The course will examine the social and political development of Northern Ireland in the modern era. It will focus in particular on Plantation, the United Irishmen revolt of 1798, the Partition of Ireland (1920), Sectarianism, the 'Troubles' and the peace process in Northern Ireland. We’ll consider poetry, folk songs, speeches, and, in particular, plays, using them as starting points from which to explore these key moments in the evolution of Northern Ireland. At the heart of the Seminar will be a week-long (Spring Break), one-credit study abroad experience in Northern Ireland.
About Paul Blaney
Professor Paul Blaney wears a variety of hats. His main vocation is as a fiction writer but he also works as a freelance journalist, a teacher, editor, and publisher. Born and raised in London, he has lived and worked in Lisbon, Hong Kong, and Eugene, Oregon, and now lives in Easton, PA. Recent publications include Handover, a novella set in Hong Kong, and The Anchoress, another novella whose main protagonist locks herself in her walk-in closet and won't come out. In 2015 Paul's first novel, Mister Spoonface, was published. The book explores what it means to be a father in an era of artificial reproduction. As well as teaching in New Brunswick, in both SAS Honors and the English Department, Paul has developed courses that include study abroad programs in England and Ireland.