Intro to Irish Studies

A one semester, interdisciplinary first-year course which introduces students to the variety of questions, methods, and concepts underlying Irish Studies, with a particular focus on Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, and Social History. A central theme of the lectures and seminars is the complexity of the processes through which identity is constructed through time, and the course sets out to ask a series of provocative and stimulating questions about ideas of Ireland and Irishness. The aims of the course are as follows:1) To introduce students to an understanding of the breadth of archaeological and historical knowledge and perspectives on 'Ireland' and 'Irishness'2) To enable students to grasp the complex and dynamic ways in which Ireland and Irishness have been conceptualised3) To facilitate students' engagement with the field of Irish Studies