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.