Course Instructor: Arlan Hess
The history of Northern Ireland has been characterized by centuries of struggle between Catholics and Protestants. Although sectarian violence largely subsided in the early twentieth century, hostilities erupted again in the 1960s when British troops were brought in to restore order. How did Northern Ireland descend into the cycle of violence that marked the period known as the "Troubles"? How did the conflict affect members of the disparate Catholic and Protestant communities? What was done to find a solution? Examining history and its representations in memoir, literature (Belfast Confetti; Proxopera) and film (Omagh; Bloody Sunday), this seminar will examine the cultural, political, and psychological effects of the Northern Irish conflict from the early days of civil rights to the current climate of cooperation.