Explore History, Politics & Economics
Fascinated by the past? Wishing to keep up to date with current affairs? Itching to develop a deeper understanding of democracy and capitalism? There's a course for you at City Lit.
We offers a wide range of history, politics and economics courses on weekdays, evenings and weekends. Our courses vary from skills-based courses on oral and family history projects, to the history of empire, the history of London and the study of global powers and international politics.
Gain critical thinking and analytical skills
Courses in the Humanities help you understand our world today, and the history that has informed the political, social and economic dynamics of modern times. Our courses, including short day courses, lectures and longer-term study over several weeks or whole terms, aim to inform you of the issues that interest and matter to you. Our courses also encourage the development of wider skills such as critical thinking and analysis, listening and discussion skills, and evidence-based interpretation.
Learn from expert tutors
Our tutors are experts in their fields and come from a range of backgrounds, and include academics, experienced educators, serving politicians, acclaimed authors and renowned guides.
Browse our range of courses below to choose your perfect option: both complete beginners and returning students are equally welcome.
313 courses available
South Asian Heritage Month at City Lit - Key figures in Indian historyWant to know more about Indian history but not sure where to start? Join us in this course to learn about key figures in Indian history from different eras and areas of society.Keeley Street
Sat 15 Aug 2026Ketan VariaFull fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00- London at war - guided walks
London has been shaped by war, conflict and unrest. It's buildings, monuments and even street names reflect our embattled past. These walks examine London's wartime legacy from medieval fortifications to the War on Terror. First lecture delivered via zoom followed by 8 guided walks; no class/break week 6/10/26.
Blended (learn both online and in-person)
Tue 8 Sep 2026Eleanor JacksonFull fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £175.00 - Mexico: an introductory history
Explore how colonial Mexico transformed into an independent nation and how its early political struggles shaped the country we know today.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Anna GrimaldiFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00 - History taster: mapping the Silk Road
Spices, Silks and Stories from Samarkand to Beijing!
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Emerging languages and cultures
Learn how humans invent entirely new languages and how these new forms of communication become powerful symbols of identity.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Florence Marfo, Jack Pulman-SlaterFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - History taster: Genghis Khan on Trial
Step into the courtroom of history and put one of the world’s most legendary-and controversial-figures under the spotlight. Was Genghis Khan a ruthless conqueror or a visionary leader who reshaped the world? In this lively taster course, you’ll take on the role of historical detective, weighing evidence and forming your own verdict on the founder of the Mongol Empire.
Online
Tue 8 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Latin America: From the independence wars to the mid-20th century(Re)discover the troubled but exciting history of Latin America from the emergence of new countries to the political and socio-economic consequences of their integration into the world economy and of the Great Depression.
Keeley Street
Wed 9 Sep 2026Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - City of words: London's literary landscape
London has been muse, magnet and mecca to writers for 400 years, home to Shakespeare's successes, Dickens' dramas and Wilde's witticisms. After an introductory lecture (via zoom) we walk a different London neighbourhood each week exploring its literary connections.Break week/No class: 08/10/2026.
Blended (learn both online and in-person)
Thu 10 Sep 2026Eleanor JacksonFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - The East India Company & India
Chart the rise and fall of the East India Company in India on this one-day workshop, from 1600 to 1858.
Keeley Street
Sat 12 Sep 2026T HussainFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - The emergence of Europe 300-1000
Explore reasons for the fall of Rome and the emergence of the ‘barbarian’ kingdoms of western Europe. Was it really ‘the Dark Ages’? Were the Vikings simply long-haired tourists who occasionally beat up the natives?
Keeley Street
Mon 14 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Medieval Women: Nuns, Tarts, Trouble and Strife
From labourers to tavern-keepers, mothers to rebels, this seven-week course uncovers the many roles medieval women played, revealing how they navigated, influenced, and survived in a male-dominated world
Keeley Street
Mon 14 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00 - The Stalin Regime: 1928-1941This 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.
Keeley Street
Mon 14 Sep 2026Nick MorganFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - London at Leisure: Three Great SquaresToo often we rush around without looking, this course takes time to examine 3 of London’s most famous Squares in depth. A gentle walk allows us to explore these London landmarks at our leisure.
Off Site
Tue 15 Sep 2026Eleanor JacksonFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - From the Congress of Berlin of 1878 to 1914: how Europe went from peace to war
What led to the Great War? Come and analyse the territorial, political, diplomatic and socio-economic transformations of Europe from the last quarter of the 19th century to understand how the continent descended into hell in 1914.
Keeley Street
Tue 15 Sep 2026Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £214.00 - Blood, pain and infection: how surgery was transformed from 1840 to the present day
The course examines key developments in surgery, as a critical aspect of modern medicine, between 1840 and the present day.
Online
Tue 15 Sep 2026David IngledewFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
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