CfP: Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies, “Portable Ireland. Imaginaries of travel in, out, and about Ireland”, edited by Samuele Grassi, Fiorenzo Fantaccini
CALL FOR PAPERS: Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies, “Portable Ireland. Imaginaries of travel in, out, and about Ireland”, edited by Samuele Grassi, Fiorenzo Fantaccini “Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies”https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-sijis/index Estimated publication date: July 2025 The fifteenth number of Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies focuses on cultural, social, and political imaginaries of Ireland and its relationship to travel. Contributions are welcome from within the humanities and social sciences, as well as from other disciplines, as the journal seeks to expand its reach beyond the soft sciences. Historically, cultural, religious, and intellectual exchanges historically have been central to interactions between Ireland and other countries in Europe and beyond. The relationships between the Irish people and travel have witnessed watershed moments in modern and contemporary Western history – including, the Great Famine in the 1800s, economic migration to the UK in the twentieth century, and beyond – that have shaped national and collective imaginaries both within and outside the country. But what is the current mood of Irish travel? By focusing on “mood”, rather than simply on processes and representations, we hint at the affective dimensions of travel, which manifest in remembrances of the past and imaginings of what the future may hold. The tourist gaze has framed Ireland into an imagined landscape of quaint villages, green hills, and cultural festivals, producing a host of representations that are both cherished and challenged by its residents. In recent years, the country has embraced sustainable tourism, inviting visitors to experience its natural beauty while considering environmental impacts. However, the drive towards eco-conscious travel also raises important questions about how today’s Ireland negotiates its image in an increasingly globalised world. How does this stand in opposition to, for example, the cultural and linguistic peripherality of Gaelic-speaking Ireland, extending to its classed, genders, sexual, and racialised others? This area has only recently begun to receive scholarly attention and must be taken seriously when examining how certain images of Ireland travel, are commodified, and are refigured for neoliberal consumption. As we consider the intersections of travel, translation, and national identity, with this monographic section of Studi irlandesi we are also going to reflect on the broader implications of these exchanges. How have travel accounts, both historical and contemporary, influenced processes of othering in Irish and other national consciousnesses? What role has translation played in shaping cultural diplomacy and intellectual exchange between Ireland and other nations? By addressing these questions and exploring under-researched aspects of these relations, we wish to contribute to a deeper understanding of the transnational dialogues that have long connected Ireland and the Irish to other cultural spheres. Abstract proposals are sought for full-length essays or experimental pieces dealing one or more of the following themes: historical colonial language appropriation and incorporation into English-speaking rule Irish travel and migration intersectional approaches to Irish travel literature queer transfeminist perspectives on Irish travel cultural and creative industries working within, on, and around the concept of Aiteach (Irish Gaelic queer-ness) the politics and economics of tourism in Ireland critical approaches to sustainable tourism in Ireland eco-feminist and eco-critical approaches to literary and cultural texts revisions of traditional travel imaginaries in Irish storytelling and oral histories current and future scenarios of Irish travel in (post) Covid-19 times post-Brexit futures and Irish travel historical routes, crossroads, and narratives, including cultural exchanges between Italy and Ireland political activism and travel: activists engaged in anti-tourist campaigns and critiques of overtourism Articles are subject to full double-blind peer review. Please send abstracts of 250 to 400 words, outlines and expressions of interest for papers of 8,000 to 10,000 words, as well as biographic information of 50 to 100 words by 30 November 2024 to the Guest Editors Samuele Grassi (<samuele.grassi@unifi.it>) and Fiorenzo Fantaccini (<fiorenzo.fantaccini@unifi.it>). Successful candidates will be informed by 10 December 2024. The deadline for submission of manuscripts is 30 March 2024. Please note that the editors welcome the opportunity to discuss non-standard papers and formats, including digital non-academic contributions. From 2011, the interdisciplinary Italy-based journal, Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies, focuses on research pertaining to every aspect of Irish culture, literary studies, history, cultural perspectives and linguistic inquiry, from the Romantic Era to the present age. The journal publishes previously unpublished works, both in the original language and Italian translation, as well as interviews, reviews, reports and bibliographies of interest for Irish culture scholars. Research in progress rather than consolidated theories and hypotheses and openings rather than conclusions is particularly encouraged, as is the work of early career and precarious scholars.