Summer at City Lit

Are we living in an age of vibes? Have recent political events such as the re-election of Donald Trump or Brexit occurred because of a “vibeshift” in popular discourse? This course analyses the use of this popular term across a range of media and texts in a quest to grasp what it denotes, why it is being mobilised right now and where we can find its roots in the history of ideas.

Catherine Berger holds a PhD in the History of Art from University College London, where she also taught for many years. She has worked as a tutor at the University of Basel and as a researcher at the University of Zurich and taught in various other institutions, including adult education and a secondary school. She has worked as an editor, written for publications and regularly translates essays and book chapters in her areas of expertise. The analysis of the relationship of cultural production to its social conditions is at the core of her work. Her interests and methods reach across disciplinary boundaries, interweaving visual culture with philosophy, sociology, political and economic theory, linguistics, literature, musicology and psychology, often with a focus on feminism, gender and theories of the maternal. A passionate teacher, Catherine works hard to create inclusive, supportive, student-centred learning environments.

Get ready for a new challenge and join this intensive course for complete beginners.

Revise and consolidate your lower intermediate French speaking and listening skills. Suitable if you have recently studied French for two to three years.

Do you want to sound more confident, grounded, self-assured and assertive? Improve your vocal skills through a series of exercises that will support you to become more vocally confident, expressive and dynamic without appearing arrogant.

Myth permeated all aspects of ancient society and much the same can be said today. Investigate the relevance and perseverance of the Greek myth and why these tales continue to fascinate.

Come and consolidate your upper-intermediate French. You will develop your listening skills and practise your oral French by taking part in discussions, debates on news items and cultural events.

Ranging from sixteenth century love sonnets via bawdy Restoration verse to a Victorian eroticised poetic narrative, this course examines how the language of love and desire, and the poetic representations of gendered bodies, provide an idiom that can be used to express both conservative and more subversive cultural ideas.

Aesop’s fables have been used through history to clarify important issues within society. Investigate their perseverance through history and why they continue to be relevant today.