Irish Studies
Irish Studies
Irish Studies is an interdisciplinary programme that examines the variety and diversity of Irish history, society, cultural practice and the complex processes through which Ireland and Irish identities have been constructed. It asks a series of provocative and stimulating questions about ideas of Ireland and Irishness, such as how can we understand the ways in which place, history, culture and society have shaped Ireland, past and present? How do processes of emigration and immigration impact on Irish culture, society and identity? What influence have identity categories such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity and class had on Irish culture, society and identities?
The programme is aimed at national and international students with an interest in literary origins and contemporary literature and media, film and popular tradition, the arts and Irish heritage in a global context. Students participate in fieldwork and are made aware of archival sources as part of their learning. Teaching is carried out in lectures, in small-group tutorials, and in seminar-style participatory classes. Public seminars and lectures also form an integral part of course provision. Assessments take the form of written examinations, MCQs, individual research projects, journal-keeping, in-semester essays and oral presentations.