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.
360 courses available
- 'Half Sunk a Shattered Visage Lies’: Understanding the Statues of London
Explore the public statues and memorials that shape our cityscape. Discover who they commemorate, why they were celebrated, and how debates over memory, history and identity have reshaped attitudes to monuments today.
Off Site
Tue 22 Sep 2026Stephen GossFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 
America Divided: Lead up to the Mid-Terms 1Join City Lit Principal Mark Malcomson to discover why the US Mid-Term elections are among the most dramatic and high-stakes political events -and why they could matter far beyond America’s borders.
Online
Tue 22 Sep 2026Mark MalcomsonFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £19.00- 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 - From Basket to Till: The History of Eating and Shopping in London
Off Site
Wed 23 Sep 2026Hazel BakerFull fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Streets of Horror, Streets of Hope: The East End 1888
Because of the ‘Jack the Ripper’ killings, the late-Victorian East End can be read as a cityscape of poverty and fear. But there is another Whitechapel - a magnet for a variety of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who sought to grapple with the problems of the modern city and to create a better life.
Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - David Bowie's Soho
This tour visits sites around Soho that shaped and formed David Bowie in the 1960s/70s and enabled him to become the superstar he was, including the location of Album covers and recording studios.
Off Site
Thu 24 Sep 2026Aidan McManusFull fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - Northern Irish Heritage: The History of the Troubles in Murals
Join Dr Stephen Goss for this one-off lecture to explore the history of the Troubles in Murals - what can analyzing their themes teach us about social, religious and political divisions in Northern Ireland?
Online
Thu 24 Sep 2026Stephen GossFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - 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 - Empire, War, and People: Walks Through London’s Past
Explore London’s past on foot: from monarchy and empire to protest, migration, war, culture, and modern identity. Discover how the city’s streets reflect and have shaped Britain across two thousand years.
Off Site
Fri 25 Sep 2026Stephen GossFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Gangland Soho
Since the arrest of a "Lewd Woman" in Soho Fields for a "Breach of the peace" in 1641, Soho has been synonymous with vice and its constant companion crime. Join us to explore the history of gangland crime in Soho on this two-hour guided tour.
Off Site
Sat 26 Sep 2026Aidan McManusFull fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - Walk and Talk: Around Chaucer's London
Join Vanessa King to explore Life in London in the Age of Chaucer (c.1343-1400) on this morning talk & afternoon walk.
Keeley Street
Sun 27 Sep 2026Vanessa KingFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - Introduction to Charles Booths' LondonDuring this six-week course, we will explore aspects of Charles Booth’s landmark survey ‘Life & Labour of the People in London’, published in 17 volumes between 1889 and 1903.
Keeley Street
Tue 29 Sep 2026Sarah WiseFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - India Post Independence: Exploring Social and Political History
The course will look at India’s social and political history for nearly six decades after independence (1947 to 2004). It will explore the interesting path traversed by India/Bharat by unravelling history around six watershed/landmark years, thereby providing a rich narrative of not just the politico-economic terrain but also the trajectory followed in the social realm. It will give everyone a glimpse into India’s unique, complex and fascinating journey.
Keeley Street
Tue 29 Sep 2026Reshmi BanerjeeFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - German History from Charlemagne to Napoleon (c.800 to 1815)The course offers a broad survey of the history of the German lands under the Holy Roman Empire
(800 to c. 1800).Online
Wed 30 Sep 2026Rudolf MuhsFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £142.00 - Global history for beginnersWhat is global history? How is it different from other ways of understanding history? This introductory course will give you a sense of what it means to study global history.
Online
Thu 1 Oct 2026Olivia Durand, Martin JorgensenFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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