Queen’s University Belfast Academics Embark on North American Tour for Public Engagement Events
The theme of the visit was ‘What Next for Northern Ireland’ after the Agreement 25 Conference which was hosted by Queen’s in April 2023.
One of two key events during the tour was a symposium co-hosted by the Centre for Public History at Queen’s and the School of International Service and the Public History department in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University.
The symposium entitled ‘Difficult Pasts: Difficult Presents. Conversations on History and its Uses in the Public Space’ explored divided societies and marginalised communities, the ways in which history can be weaponised, and examined many of the ways in which public engagement with history can serve to amplify marginalised voices and address division and inequalities in today’s societies.
Speaking about the symposium, Professor Olwen Purdue, Director of the Centre for Public History at Queen’s said: “This was an exciting opportunity for scholars of different disciplinary background based at Queen’s, Georgetown, George Washington University, American University, the University of Virgina and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to discuss these important aspects of public history and history in public. It explored some of the problems with how the past can be used but also highlighted the absolute relevance and importance of History as a discipline for the world we live in today.”
The second key event was a panel discussion on ‘What Next for Northern Ireland?’ hosted at Boston College, Boston. The event brought together scholars from different disciplines at Queen’s to discuss the relative success of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in ending conflict in Northern Ireland, but also the limited effects of the peace process on reconciliation. The discussions were led by Queen’s academics Dr Peter McLoughlin and Professor Dominic Bryan from the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, and Dr Cheryl Lawther from the School of Law.
Screenings of “The Agreement”, a documentary focusing on the historic Belfast/Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland took place throughout the week in Washington D.C. and Boston, with Joe Kennedy III, Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland in attendance at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Boston screening.
The documentary was produced by FinePoint Films for RTÉ in association with Queen’s and Northern Ireland Screen.
Professor Richard Collins, Dean of Internationalisation for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences commented: “The North American tour not only showcased the impressive knowledge and expertise of Queen’s academics but also highlighted the University’s commitment to making education and research accessible to a wider audience. By bridging the gap between academia and the public, Queen’s continues to play a vital role in fostering a more informed and connected global community.”