The Integrative Papers will be a central part of your work in the Ireland program. For these three papers you will engage in a process of synthesizing material from the current period in the program (for Fall Quarter, Ancient Ireland [1000 BCE to 1600 CE], as well as Conquest & Famine [1600 CE through 1860 CE]; for Winter Quarter, Irish America). Integrative Papers provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate your intuitive, analytical, and empathetic understanding of the program themes and materials.

For this assignment you will need to draw from each of the following mediums of presentation used in the current period of study:

• Film
• Lecture
• Seminar notes
• Song
• Irish language
• Theatre
• Poetry
• Text

Understandably, however, it would be impossible to cover everything (i.e. every film, each lecture) presented during the period. Your instructors consider all mediums to be equally important, and they will be looking for examples drawn from each one. You are also encouraged to draw on outside information such as research or your own personal and family histories if you choose. Your papers must be five pages in length for the two Fall Quarter papers, and eight pages in length for the one in Winter Quarter. These papers must be typed, double spaced, and in a reasonable font (Times New Roman 12).

To start with, making sure to cover each medium of study, go through your portfolio and jot down any lecture, seminar, language, and film notes, literature passages, song lyrics, etc. that seem important to you. Think of the items on this list as “dots.” Using your list of dots, work on developing a theme, or golden thread, that matters to you. Your job will then be to connect the dots in some coherent order. You may wish to prove something, or argue a position, or you may prefer to show how a particular image or idea plays out in the materials presented in this particular period. (Sample topics will be provided for each assignment.) In the conclusion of your paper, you should show why the theme you chose matters to you. Ask yourself, “How can the reader know it was I who wrote this paper?” It is important to reflect on how you, at this point in the program, are processing into your life and worldview what you are encountering in this section. Every generalization needs an illustrative example and must have a specific reference drawn from program materials.

These papers provide the opportunity for you to develop and showcase your best creative and academic writing skills, so plan ahead so that you can revise as many times as you need. Please proofread your final draft carefully for any errors. Your faculty will be much more compelled to provide useful feedback if they can focus on your content instead of on mechanical errors, and you are likely to be much more satisfied with the level of feedback you receive if you have these things handled prior to turning in your final draft. You must adequately introduce each source as though your reader is not acquainted with them. To aid in this you may even wish to choose a hypothetical outside audience for your papers, such as a smart sibling, or the readers of an academic journal. Also, pay attention to your introduction, conclusion, and your transitions, as these places provide opportunity to show how you are integrating the material. Don’t forget to title your paper (it helps you to focus; trust us on that), and include your name. Finally, please attach an Author’s Note (see below) to the back of your paper when you hand it in.

For the first paper you could could cover any number of topics. Here are some possibilities:

• Examine ancient Irish concepts of possession & ownership.

• Explore how masculine and/or feminine issues are played out in ancient or early Christian Ireland.

• Explore the shift from pre-Christian to early Christian spirituality in Ireland as revealed through the program resources.

• Argue which conditions in ancient and early Christian Ireland made the people susceptible to waves of invasion (through the 12th Century). Choose a lens (legal, economic, spiritual or linguistic). Feel free to bring in conditions outside of Ireland to support your argument.

• Argue which aspects of ancient and early Christian Irish life are specifically Celtic, or specifically Christian.

• Explore the importance of cyclic thought in ancient and early Christian Irish artifact, sung poetry, literature, code of law, etc.

For your second paper in fall quarter, please consider some of the following topics, keeping in mind that the period of time covered by the conquest and famine is 1600-1860.

* Discuss and give evidence of the cultural conquest of the Irish people.

* Why and how does the Famine loom so large in Irish cultural, social and economic life?

* Why did Scotland and Ireland develop so differently in response to English hegemony and cultural imperialism?

* Compare and contrast major figures within this period: Oliver Cromwell, Charles Trevelyan, Daniel O'Connell, Wolfe Tone, and others.

* Discuss the dramatic changes to the Irish peasant class in terms of their relationship to land.

* How do the oral and performative traditions serve to illuminate this period in ways that the historical narratives do not? Use specific examples from each perspective.

Just keep in mind that this is not a paper that begs for extensive library research; it's about your ability to draw together different aspects of the program. In terms of placing yourself into the body of the paper, ask yourself what is at stake? why does this matter? why should you care about this?