Dublin Summer Program
The FIE and DBS six-week summer program offers students the opportunity to gain an understanding of Irish culture and society across a broad spectrum of study and experience. The course consists of six 12-contact-hour modules and two weekend co-curricular field excursions as detailed below.
Course Modules
Module 1: Irish History
Module 2: Irish Language and Folklore
Module 3: Northern Ireland Politics
Module 4: Anglo-Irish Literature
Module 5: Irish Culture and Society
Module 6: Economics of Ireland
Module 1: Irish History
This course is designed to offer students an overview of Irish History and an understanding of the series of settlers, invaders and colonizers who shaped the current Irish state and society. The course also examines key events in Irish history such as the rebellions and risings as well as the famine.
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand the current Ireland and its historical background.
- Understand and critically analyse events in Irish history such as the risings and rebellions.
- Evaluate the political history of Ireland.
- Understand the reasons and causes of the famine as well as the consequence for Ireland after this point.
Module 2: Irish Language and Folklore
This course examines the Irish language and folklore, including the history of the language, its subsequent decline as well as attempts to reinvigorate it in the twentieth century. Also the course will examine Irish myths and legends and also provide lessons in basic Irish.
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Have a basic level of conversational Irish.
- Read and understand the Irish myths and legends and have the skills to tackle others outside of the course.
- Understand the differences of the Irish language to other modern European languages.
- Assess the complex reason for the decline of Irish including colonization, legal and educational impediments, famine, emigration and poverty.
- Evaluate the current status of the language.
Module 3: Northern Ireland Politics
This course is designed to offer students an overview of current issues in Northern Ireland as well as the historical development of the state and the ensuing political issues after partition.
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand the contemporary social and political landscape of Ireland.
- Understand the social and political movement which precipitated partition.
- Evaluate the formation of the state of Northern Ireland and the British control of Northern Ireland since partition.
- Have an understanding of the ‘Troubles’ and the consequent violence in Northern Ireland leading to the current Peace Process.
Module 4: Anglo-Irish Literature
This course explores important works of Irish literature in the 20th Century.
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand Irish writers who inform one another by responding to recurring themes in different ways.
- Understand the influences of early 20th century Irish writers.
- Construct informed readings of individual works in relation to the overarching themes of the module.
Module 5: Irish Culture and Society
This course is designed to offer students an overview of the contemporary cultural landscape in Ireland. Its main objective is to critically examine current Irish cultural and societal preoccupations and to emphasise the relationship between culture, media and the formation of national identity.
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Analyse the way Irish mass media: television, radio, print media, and cinema reflect current socio-political issues. This aspect of the course involves screenings of key texts from the world of film and television and students are encouraged to critically examine the representation of Irish national identity in the national media, and of the ways Irish identity and culture are represented abroad.
- One of the key areas the module will address is Ireland’s status as a post-colonial nation. A major outcome is understanding social and cultural geographies, including: decolonisation and the construction of identity, division and conflict, effects of globalisation and the incorporation of multiple identities within present day Ireland.
Module 6: Economics of Ireland
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to the economy of Ireland, in order to understand the development and current state of Ireland as well as gain general insight into applying economics into practical situations. This module will also examine the period of the Celtic Tiger, the Irish economic success story from 1993 onwards and its current state.
After completing the course successfully, the student will:
- Have a general understanding of the recent economic history of Ireland.
- Understand the role of economic policies in influencing the management of the Irish economy.
- Understand the nature of economic infrastructure in Ireland.
- Be able to evaluate the future opportunities and weaknesses of the Irish economy.
Co-Curricular Excursions
Field Trip One
The first field trip is a visit to Stormont Buildings in Belfast, the home of the former Northern Ireland Government. Stormont Buildings is now the seat of the newly created Legislative Assembly.
Field Trip Two
The second field trip involves a three-night stay in the West of Ireland. Students will visit the medieval city of Galway, followed by a full day tour of Connemara. On the final day students will travel to Rossaveal to connect with the ferry service to the largest of the Aran Islands.