London: Theorizing the Present

The following course will be offered in September 2027.

Theorizing the Present: Stuart Hall on the crisis of late imperial Britain
(CCCT 14517 / HIST 21295 / FNDL 14517 / PLSC 14517 / SOCI 20665 / RDIN 14517)

Daragh Grant, Associate Senior Instructional Professor, Social Sciences Collegiate Division

During a radio interview in 2004, the Jamaican-British social theorist, Stuart Hall, lamented what he described as a three-decades-long hollowing out of social relations. “The world turned in the 1970s,” he insisted, and we now live in the ruins of that development. The end to the post-war consensus underpinning the welfare state, the rise of globalization, and the emergence of neoliberalism have produced a profound change in us and in the societies in which we live. Hall is an apt person to have made this observation, because perhaps nobody in Britain had done more than Stuart Hall to trace the collapse of the old imperial order and the emergence of new forms of politics, social relations, and art in these new times. 

This course will invite students to follow along with Hall from the 1970s to the early 2000s, as he diagnosed the crises of late imperial Britain, analyzed the emergence of Thatcherism as a powerful political force remaking British society, and illuminated the cultural and political innovations that became sites of alternative social and political imagination, especially among migrant communities in the metropole. To this end, the course brings together Hall’s writings on race, diaspora, capitalism, and authoritarian populism with his analysis of new forms of popular culture, especially those associated with the British Black Arts Movement. Excursions will include a visit to the Birmingham Archives and Rivington Place, and a British Film Institute (BFI) screening of The Stuart Hall Project.

Faculty who teach on this program rotate from year to year. The faculty roster is designated by the program faculty director.

London program participants usually reside in shared, furnished studio apartments in central London. The apartments include fully equipped kitchens, private bathrooms, laundry facilities, and wireless internet access.

It is important to recognize the cultural context of student housing in the UK and understand that the amenities of the student apartments may vary. Although some of these differences may take some getting used to, remember that cultural differences extend to all aspects of your experience abroad. Having realistic expectations for your term in London will help you approach the study abroad experience with a positive attitude.

Participants in the London September program will take and receive credit for one 100-unit course. This course is considered part of the students’ Summer Quarter course load and is recorded as a course enrollment on their Summer Quarter registration. The course title, units of credit, and grade are placed on the College transcript.

Completion of a September course abroad will earn students 1 point toward Global Honors, the College’s recognition of exceptional global engagement. Visit the Chicago Language Center’s website for information on how to apply for Global Honors.

Study abroad students pay regular Summer Quarter tuition at the one-course rate, a program fee, and a nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee. The tuition and program fee are paid in conformity with the home campus payment schedule, and a deposit toward the nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee is submitted when accepting a place in a program. Precise figures for the London September program during the 2026-2027 year are listed below:

Summer tuition for one course: $4,980 (Summer 2026)

Study abroad administrative fee: $675

London September program fee: $4,000

Previous program participants report spending in the range of $200 to $250 per week on meals and incidentals while on the program, though frugal students may spend less, and others could spend much more. Bear in mind that the cost of living in London is relatively high and that, while it is possible to live frugally, it is also possible to run short of money if you are unwary. It is therefore essential that you budget your funds prudently, apportioning your resources so that they last for the duration of the program. If you are planning to travel before or after the program or on weekends, you should budget accordingly.

Participants in summer College-sponsored programs are eligible for need-based financial aid, following the procedure described on the Summer and September Aid page of the Financial Aid website. For more information about financial aid resources, please see our general Tuition, Fees, and Funding section.

The London September program is open to University of Chicago undergraduate students only. Applications from outside the University are not accepted.

The program is designed for undergraduates in good academic and disciplinary standing who are beyond their first year in the College. While the program stipulates no minimum grade point average, an applicant’s transcript should demonstrate that they are a serious student who will make the most of this opportunity.

Each application is examined on the basis of the student’s scholastic record and personal statement. If you are interested in applying for this program, please fill out the online application.

To discuss London: Theorizing the Present and the possibility of participating in this program, please contact Naira Ovsepyan.