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.
180 courses available
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- 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 - City Lit Silver Sunday: America in the 70s
The 1970s in the USA was an unusual decade and without the clear cut definition of the 60s or 80s. You saw each of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter leave office before their chosen time. Oil prices, the economic malaise, the Cold Ward and Detente all played a part in the narrative of the decade. However, was there more to this decade than first seems?
Silver Sunday is a day dedicated to older people which takes place every autumn. Fun and free activities are held across the UK where older people can make new friends, visit new places, try new activities, and connect with other generations in their local communities. This year’s City Lit Silver Sunday will be taking place on Sunday 13th September, and we'll be offering a diverse selection of workshops.Keeley Street
Sun 13 Sep 2026Mark MalcomsonFull fee £0.00 - 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 - 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 - History taster: India Post Independence (1947-2004)
A lively introduction to the key turning points in India’s social and political history from independence in 1947 to the early 2000s, exploring how the world’s largest democracy evolved.
Keeley Street
Tue 15 Sep 2026Reshmi BanerjeeFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Irish history & identity 1: from the coming of Christianity to the Battle of Clontarf
Although inextricably linked to Britain, Ireland’s history, identity, and nationhood has equally been shaped by its relationship with Europe. This course traces Ireland’s development from the advent of Christianity to the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.Keeley Street
Thu 17 Sep 2026Colm HickeyFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Eastern Europe during the Cold War, 1945-1990
What led to the establishment of the communist regimes of Eastern Europe, how did they evolve, and why did they collapse? What was life like for citizens of the Eastern bloc?
Keeley Street
Thu 17 Sep 2026Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £214.00 - A taste of global history
Join this session to discuss global history, what it is, what it allows us to do and how we can all use it for mental agility, excitement, learn new things and expand Horizons! Global history is much more than you think!
Keeley Street
Thu 17 Sep 2026Martin JorgensenFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - An Accidental Empire? The British Empire 1500-1850
Join Colm Hickey to explore the history of the British Empire in the period 1500-1850. Overview sessions will be followed by the exploration of the history of different colonies around the Empire.
Keeley Street
Thu 17 Sep 2026Colm HickeyFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - British history: The rise and fall of the postwar consensus 1945-75The course examines the postwar political, economic and social consensus in Britain in the 30 years after the Second World and the extent to which there was continuity in successive government policies.
Keeley Street
Sat 19 Sep 2026David IngledewFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Medieval European Pilgrimage part 1: Pilgims and the Long Haul
An illustrated introduction to medieval pilgrimage across Europe and the Holy Land, exploring why people travelled, where they went, and what they experienced on some of the most demanding long-distance journeys of the medieval world.
Keeley Street
Wed 23 Sep 2026Michael BloomfieldFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Making Modern Britain: Politics, Society, and Identity, 1850–1914
Examine how Britain was reshaped between 1850 and the First World War. Explore politics, society, culture, and empire in an era of reform, industrial growth, urban change, and changing ideas about class, gender, and identity.
Keeley Street
Fri 25 Sep 2026Stephen GossFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - In the footsteps of London's rebelsExplore London's places of protest and discover the stories of radicals, agitators and campaigners who fought for social justice, equal rights and better lives for all from the 1830s to the 1930s.
The first session will be in the classroom at Keeley Street followed by 11 guided walks.Keeley Street
Tue 29 Sep 2026David RosenbergFull fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.