Courses in democracy, rights and representation
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into being in 1948.
While born out of the Second world war and the Holocaust it also reflected the deeper histories of liberalism, revolutions, colonial rule, ideas of democratic rule, social movements and much, much more.
Today, however, the value of human rights, representation and democracy appears to be in doubt globally. Several of the indexes measuring freedom see backsliding on fundamental rights, the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press and more. And also here and the rest of the West.
At the college, we therefore want to highlight and explore all these histories and contemporary issues. Let us not take democracy, rights and representation for granted but work to understand better how we secured them through hard work over a long period of time so we don’t lose sight of what is required to preserve them.
You fill find courses across history, politics, philosophy and economics in the daytime and evening as well as face-to-face and online.
30 courses available
Global issuesThrough the study of some of the key actors and main issues that affect people across continents, you will gain the skills and knowledge to analyse today’s world and the challenges we all face.Keeley Street
Thu 17 Sep 2026Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00- Archaeology of London
Explore the archaeology and history of London through its cultural monuments, topography and material remains to more fully appreciate the rich archaeological evidence of the capital.
Tutor: Jill Hummerstone
Keeley Street
Mon 21 Sep 2026Jill HummerstoneFull fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - London Calling: popular music, society and culture 1955–2025
The sites, sounds and hidden stories of London’s music scenes from the dawn of the rock’n’roll era through the punk explosion to today, explored via walking tours of four musically rich neighbourhoods. Tutor: professional guide and music enthusiast Aiden Mcmanus.
Off Site
Wed 7 Oct 2026Aidan McManusFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00 - Women in the French Revolution
This one-session course explores the dramatic rise and fall of women's political participation during the French Revolution. From marches on Versailles to feminist manifestos and revolutionary clubs, women played vital-and controversial-roles in shaping events. We'll delve into individual stories of courage and tragedy, examine the gendered tensions of Enlightenment ideals, and assess whether the Revolution truly marked a turning point in the struggle for women’s rights.
Keeley Street
Wed 25 Nov 2026Zoe QuinnFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Russia and Ukraine: The memory politics of conflictThe ongoing Russian occupation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian fight for its people, land and sovereignty is not only fought on the battlefield. A significant dimension revolves around how Ukraine as a multi-cultural nation and sovereign state challenges the dominant Russian political representation of the linkage between the history of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and today's Russia. Join us to understand how both history and memory are an integral dimension of the war.
Online
Thu 26 Nov 2026Olivia DurandFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £19.00 - 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 - 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 - Britain Transformed: Society, Politics and Identity, 1919-1999
From two World Wars to a welfare state; consensus to Thatcherism; trace the upheavals that reshaped 20th-Century Britain. Explore politics, culture, and identity in a nation remade by conflict, decolonisation, affluence, and diversity.
Keeley Street
Fri 15 Jan 2027Stephen GossFull fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - AI, Power and Politics: Who Controls the Future?
Who controls the future of AI? Explore the politics, power and global inequalities behind artificial intelligence and debate what’s at stake for democracy, human rights and society in a rapidly changing world.
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £90.00 - Unfinished Stories: Memory and the Legacy of European Colonialism
The legacies of European colonial empires continue to define global politics, economies, and identities. This course explores how former colonies and imperial powers remember, contest, and live with their shared imperial pasts.
Keeley Street
Thu 28 Jan 2027Olivia DurandFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £123.00 - Neurodiversity and the Future of Work: A Policy Perspective
Explore how inclusive policy and leadership can transform the future of work for neurodivergent individuals. Discover practical strategies and real-world case studies for building workplaces where cognitive diversity is valued and supported.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - The US Civil Rights Movement: from Reconstruction to the passing of the 1965 Voting Rights ActExplore the African American Civil Rights movement in the southern states from Reconstruction to the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Keeley Street
Wed 21 Apr 2027Zoe QuinnFull fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - From the 1880s to the 1930s: how the new East End was born
In an area branded 'the hell of poverty', libraries, theatres, art galleries and social housing were established. Workers went on strike and activists campaigned for better lives. Discover this history by taking actual, guided walks through six tumultuous decades of change. The first session is in the classroom at Keeley Street but all other sessions are guided walks. Full details of the meeting places for each walk will be given at the 1st session.
Keeley Street
Tue 27 Apr 2027David RosenbergFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyondThis course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.
Keeley Street
Fri 30 Apr 2027Rudolf MuhsFull fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Modern France: from the Paris Commune to the Vichy Regime
After uncertain beginnings, the Third republic managed to survive numerous crises until the defeat of 1940 sealed its fate. Re(discover) this exciting period, its actors and how their policies shaped modern France
Online
Wed 5 May 2027Sebastien ArdouinFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £123.00
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