This course will take place online, for a reduced rate of Full £79 / Conc. £59
"The Art of Protest" is super-charged with today’s swell of anger and activism and is rooted in humanity’s long history of wanting to be heard. We will explore different expressions of protest – from the noisy to the silent and passive to violent.
We’ll look at art that incites protest and art that precipitates change. From the homemade signs of a grassroots movement to complex works of artistic genius, we will examine the crucial role that creation plays in breaking and remaking the status quo. We will question the ethics of protest, revisiting social movements that sit uncomfortably in our cultural history.
We’ll look at divisive issues and movements of today - like cancel culture - and discuss whether this is a shut-down of debate or a form of necessary intervention. Lesser heard voices will be heard, and long-forgotten names will be spoken as we give fresh voice to the protestors and protests that have been imperative to progress.
Explore protest materials as part of photographer Angela Christofilou's Lives from the Archives.
Who is this course for?
Anyone of any age. No prior knowledge is necessary; just a thirst for knowledge and a questioning mind. This course would especially appeal to anyone interested in identity politics, activism and protest, literature and the arts.
Will I need any equipment or materials?
This course will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
The tutor will supply weekly readings. The podcast lectures will be on Soundcloud. The only material attendees will need to source is a copy of the novel we study in the final week, which will be confirmed at the beginning of the course.
Will I be assessed?
There is no formal assessment for courses at Bishopsgate Institute. However, to monitor your learning and progress, tutors will assess your participation in classroom activities.
Image: Labour History Collection
You will learn
By the end of this course, you will have learnt:
- About the wildly imaginative and creatives methods activists have devised to make a cause seen and heard
- About some of the fiery movements that have shaped the world as we know it
- How literature and art play a key role in protest and are uniquely powerful tools to effect change
- How to unpack a text and examine it analytically; how to "get between the lines" and get even more out of reading, be it knowledge, inspiration or a deeper understanding.
Meet the Tutor
Dr Kate Symondson
Kate has a PhD in English Literature in the field of Modernism from King’s College London, where she has taught undergraduate classes for several years.
As well has having chapters published in academic texts, Kate has written a number of critical and cultural pieces for publications such as the TLS, Apollo, The Conversation, and the British Library’s Discovering Literature.
Kate has established The Art of Reading; the collective name given to the independent cultural courses she designs and runs. These courses are designed to give greater insight into the complex ideas that shape, and have been shaped, by our cultural history and that continue to preoccupy us today. They are designed with the clout of academia and run in the spirit of a book group – theartofreading.co.uk
Course Overview
Week 1
Deeds not Words?
Suffrage and suffering; Creative radicalism
Week 2
Privilege and Protest
The loudest voices; Speaking for others
Week 3
The Silent and the Silenced
Silence as protest; Reclaiming voices
Week 4
The Age of Anger
Activism today; Cancel Culture
Week 5
Five - A Novel
Need to Know
#FROMTHE ARCHIVES
