Explore History, Culture & Writing

This is a follow-on course for those who have attended the first two modules of Reading hieroglyphs.

Existentialist themes of anxiety, anguish, dread, freedom, melancholy, loneliness, death and absurdity pervade the arts from the era of Romanticism onwards. What is the cultural significance and consequence of giving expression to such concerns?



NB: no classes on 6th and 27th May.

Oscar Wilde was the most controversial writer of late Victorian Britain. He was famed for his wit, extravagant lifestyle, and sexual adventures. His plays and his sensational novel The Picture of Dorian Gray were celebrated and admired. But his scandalous trial and conviction “for gross indecency with men” ruined him, and he ended his life in Paris, destitute and alone. His dramatic trial marked a turning point in British attitudes to sex and culture.

This course examines the work of five women philosophers and their contribution to social and political philosophy in the twentieth and twenty first century. The thinkers covered are: Agnes Heller (1929 – 2019), Julia Kristeva (1941), Gayarti Chakrabarty Spivak (1942), Angela Davies (1944) and Nancy Fraser (1947).



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

This is a stand-alone companion course to the Autumn ’23 course on the Sight and Sound Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. The first reactions to the Sight and Sound Poll 2022 were divisive, as completely expected, when certain 21st-century films made the list and other venerated classics were dropped (see topics below for the list). As interesting as the top 100 was to discuss, we wanted to look a bit deeper to see how the reception of certain films shifted over the last decade, with a rundown of the films that were added and those removed. Be assured, they are as enjoyable as the Top 100—perhaps even more so. In addition to viewing the films that were added or dropped, students will conduct their own poll of the Greatest Films of All Time. Enjoy either or both of these complementary courses.

Explore the vibrant history of the Caribbean from 350CE to 1450CE in this enriching course. Uncover the culture, trade networks, and historical transformations of this captivating region.

Discover portraiture and the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Different periods and styles are discussed each week in front of the portraits. Includes visits to the current temporary exhibitions.

Explore the history of modern art through objects and artworks in London galleries. Build a greater understanding of modern art, its experiments and the cultural rebellions that mark the period.

Today the London Jewish community is associated with areas to the North West and North East of London but this tour explores the area where Jewish people settled from 1656 onwards. Take a guided walk through the streets of the East End to reveal old synagogue buildings, a soup kitchen , markets, shops, businesses and homes associated with London’s Jewish community. We’ll hear about some of the personalities associated with the area from philanthropists to performers.



Meets outside Liverpool Street Station , Liverpool Street Exit outside the upper concourse of the stationby the Kindertransport Memorial next to McDonalds.

Spend a fascinating day at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum exploring a range of galleries. We shall be looking at the decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and design from across the world and across the centuries in this remarkable museum.