Explore History, Culture & Writing

Have you wondered why a film might have moved you so powerfully or why it looked so stunningly beautiful? Have you wanted to know quite how a film was able to communicate its story to you so effectively? If so, then this advanced level film studies course is for you. It aims to explore in depth the language of cinema, the way in which film connects with its spectators at the level of film form, in other words, film aesthetics. Writers and critics have long asked similar questions, as have filmmakers themselves, and we will follow some of the most celebrated in their quest for answers. We will look briefly at how films are made and at the importance of cinematography, editing, mise en scène and sound, before exploring in depth film’s aesthetic qualities. We will think about the importance of history for the development of film form and we will analyse clips and sequences from individual films so as to better approach and understand film aesthetics.

The landscape of feminist fiction is rich and multifaceted. In this course we'll explore just a fragment to learn what lessons authors of feminist workscan teach budding writers of fiction. We'll read novels by Doris Lessing, Bernadine Evaristo, Mieko Kawakami, and others. We'll analyse, discuss and use these works to inspire and develop our own fiction. You will need to come to the first class having read the short works 'Woman at Point Zero', by Nawal El Saadawi, and 'The Yellow Wallpaper', by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.



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

On this course we shall explore and examine the considerable, and significant, contributions of women painters and sculptors to the avant-garde art world during the first half of the 20th century.



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

The India subcontinent is unique in its heritage and history. Join us for a tour of of the period from Pre-Aryans (c5000 BCE) to the start of the Mughal empire.



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

Costume from the past rarely survives, except in the depiction of it in paintings. Explore 500 years of costume in European art across a range of subject matter and decode the socio-political contexts and cultural identities contained within the choice of dress.

An exploration of art history that draws on specific political and social movements in modern, Western history and how artists contribute to and/or influence the dialogue. We will conclude with an engagement with contemporary art and politics.