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.
312 courses available
- Royal Westminster: 1,000 Years of Palaces and Power
Discover Westminster through the royal seats that shaped it. Explore vanished residences, surviving palaces, and the locations where monarchy, politics, and ceremony made the Westminster of today.
Off Site
Tue 12 Jan 2027Stephen GossFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - The medieval history of Sicily 1: the Mediterranean Crucible
Explore how Sicily became a meeting point of Byzantine, Islamic, and Norman cultures, shaping one of the most dynamic and multicultural societies of the medieval Mediterranean.
Keeley Street
Wed 13 Jan 2027Michael BloomfieldFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 
The Great (European) Powers and the creation of the Middle East, 1914-1948How and why did the countries of the Middle East emerge, and what were the consequences of that process? What was the role of Britain and France? What impact did the US and the USSR have on the region?Keeley Street
Wed 13 Jan 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00- Ruling Russia: Tsars, Revolutions, Civil War , and the Triumph of Lenin (1860-1924)This course explores the transformative period of Russian history from 1860 to 1924, encompassing the autocratic rule of the Tsars, the revolutionary upheavals of 1905 and 1917, the chaos of the civil war, and the consolidation of the Bolshevik regime. Students will examine key events, figures, and ideologies that shaped modern Russia, delving into the complexities of political, social, and economic changes during this era.
Please note: this course includes much of the material covered in previous Russian Revolution courses at the City Lit. Moreover this course is taught at an introductory level.Kean Street Wellbeing Centre
Wed 13 Jan 2027Zoe QuinnFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Germany in the long nineteenth century (1815-1918)This course offers a broad survey of German history from the end of the Napoleonic era to the end of the First World War in 1918.
Online
Wed 13 Jan 2027Rudolf MuhsFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £142.00 - 19th Century Britain and Ireland: Parliament, People and Protest 1832-1848Explore the main developments in British political history between 1832-1848 from the Whig government’s social reforms following the Great Reform Act to the Tory split over the repeal of the Corn Laws .
Online
Wed 13 Jan 2027David IngledewFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - The ‘Great Game’: Anglo-Russian rivalry in AsiaThe Great Game evokes stories of spies, diplomatic intrigue, and wars in remote regions of Asia. But what was really the Great Game? Why did Britain and Russia become rivals? How did they seek to consolidate their positions? Why and how did it end?
Keeley Street
Wed 13 Jan 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00 - The Dreyfus Affair and its legacyMiscarriage of justice, anti-Semitism, reason of state and ultimately triumph of justice. There is more to the Dreyfus Affair though, an event that polarised French society like few before and is at the heart of modern France.
Keeley Street
Thu 14 Jan 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - London's quartiersThrough 1 lecture and 7 guided walks, explore some of London’s quartiers - Soho, Mayfair, Covent Garden, Spitalfields, Clerkenwell, St James and Bloomsbury and understand how their very distinct characters were formed. The first session will be delivered via Zoom and other sessions will be guided walks.
London guide: Sue Jackson.Online
Thu 14 Jan 2027Sue JacksonFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - The Rise & Fall of the British Empire Part 2: An Intentional Empire? Imperialism and Colonialism 1850-1950
Join Dr Colm Hickey to explore the history of the British Empire in the period1850-1950. India, Ireland and the South African Boer War will be your case studies; you will also explore key themes such as imperialism, education and sport, and the impact o the Empire of the global conflicts of the C20th.
Keeley Street
Thu 14 Jan 2027Colm HickeyFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - The French colonial Empire and its demiseWhy did France acquire a vast colonial empire and how was it run? Why was decolonisation peaceful in some parts while in Indochina and Algeria, independence was only gained after violent wars? What were the consequences of decolonisation?
Keeley Street
Thu 14 Jan 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00 - Irish history and identity 3: From the Coronation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland in 1541 to The Treaty of Limerick in 1691
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 coronation of Henry VII as King of Ireland in 1541 to the Treaty of Limerick and ‘The Flight of the Earls’ in 1691.
Keeley Street
Thu 14 Jan 2027Colm HickeyFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Global encounters: beyond Europe in 12 Objects, 1500-1750
Twelve objects tell extraordinary tales of European adventures in Africa and the Far East. Six weeks of spice routes, silk roads, and surprising encounters. History's treasures await your discovery!
Online
Thu 14 Jan 2027Vanessa KingFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Remodelling Europe after the Great War: the creation of new countriesWith the disintegration of empires at the end of the First World War, new states emerged. Some survived, others disappeared but the conditions of their creation had long-lasting consequences on Europe and the Middle East.
Online
Thu 14 Jan 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £299.00 Senior fee £299.00 Concession £194.00 - City of words: further adventuresLondon luxuriates in literary references. We follow the footsteps of the authors, poets and playwrights, and some of their creations, as we walk a brand new neighbourhood each week, exploring the literary connections.
London guide: Eleanor Jackson.Off Site
Thu 14 Jan 2027Eleanor JacksonFull fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
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