A Two-Day Workshop at the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies, University of Aberdeen
10-11 April 2026
A recent issue of the Irish Studies Review has highlighted the need for taking a new approach to Irish transnational histories, one that moves beyond national and diasporic frames toward a broader, more transnational perspective attentive to Ireland's cultural, political, and social connections with Europe, the Global South, and other regions and cultures (Aiken et al., 2024). The Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies (RIISS) at the University of Aberdeen invites proposals for a two-day workshop on 'Strange Parallels', which aims to re-envision existing transnational relationships or open up new vistas on the interconnectedness of the island’s past with global counterparts. The workshop is the inaugural event for the Centre’s new research strand, The Troubled Island: Ireland since the Troubles.
This workshop seeks to explore Irish histories through transnational and cross-regional perspectives beyond the traditional Anglo-Irish and Irish-American frames. We aim to broaden the scope of scholarship by considering Ireland’s place within wider circulations of people, ideas, cultures, and institutions across Europe (both within and beyond the EU), as well as across Africa, Asia, and South America. Papers may address, but are not limited to, cultural, political, religious, social, commercial, or gendered interactions involving Ireland in any direction: outward, inward, or multidirectional. Contributions may analyse connections between Ireland and specific regions or communities, but are equally encouraged to consider networks, flows, and relationships that transcend national boundaries altogether.
In considering this theme, the workshop will also present the book collection of Bob Purdie, donated to RIISS in 2015. Purdie was an honorary fellow of RIISS and a historian of the Northern Irish Civil Rights Movement. His interests and commitments encompassed Scottish nationalism, European Marxism, and religious ecumenicism. The collection is now being collated, and initial findings will be presented at the event.
Keynote address: Dr Simon Prince, Canterbury Christ Church University
Organising committee: Prof. Michael Brown, Dr Cecilia Brioni and Miss Grace O’Leary, University of Aberdeen
Submission details:
• Please send a 300-word abstract and a short biographical note to grace.o’leary@abdn.ac.uk by Friday 23 January 2026.
• The workshop committee will select 8 papers. Participation and accommodation expenses will be covered by RIISS. (Please note that support for travel may be available upon request.)