Master of Philosophy - Identities and Cultures of Europe

About the program - Identities structure our reality, our desires and our ideas. As such, they assume many shapes and forms: the self and the nation, language and gender, migration and trauma, myth and ideology, class and religion, capitalism and populism, ecology and technology. Above all, identities are crystallized in their representation: in the media and popular culture, in literature and film, but also in imagined communities and destinies, contested histories, and collective memory. Exploring and analyzing questions of identity as they have unfolded and continue to unfold in Europe, this course will equip students with the critical tools and real-life experience to understand the complex and varied challenges posed by shifting notions of identity and their very real consequences. MPhil - Students on the MPhil enroll in two core modules (one in each semester) on Questions of Identity in Europe. Consisting of a selection of key identity topics, the core modules approach the issue of identity from a range of disciplinary perspectives through theories of identity and case studies. Students will also take four optional modules (two per semester), selected from a wide range of options offered by the program as well as by other Masters courses at Trinity. Finally, students will complete a research dissertation on a topic of their choice, receiving guidance from researchers who are experts in their respective fields. During the first semester, students will also take part in a three-day field trip to Belgium, where they will have an opportunity to network and create links with key cultural institutions, organizations and NGOs on the continent. During the second semester, students will have the option to do an internship at an approved NGO or cultural institution in Dublin. (Please note that securing a placement may depend on availability in any given year and on the outcome of a selection process conducted jointly with partner institutions.) At the end of the second semester, students will participate in an identity workshop given by a high-profile external speaker from academic or civil society.