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level 3: advanced icon
History & The Arts
The moral equality of combatants
This free course introduces and explores the idea of the moral equality of combatants and discusses the question of the basis of liability to killing in war. It invites students to understand and assess the epistemological argument for the moral equality of combatants and other arguments for and against this idea.
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History & The Arts
Plato, opinions and the statues of Daedalus
Have you wondered what a Platonic dialogue is and what it is used for? Carolyn Price introduces Plato, the philosopher who took dialogues to another level.
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History & The Arts
Can animals be courageous?
Could it make sense to describe a wild boar as courageous? Or a lion? Or a dog? Many people in the ancient world would certainly have thought so.
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
What is poetry?
Have you always wanted to try to write poetry but never quite managed to start? This free course, What is poetry?, is designed to illustrate the techniques behind both the traditional forms of poetry and free verse. You will learn how you can use your own experiences to develop ideas and how to harness your imagination.
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
What is heritage?
What is heritage? This free course will introduce you to the concept of heritage and its critical study, exploring the role of heritage in both past and contemporary societies.
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History & The Arts
World-Changing Women: The Biographies
Delve through these courageous tales of women who changed the world and read the full story the history books left out.
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
The Enlightenment
The free course will examine the Enlightenment. To help understand the nature and scale of the cultural changes of the time, we offer a 'map' of the conceptual territory and the intellectual and cultural climate. We will examine the impact of Enlightenment on a variety of areas including science, religion, the classics, art and nature. Finally, ...
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level 3: advanced icon
History & The Arts
The body in antiquity
This free course, The body in antiquity, will introduce you to the concept of the body in Greek and Roman civilisation. In recent years, the body has become a steadily growing field in historical scholarship, and Classical Studies is no exception. It is an aspect of the ancient world that can be explored through a whole host of different types ...
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
Studying the arts and humanities
This free course is an introduction to studying the arts and humanities. It takes you through a series of exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and improve your confidence as an independent learner.
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
National identity in Britain and Ireland, 1780–1840
What is a ‘nation’? What is a ‘state’? Where have these ideas come from and how have they developed over time? This free course, National identity in Britain and Ireland, 1780-1840, explores how the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland was formed. It then moves to analyse the distinctions between the terms ‘nation’ and ‘state’. Finally, it ...
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
Speeches and speech-making
This free course, Speeches and speech-making, explores an aspect of language use where 'voices' and 'texts' converge: the art of speech-making.
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus
What does Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus tell us about the author and the time at which the play was written? This free course, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, will help you to discover the intricacies of the play and recognise how a knowledge of the historical and political background of the time can lead to a very different ...