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.
- Seven wonders of the ancient worldCourse start date: Sat 11 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: William SterlingThe Seven Wonders fascinate us, but what were they and why were they wonders? Using art, literature and
archaeology we'll explore possible answers.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - The IncaCourse start date: Sat 11 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Max CarocciLearn about the history and culture of the Inca civilisation from South America.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Daemonologie: Witch trials, witch hunting and the Scottish Reformation.Course start date: Sat 11 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CarpenterNearly 4,000 individuals were accused of witchcraft in Scotland in the Early Modern period - approximately three times the total number of prosecutions that took place in England. Join us to explore the religious, cultural and political factors that informed attitudes to witches, witch-hunting and witch trials in Scotland.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Performance poetry
Course start date: Sat 11 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Megan BeechWrite poetry and perform it, finding your own style and delivery under the guidance of a spoken word artist. Explore the differences between performance and other forms of poetry.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - A taste of creative writingCourse start date: Sat 22 Apr 2023 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Tutors: Vicky GrutGive creative writing a try on this fun and supportive short course. Ideal if you want to express yourself but need help in getting started. Guided exercises will encourage you to experiment and unlock your imagination.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - Jamaica: People, culture and societyCourse start date: Sat 18 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CarpenterJoin us for a weekend workshop to discover Jamaica’s history, in which we will explore the ways in which this Caribbean island has shaped its own social, cultural and political identify since the abolition of slavery and the apprenticeship system in the 1830s.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - The philosophy of MachiavelliCourse start date: Sat 18 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John Goff“ … in constituting and legislating for a commonwealth it must needs be taken for granted that all men are wicked and that they will always give vent to the malignity that is in their hearts when opportunity offers.”.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Autobiography into fiction: a tasterCourse start date: Sat 20 May 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Tutors: Nick BarlayLearn how to turn real-life experiences into gripping fiction in this fun short course for fiction writing beginners and experienced writers. Develop your writing skills and explore techniques for transforming personal stories into strong narratives. This course has a 2-hr break (12:30-14:30).Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - Global encounters: Europe and Africa, 1300-1600Course start date: Sat 25 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingExplore European perceptions of Africa and its inhabitants: from misconstrued tales of monstrous races and the legendary Prester John, to the charting of the west coast and rise of the slave trade.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Art of ancient Central AsiaCourse start date: Sat 25 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Roberta MarinDiscover the establishment and the development of Islamic art in Central Asia.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Advanced academic writing: year 3 undergraduate and beyondCourse start date: Sat 25 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Anne WilsonExplore the building blocks and strategies for good academic writing at postgraduate level. Ideal for those studying or contemplating academic writing beyond undergraduate studies.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - History taster: From one empire to another?Course start date: Sat 4 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Martin JorgensenJoin us for an introduction on to how to make sense of the British and American ways of seeking global dominance and the ways in which people have resisted as we see the (re-)emergence of China, India and Russia in global politics and economics.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00 - Wolf Hall and beyond: Fact and fictionCourse start date: Sat 4 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingWhether you enjoyed reading the novels or simply want to blag your way through life without reading them, this day school is for you.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - England, Scotland and the Irish Plantation SystemCourse start date: Sat 4 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CarpenterAlthough the kings of England had claimed overlordship of Ireland since the late 1100s, it was during the Reformation era that that the system of ‘planting’ English and Scottish settlers began to take place. How did these settlements come about, what impact did they have on the social, political and cultural landscapes of Ireland?Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - US controversies: McCarthyism and the Red ScareCourse start date: Sat 4 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Brian KennedyThe years from 1950 to 1954 are often depicted as a time when there was witch hunt for secret communists in the United States. We will study the events of those years, while also placing them in broader context.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00
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