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The Center for Great Irish Famine and Immigration Studies is a research unit of the Institute for Irish-American Studies of the City University of New York (CUNY). The Center is currently located in Room 188 of Carman Hall at Lehman College. Prof. Martin Burke (History, Lehman College & CUNY Graduate Center) serves as the Advisor of the Center. Mission The mission of the Center for Great Irish Famine and Immigration Studies is to disseminate information regarding the Famine and the resulting immigration and to identify best practices in the use of Great Irish Famine curricula at the middle and high school level. While the Center pays special attention to areas currently covered by the New York State Human Rights Curricula, it also seeks to serve the needs of researchers and teachers throughout the United States. Affiliated Faculty & Staff Prof. Martin J. Burke, Ph.D. University of Michigan Prof. Maureen Murphy, Ph.D. Indiana University Prof. Thomas W. Ihde, Ph.D. Trinity College Dublin Ms. Elaine Ní Bhraonáin, M.A. University College Dublin Distance Education All teacher education courses coordinated by the Center are in distance education format and focus on the Great Irish Famine Curriculum identified by the New York State Department of Education. A comparative view of Great Famine curricula adopted in other states is also undertaken. Students from throughout New York State can participate in our courses. We also have had graduate students from Connecticut, New Jersey, and Ohio register for our distance education offerings. Our courses are either entirely on-line or a mixture of intensive on-site workshops coupled with an on-line course. Current Distance Education Courses ESC590: Teaching about the Great Irish Famine Public Events One of the first events in the area of human rights that we publicized was a talk by Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) at the CUNY Graduate Center in 2004. Public events since September 2004 reflect our original interest in looking at ways to support the newest New York State human rights curriculum, the Great Irish Famine. In Fall 2004, Prof. Margaret Mulrooney from Marymount University spoke on a historical account of Famine immigration and Prof. Maureen Murphy spoke on implementing the New York State Great Irish Famine Curriculum. In Spring 2005, Prof. Cormac Ó Gráda of University College Dublin spoke on an economic view of famines since the Great Irish Famine. Prof. Christine Kinealy of the University of Central Lancashire spoke on the creation of the New Jersey Irish Famine Curriculum. Prof. Joe Lee of New York University also spoke on recent perspectives on the Great Famine. In Fall 2005, we devoted a day to screening Documentaries of the Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine with discussion. This fall, we have had two events that have addressed Great Irish Famine concerns including a lecture by Dr. Douglas Daly of the New York Botanical Gardens and a lecture by Dr. Niall Ó Ciosáin, NUI Galway. Publications The research team has a long history of publishing in the area of history and human rights. Some of the journals in which our researchers have published include Éire-Ireland, Essays in Economic and Business History, The Irish Review, Irish University Review, Language, Culture & Curriculum, Literatura, Historia e Mito, Mid-America: An Historical Review, Modernism/Modernity, Le Mouvement Social, NewHibernia Review, and The Recorder. Our team members have published a number of books on Irish themes with Attic Press, Ballinakella Press, Bergin & Garvey, Empire Books, Greenwood Press, Lilliput Press, Maunsel Press, Rutgers University Press, Syracuse University Press, and University College Dublin Press. Grant Proposal The following grant proposal is in perparation for the National Endowment for the Humanities. Teaching about the Great Irish Famine Immigration to America This application for the Landmark Summer Program with NEH would enable us to provide a week-long program to 100 social studies teachers from throughout the United States on teaching about Famine immigration to lower Manhattan. Funds would cover students' fees, travel, and housing for the week-long on-site program as well as the salary for invited lecturers.
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