Public Seminar Series. Dùthchas Revisited: A Conversation by Professor Mairéad Nic Craith

Bio

Mairéad Nic Craith is Professor of Public Folklore at UHI. Her academic career began with a lectureship at the Institute of Irish Studies (University of Liverpool)sponsored by the Irish Government. Since then she has held Chairs in Sociology at Ulster University and in Anthropological Studies at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Mairéad held a DAAD Professorship at the University of Göttingen as well as Honorary Professorships in Social Sciences at Exeter University and Ulster University. In 2018, Mairéad was a visiting scholar at the Celtic Studies Department in Harvard University.

She has worked with international bodies such as the UN, (and UNESCO), and the European Centre for Minority Issues. Mairéad has extensive experience of peer-reviewing research in Australia, Canada, Europe and the US. She has international experience in research assessment exercises and is currently a full sub-panel member and interdisciplinary advisor to D25 (Area Studies) in REF 2021.

Research Interests

Culture and Sustainability: Mairéad is interested in researching this issue from two perspectives (a) how can cultural traditions be sustained in an age of globalisation and (b) how can the cultural context impact on sustainable development. Mairéad is currently working on traditional ecological knowledge inherent in Irish-Gaelic and the disconnect with the land that has occurred with Anglicisation in Ireland.

Islands and Edge Places: A fascination with islands has followed Mairéad throughout her academic career. She is especially interested in Island communities and the representation of island places in art, music, folklore and literature. She has specialised in the Great Blasket Island off the west coast of Ireland, exploring the significance of this island for Irish identity.

Language and Power: The theme of language and politics has been a focus throughout Mairéad’s academic career. There are many questions of interest: Do political boundaries impact on concepts of language? How do policies at local, national and European impact on comparative case studies? How important is the issue of language in post-conflict societies? Mairéad has worked with a range of organisations on this issue including the European Centre for Minority Issues, Flensburg, the Northern Irish Assembly and the National Assembly, Cardiff.

Heritage Policy: Mairéad is particularly interested in living (intangible) cultural heritage and its social impact (see her TEDx Talk on intangible heritage). She has co-developed a policy brief on heritage and social cohesion for European Commission; worked with German Institute for Foreign Relations, Milan on heritage under threat; and acted as as expert on heritage and human rights for United Nations.

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