Beginning Irish Studies - Paperback

by Graham Price (Author)

Beginning Irish Studies provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and development of the increasingly influential academic discipline of Irish Studies and acknowledges its importance as a dynamic and constantly evolving method for analysing drama, literature, film and poetry in Ireland. It guides the reader to an understanding of the contextual underpinnings of this academic discipline - including gender, empire, eco-criticism, memory studies, and intersectionality- as well as the interpretation of these in cultural and critical theory. Beginning Irish Studies is both an introduction to the academic discipline of Irish Studies and an invitation to its readers to consider its further developments from various theoretical perspectives. It also endeavours to envisage the future Intersectional alliances that Irish Studies might make in the coming years across the international areas of literature, culture, and politics.

Back Jacket

'A well organised, illuminating, comprehensive, and challenging monograph useful both to students and professional academics.'
--Neil Sammells, founding editor of Irish Studies Review

'This is a book that the field needs, proposed by someone with the necessary skill and experience for the task.'
--Patrick Bixby, Arizona State University

Beginning Irish Studies explores the development of Irish literature, culture and politics from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Moving across key moments, texts and debates, it offers a clear and engaging account of how Irish Studies has evolved as an interdisciplinary field, bringing together literary, historical, political and theoretical perspectives.

Suitable for teaching and independent study, the book supports undergraduate and postgraduate courses while giving students and researchers a concise overview of the subject. It introduces major thinkers and critical approaches, while also highlighting less studied works and offering fresh readings.

Following the Beginnings series format, the book is organised into self-contained chapters that can be read in any order. Each chapter traces a key aspect of the field's development and ends with prompts for further thought, inviting readers to engage with ongoing debates and deepen their understanding.

Author Biography

Graham Price lectures in the Department of English Language and Literature at Mary Immaculate College Limerick and is author of Oscar Wilde and Contemporary Irish Drama: Learning to be Oscar's Contemporary