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In this seminar we will look at representations of Ireland and all things Irish in popular culture. We will analyse the various ways in which representations of Ireland and Irishness have been created in English-language fiction, music, film, and other media. We will especially focus on the negotiation of important historical milestones, political events and but also contemporary aspects like the Anthropocene and environmental anxieties, migration, community and friendship, conflict and transgenerational trauma, or coming of age. Key themes are the representation of landscape and culture, political culture, gender and sexuality, ethnic and class differences, religion, and the meaning of nationality. We approach the politics and aesthetics of Irish cultural products through such theoretical strands like gender studies, cultural materialism, border studies, ecocriticism, and – as Ireland is wiedely considered as Britain’s oldest colony – postcolonial studies. The breadth of topics covered is also mirrored in the variety of genres we’ll enquire into: these range from historical narratives to drama, comedy, and gothic or horror movies and span short stories, music, murals, as well as film and series.
Texts, films, and series to be read, watched, and discussed in this seminar include, but are not limited to:
- Derry Girls, dir. Michael Lennox (2018-), via Netflix
- The Banshees of Inisherin, dir. Martin McDonagh (2022), via Amazon Prime
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eG