A weekend history degree with King's College London’s leading academics

Gain unprecedented access to lectures at King's College London and spend an enjoyable weekend soaking up insights from leading historians.

Please note this is a general interest course taught by leading academics from King’s College London; it is not an accredited degree.

Whether you miss your university days or you never got the chance to go, this unique weekend will give you unmissable access to lectures at King's College London's prestigious history department.

Listen to eight history masterclasses over two days, delivered by leading academics - all within the stunning Grade II-listed Bush House on the university's central Strand campus.

Learn about the history of democracy, migration, religion, gender, capitalism and much, much more. Book now and bring a friend to take advantage of our two-ticket offer - an incredible saving of £60.

Content

History of feminism with Dr Hannah Dawson

Led by an expert in the history of gender and feminism, and political thought and intellectual history, this session is an essential whistle-stop tour of the women who fought for the rights of themselves and others, from the 14th-century works of Christine de Pizan, to today's #metoo movement.

Philosemitism and antisemitism in history with Dr Adam Sutcliffe

This session will explore the long and complicated history of the multiple cultural, religious and economic associations with Jews in western culture. In this session, led by a specialist on European Jewish history, we will analyse the histories of antisemitism and philosemitism, and ask: what lessons can we draw for the protection of cultural pluralism?

Was there any justice in the European Middle Ages? With Dr Alice Taylor

The European Middle Ages are often now understood as a time of great lawlessness, inequality and violence. But where did this image come from? Is it accurate? This session will introduce medieval systems of justice and ideas surrounding a "just" government, presenting an argument for those in the Middle Ages who passionately believed they were living in a just society - and why this should still matter to us now.

What does Britain owe to the British Empire? With Professor Richard Drayton

The issue of reparations owed by Britain for slavery and colonialism has arisen in the 21st century. What role did the empire play in the making of modern Britain? How did trade and colonisation in the Americas, Africa and Asia shape Britain's economy, society, political institutions and culture? Explore these questions and many more with an expert in the European empire and imperialism.

The rise and fall of the British nation with Professor David Edgerton

It is usual to see the United Kingdom as an island of continuity in an otherwise convulsed and unstable Europe. This session draws on David's new book, The Rise and Fall of the British Nation, breaking out of the confines of traditional British national history to redefine what it means to be British, and to reveal an unfamiliar place.

Food with Professor Abigail Woods

Today, those who choose to eat animal products face a host of difficult questions. Do we really know what we are eating? How safe is it? Did its production harm animal welfare, and how did it impact on the environment? This session, led by an expert in the history of human and animal health, shows us that our concerns around food have a longer history than the emergence of processed foods.

Human rights with Dr Christine Mathias

What rights do we have as humans? What happens when those rights are violated? Between the 1960s and 1980s, military dictatorships came to power across Latin America - and some experts estimate that as many as 400,000 people were killed, while millions were detained, tortured, exiled or displaced. We will explore the legacies of state terror, focusing on how local and international actors have worked to define and protect human rights.

Ideas of poverty in the age of enlightenment with Dr Niall O'Flaherty

Led by expert in 18th and 19th century social, religious and scientific thought, this session will examine the ways in which poverty was conceptualised in the social, political and religious discourses of 18th-century Europe. This includes the beginnings of our modern conception of poverty as having deep underlying causes which are amenable to human agency, and of its being the root cause of our biggest social problems.

All tutor biographies can be found on this page.

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible - but please contact us if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website