On the various programs see my post on this elsewhere on the list.
> Date: 20 Aug 95 13:09:09 EDT
> From: Elizabeth Furdell <EFURDELL%UNF1VM@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu>
>
> I intend to propose an Irish history undergraduate survey and could use the
> advice of veterans in the subject area. Which are the outstanding programs in
> the U.S. for Irish Studies? In a one-semester survey, what are the usual
> chronological mileposts?
Moody and Martin's text THE COURSE OF IRISH HISTORY has fairly standard
breakdown of the chronogical periods. Prehistory, the arrival of
Christianity, the Viking invasions, the Anglo-Normans,
Tudors/Reformation/Colonization, the Flight of the Earls (the usual
starting point for modern/early modern), 17th century conquest, the
Penal period, etc.,
Is it typical to start before the 15th century and
> end with contemporary events? Is medieval Ireland considered a discrete unit
> and would it be too daunting to try to include it, too?
I have tried to do just modern Ireland, from 1607 to the present and it
is just not manageable without the pre-modern stuff at the 300 level as
students, even history majors, have little real awareness of things in
Ireland before then. The medieval is manageble and fun as long as you
are aware of your limitations. I am very hesistant about letting
students do papers on the period unless they do historiographic topics.
I have found that each class has a number of students who are very
interested in the period. In any case the whole Anglo-Irish, Celtic
etc., is a jumble without the background. Tudor and Stuart periods are
the most complicated and the most difficult for me to handle as they are
vast and have a whole raft of materials. I try to aim for 1607 as the
6th or 7th week in a 14 week semester, include an opening discussion of
historical geography and demography, and go in detail in the complexities
of the post 1798 period which frankly takes the most amount of time.
> Can any of you offer suggestions for topics to be covered, for indispensible
> reading, or for valuable audio- visual supplements? Any advice would be
> appreciated certainly by me and perhaps by others on the network. Elizabeth
> Furdell, Univ. of North Florida efurdell@unf1vm.bitnet
>
Students love the course. I make it very demanding, it is for four
credits and I assign 7-8 books, two take home essay exams, one book
review and occasionally assign historiographical essays. there are
always a few Micks ready to take a course and it is one of our more
popular upper division courses.
Hope this helps, I will opine further.
sean farrell moran
dept of history
oakland univ