘90s were a particularly good time for going out to the cinema when going to the movies was still a thing; or for staying in and watching quality television before box-set binging: Hill Street Blues, Seinfeld, TGIF, Green Wing, West Wing, X-Files, Bottom, Twin Peaks—and right at the end of the decade, the best-ever series—The Sopranos. If you are looking for a new decade to obsess over then register now and join us.

Japanese philosophy extends well beyond Zen, with several philosophical traditions including that of the modern Kyoto School. Developing distinct cultural, aesthetic and political concepts, Japanese philosophers offer a rich field of thought.

Why do some poets become famous and remain famous while, for others, their fame fades and they become unread? On the other hand, why are some poets little appreciated in their lifetimes, but become valued and admired after their deaths? We look at examples of both processes, from the early 19th century to the present, and explore the various reasons for these changes in reputation.