History & The Arts
A Victorian Christmas: Christmas Day In The Workhouse
For its December 25th, 1840 edition, the Morning Chronicle polled workhouse managers to discover what the poor of London could expect for their Christmas Day. The following is an extract of their report.
History & The Arts
A Victorian Christmas: Charles Darwin in New Zealand
In 1835, Charles Darwin had what he hoped would be his last Christmas before returning to Britain.
History & The Arts
The People on the Notes: Jane Austen
2017 marked the bicentenary of Jane Austen's death and to commemorate this she was then featured on the £10 note. Find out whether the note truly represent's Austen's life and work...
History & The Arts
The Byzantine icon
This course is a short journey into the rich world of Byzantine artistic production via its most illustrious representative – the icon.
Health, Sports & Psychology
Charlie Sheen, Rock Hudson and the changing face of HIV stigma
How has the treatment and attitudes towards HIV changed? Peter Keogh explores...
History & The Arts
Hero and villain: Robert Clive of the East India Company
Robert Clive, a general of the East India Company, was despised by his contemporaries – so why was a statue of him erected outside the foreign office by the Edwardians years later?
History & The Arts
Religion and Violence
What is religious violence? How much violence is about religion - and is religious violence inevitable? Prof. John Wolffe explores these questions here.
Science, Maths & Technology
Ada Lovelace Day
Marking the day celebrating Ada Lovelace, discover the intriguing story of her life, Charles Babbage, and their role in the 19th century development of the computer.
History & The Arts
Halloween: What’s the devil got to do with it?
Why is Halloween, an evening traditionally used to honour the deceased, now associated with all things spooky and gruesome?
History & The Arts
The history of Halloween
When it comes to Halloween, do Christians and Pagans have anything in common?
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History & The Arts
Exploring the history of prisoner education
This free course, Exploring the history of prisoner education, looks at the history of prison education in the British Isles. It will examine the motivations behind the provision of education, the types of learning that were offered and the experiences of prisoners over the first 100 years of education in prisons.
Education & Development
Reparations for slavery in Barbados
Jill St George, a lecturer in Law at The Open University, looks at slavery in Barbados and lays out the case for reparations for the state.