Following the success of the previous seven international Irish Studies conferences, the University of Sunderland, in association with NEICN, is soliciting papers for an interdisciplinary conference, which will run from 12th to 14th November 2010.

The conference organisers hope to represent a wide range of approaches to Irish culture from academics and non¬-academics alike. Performances, roundtables, collaborative projects, and other non¬-traditional presentations are encouraged in addition to conference papers. We welcome both individual submissions and proposals for panels. In connection with the conference theme we welcome submissions for panels and papers based around the often overlapping and interconnected histories and cultures of Ireland and Scotland. Possible themes include, (but are not limited to) :

• Ireland/Scotland in Theory ; Gender and Ireland/Scotland ; Advertising and Commodity Culture in Ireland and/or Scotland ; immigration and emigration ; the Irish/Scottish diasporas ; borderlands and border identities.

Following the interdisciplinary nature of the conference we welcome proposals from the areas of :

• Literature, Performing Arts, History, Politics, Folklore and Mythology, Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, Tourism, Art and Art History, Music, Dance, Media and Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Celtic Studies and Studies of the Diaspora. North American and other international scholars, practitioners in the arts, and postgraduate students are all encouraged to submit proposals to the conference organisers.

Each session will include three or four 20-minute presentations each followed by discussion. A selection of the accepted papers will be subsequently published in the conference proceedings.

The University of Sunderland houses the North East Irish Culture Network, established in 2003 to further the study of Irish Literature and Culture (see www.neicn.com). It has held six previous conferences. Previous speakers include Terry Eagleton, Robert Welch, Luke Gibbons, Ailbhe Smith, Kevin Barry, Siobhan Kilfeather, Shaun Richards, Lance Pettitt, Stephen Regan, Lord David Puttnam, Andrew Carpenter, John Nash and Willy Maley, with readings from Ciaran Carson Medbh McGuckian, Bernard O'Donoghue and Eilis Ni Dhuibhne. In 2008, the English department at Durham was the recipient of a Leverhulme Major Research Grant to sponsor its project 'Consumer Culture, Advertising and Literature in ireland 1848-1921' (see www.ccalireland.com)

Keynote Speakers

Keynote speakers confirmed to date include:

Professor Willy Maley, University of Glasgow.

Paper Submission

Paper proposals should be submitted by 10th July, 2010 by e-mail to
alison.younger@sunderland.ac.uk and copied to colin.younger@sunderland.ac.uk