Literatures of Engagement

Overview

The Literatures of Engagement programme from Maynooth University is underpinned by a conviction that any critique of contemporary culture must be rooted in an informed understanding of historical currents shaping the present.

Students will benefit from the instruction of committed and energetic scholars working at the forefront of their fields, with research specialisms which include Irish Studies, American, African and comparative literature, Renaissance Studies, and digital humanities. Their work addresses questions of: ecology; economy; diversity; gender, sexuality and race relations; borders; citizenship; terrorism; sovereignty; imperialism; migration and refugees. These questions are addressed using an intersectional model, drawing on key currents in literary and cultural theory: postcolonialism, feminism and gender studies, Marxism and ecocriticism. Through their choice of elective modules and a dissertation topic, students will have the opportunity to pursue their specific research interests.

Career

For some students this proposed programme will provide an essential bridge to doctoral studies in English Literature and cultural studies.

For the majority of students it will allow them to acquire valuable research, analytical and critical skills. These skills can then underpin their subsequent careers in various fields, such as: education; public administration; journalism/media; arts policy and administration; editing and publishing; law.

However, these types of analytical skills are essential for almost any modern workplace: assessing a mass of information and extracting the essential from the non-essential; assessing an argument; distinguishing facts from persuasive rhetoric; the necessity for clear and effective communication – especially being able to write concisely, compellingly and elegantly.