Courses
Humanities Courses
Explore ideas that shape culture, society, and how we understand the world.
Humanities courses at WEA Sydney bring together philosophy, politics, society, literature, science, and culture to explore the ideas that shape human experience. With a mix of short talks, discussion-based classes, and in-depth courses, this category encourages curiosity, reflection, and critical thinking across a wide range of topics.
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A Dress for Every Decade: Mapping the 20th Century
A Dress for Every Decade: Mapping the 20th Century
<p>The 20th century brought extraordinary social, cultural and technological change, and fashion recorded it all. This course uses key looks from each decade to explore how Western dress responded to
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A Dress for Every Decade: Mapping the 20th Century
<p>The 20th century brought extraordinary social, cultural and technological change, and fashion recorded it all. This course uses key looks from each decade to explore how Western dress responded to
...
Are the Tech Bros the New Robber Barons?
Are the Tech Bros the New Robber Barons?
<p>The extraordinary wealth and influence of today's technology leaders have prompted comparisons with the "robber barons" of the late nineteenth century. But are these comparisons fair? This
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The Shahnameh: Persia's Great Epic
The Shahnameh: Persia's Great Epic
<p>The Shahnameh is one of the great epics of world literature, yet it remains far less known in the English-speaking world than it deserves. Written to celebrate and preserve Persian culture at a
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The Rise - Fall and Future of the Liberal Party
The Rise - Fall and Future of the Liberal Party
<p>The Liberal Party dominated Australian federal politics for much of the post-war era, but its position is no longer secure. This course explores the party’s formation under Menzies, its earlier
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America 250: The United States at a Crossroads
America 250: The United States at a Crossroads
<p>In 2026, the United States marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. This course explores what that anniversary means at a moment of deep division, international uncertainty and
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Cutting to the Chase: Beauvoir in Five Easy Pieces
Cutting to the Chase: Beauvoir in Five Easy Pieces
<p>Simone de Beauvoir wrote on an immense scale, so this two-hour talk-seminar offers a focused way in. Through five accessible themes, you’ll explore key ideas from her life and work without getting
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10 Iconic Dresses that Reshaped Fashion and Society
10 Iconic Dresses that Reshaped Fashion and Society
<p>Fashion can signal identity, status, rebellion and desire, and certain garments come to define an era. In this course, you’ll explore ten iconic dresses that shocked, influenced or reshaped fashion
...10 Iconic Dresses that Reshaped Fashion and Society
<p>Fashion can signal identity, status, rebellion and desire, and certain garments come to define an era. In this course, you’ll explore ten iconic dresses that shocked, influenced or reshaped fashion
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From Profit to Purpose: An Introduction to Co-operatives
From Profit to Purpose: An Introduction to Co-operatives
<p>This accessible short course introduces co-operatives as member-owned organisations built around participation, shared benefit and collective purpose. Found across areas such as housing, retail and
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Italian Classics: Boccaccio, Basile and Straparola
Italian Classics: Boccaccio, Basile and Straparola
<p>Boccaccio, Basile and Straparola created some of the most influential works in Italian literary history. This course explores The Decameron, The Tale of Tales and Pleasant Nights, showing how these
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Physics and the Arrow of Time
Physics and the Arrow of Time
<p>The passage of time from the past to the future constitutes our basic perception of the world. This phenomenon, known as the arrow of time, arises from a fundamental law of physics called the
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