London: The Global City 1851 - 2020

A city shaped by empire, war and decolonisation, London has gone from the heart of a vast and powerful Empire, an unrivalled centre of global trade and finance to becoming a global melting pot, shaped by the twin forces of modernisation and migration, seen in its architecture, art and design. This history of London course will explore the rich cultural and social history of a city whose fortunes waxed and waned with rise and fall of Imperial Britain, but which has always been sustained by the creativity and genius of its peoples, drawn from the four corners of the globe. Drawing on the work of cultural and social historians, V&A curatorial staff, and experts on art, design and fashion, we will explore the vicissitudes of London’s greatness as a world city, from the creation of Albertopolis to the dawn of the new millennium. 

Guest speakers  include Matt Cook, Jonathan Cooper Chair of the History of Sexuality at Mansfield College, Oxford University, Barry Curtis, Professor Emeritus in Visual Culture, Middlesex University and other experts.