For some time I've been searching for a good text book to use for my Summer study abroad course in Ireland. I think I've finally found one that will fit well. It's called the Sage Companion to the City.
My course is on the sociology of Irish culture and identity. It is taught in conjunction with a survey of Irish literature. When we first discussed the possibility of combining these courses, my first thought was to follow the approach developed by cultural studies pioneer Raymond Williams in his book, the Country and the City. In this book Williams explores the history of connections and differences between rural and city life as evidenced in acclaimed British novels. Though I don't entirely agree with his analysis, I think it was a fascinating, unobtrusive method to study cultural identity.
The Sage Companion to the City offers us a different approach to cultural analysis - one that will allow students to conduct their own field research. This book will challenge us to examine Irish culture by focusing on the built environment of the cities and the country. With this focus on development in Dublin, Derry, Galway and their hinterlands, we can gain insight into:
faith and religion, science and technology, pleasure and leisure, migration and segregation, housing, conflicts, crime, the role of government, and visions of the future
in three very different cities.
I'll share more about this in future posts. I'm really looking forward to leading this course.
