Irish and Global Conflict History - MA

*Please note: modules listed in the table above are subject to change 

Sample Modules

HI4763 The Global Cold War

This module is aimed toward challenging students to think critically about global conflict in the post-1945 era. It focuses on the Cold War, which dominated international life in the second half of the twentieth century. While an uneasy peace hung over much of Europe, proxy conflicts and wars of national liberation raged across the Global South, notably in Asia (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan). There will be a large emphasis on tackling the different ways that historians have interpreted the conflict, the role played by nuclear weapons, and how the Cold War intersected with decolonization. However, students will have the opportunity to explore primary sources, too, in order to form their own assessments and arguments. Part of the course will be devoted to the study of conflict resolution, examining the history of diplomacy, and negotiation between states. Case studies will include the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the peaceful resolution of the Cold War in the late 1980s.

HI6302 The “Long War” in Ireland, 1968-98

This module will examine the essential dynamics of the longest and most serious insurgency in post-World War Two Western Europe. Account will be taken of the origins of the conflict and the perspectives of the primary antagonists. This will entail exploring such themes as the nature and development of the Republican Movement in Ireland and abroad; civil rights agitation in context; constitutional opportunities and challenges; counterinsurgency; Ireland and the Cold War and related matters. Irish, British and North American primary sources, both printed and archival, will be examined to gain insights into key events of the period not least the Burntollet march, Internment without trial, 'Bloody Sunday': Widgery and Saville reports, Sunningdale Agreement, Ulsterization', Hunger strikes, 'The American Connection', abstentionism and the rise of Sinn Fein, 'Armed Struggle', Collusion, Section 31 and the 'Broadcast Ban', Peace Processes and the Good Friday Agreement. Account will be taken of the perspectives of the Irish, British and American governments, as well as transnational parties such as the European Court of Human Rights.

HI6131 Concepts and Methods

This module introduces students to the varied and changing approaches to historical research. It will equip students with the intellectual and practical skills needed to conduct their own research, in particular: designing a dissertation topic; identifying key research questions; organizing and interpreting research material; negotiating primary source collections; and applying relevant conceptual frameworks in your analysis. The module will include an archival training workshop at the UL Special Collections in the Glucksman Library.

In order to approach these generic historical skills, the module focuses on the twentieth century, a period with a rich and deeply contested history. It examines different historical approaches to the study of international relations, the utility of primary sources, and will explore some of the major historiographical debates—such as the origins of the First and Second World Wars, the Treaty of Versailles, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Topics for discussion will include the relationship between history and memory, objectivity and bias, causation, and how structural forces and human agency shape events. The objective is to understand different methodologies to study the past, to examine how historiographies have changed, and to think about the value of methodology in developing your own research agendas.

HI6794 Exploring Legacies of Conflict

The aim of the module is to provide an experiential, as well as focussed, dimension to the MA in Irish and Global Conflict History. Students will be guided in accessing and assessing significant physical, graphic and interpretive representations of warfare in modern Irish and International history. We will visit key sites of conflict and specialized museums, archives, and memorials, for an immersive process of field research and informed reflection. This will enhance the ability of students to gain a deeper knowledge of complicated subject matter—a critical skill set of an advanced postgraduate scholar.