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History & The Arts
Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It
Do you enjoy watching Shakespeare's plays and like the idea of finding out more about them? This free course, Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It, will guide you through some of the most important speeches and scenes from one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies.
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History & The Arts
Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic
The founder of sociology, Max Weber drilled in the value of hard work into our everyday ethic.
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Society, Politics & Law
Witnessing war through a smartphone lens
Wherever there are protests, conflicts and wars, the smartphone camera has become instrumental. Protests captured on camera can spark public debate and help trigger political change – as was the case with the Arab Spring.
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
The business of film
This free 12-hour course explores the intriguing world of film production, and illuminates the processes of film development, distribution and finance.
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History & The Arts
Life through a lens
Humans have changed their view of the world through lenses, we see further and closer thanks to the power of this wonderful invention, could you imagine life without lenses?
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Icarus: entering the world of myth
This free course, Icarus: entering the world of myth, will introduce you to one of the best-known myths from classical antiquity and its various re-tellings in later periods. You will begin by examining how the Icarus story connects with a number of other ancient myths, such as that of Theseus and the Minotaur. You will then be guided through an...
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History & The Arts
The Life of Saint Patrick
Who was Saint Patrick? This extract from Alban Butler's 18th Century work on the lives of the saints tells the story of Ireland's patron saint.
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OpenLearn Ireland
World Book Day
Calling all bookworms and budding writers... it's World Book Day. Mark the event with our free courses, articles, interactive quizzes and eBooks on OpenLearn.
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Society, Politics & Law
A brief history of the lens
Have you ever thought about the history of the lens, how technology has impacted on what the human eye can see, and extended the possibilities of what humans could explore?
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History & The Arts
Small Data: Star Wars release & broadcast dates
Do the lengths between US, UK & UK TV debuts of the first six Star Wars film tell us anything about changes in the entertainment industry?
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History & The Arts
The Dates of the Buddha
How accurately can we put a date on the life of the Buddha, and why is it so hard to pinpoint when he lived?
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History & The Arts
The Seasons in Art
How have the seasons been represented in art over the centuries? These films explore this question by analysing paintings by famous artists from Bruegel to Van Gogh as well as some less well-known works.