About this programme

Find information on:

• Entry requirements
• Programme content
• Core Modules
• Optional Modules
• Internship
• Field Trip to Belgium
• Dissertation
• How to apply

Entry requirements

• ​A minimum 2.1 (upper-second class) Honours Bachelors degree from an Irish university or its international equivalent in a relevant subject. Relevant subjects include but are not limited to the following: Languages, Literature, History, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, Human Geography, Sociology, Religious Studies, Gender Studies, Textual and Visual Studies, Visual Arts, Art History, Economics, Political Science. We also welcome students from non-Humanities backgrounds with a keen interest in questions of identity. 

• ​Proficiency in English. For candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the medium of English, a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 in each category or its equivalent. While there is no formal requirement to be proficient in a language other than English, students with a reading proficiency in a language taught in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Irish, Polish, Russian) are particularly welcome.
  
  
  

​Application window and deadline 

​Applications are normally open from November until June and you may apply at any point. Places are offered to the best applicants on a first-come first-served basis. Places are limited, and for that reason, it is recommended that you apply as early as possible. The deadline for applications is 30 June. 

Required application materials

​In order to apply for this course, you will need to complete an Online Application Form and submit the following materials as part of your application:  

• ​a completed Personal Statement form; 

• ​a sample of academic writing; 

• ​proof of English language proficiency; 

• ​degree certificates and transcripts; 

• ​two reference letters.  

​For the full details on the required application materials, see How to apply.​​ 

Core Modules

Questions of Identity in Europe - Part 1 (Michaelmas Term)

This core module is taught in Michaelmas Term and consists of a range of core topics. The core topics for Michaelmas Term 2025 are: 

Introduction: The Age of Identities (Dr James Hanrahan) 

This seminar serves as a general introduction to the core modules.  

1. What is Enlightenment? (Dr James Hanrahan) 

These seminars examine contemporary views of the heritage of the Enlightenment. Was the Enlightenment a Western phenomenon and what do claims that it was (or was not) do for the identity of the West in general and Europe in particular? Was Enlightenment radicalism or a more moderate cosmopolitanism the true source of European modernity? 

2. Living the past (Prof Mary Cosgrove)  

These seminars explore some of the core concepts in memory theory, such as collective memory, multidirectional memory, prosthetic memory, and post-memory. Taking as a case study the Holocaust memorial to the Jewish victims of National Socialism in Berlin, the seminars use theory to evaluate, first, how in recent years the memorial has been rejected by elements of the growing far right in Germany; and, second, to examine critical responses to this development. In this way, the seminars examine how the past gets instrumentalised for present political purposes, also connecting what is happening in Germany to larger shifts in contemporary transnational politics, culture, and memory of western democracies.  

3. Who are they? (Dr Zuleika Rodgers)

These seminars address the discourse around the construct of group identity and the ‘other’ in European society. In particular, this core topic examines the politics of difference based on genealogy, geography and religion, exploring both ancient and modern examples of the phenomenon. After a theoretical and historical survey, Jews and Judaism are taken as a case study.

4. My language is my home (Dr Rachel Hoare) 

These seminars explore the connections between variation in language use and the construction, negotiation, maintenance and performance of identities at the level of the individual and the group at the intersection of the region and the nation. Examining a range of issues around the language/identity nexus, this core topic focuses on complex identity contexts and transnational identities in order to gain clearer insight into the identity-making and marking functions of language. The seminars draw upon a range of perspectives from social-psychology, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology and social psychology.  

5. Proletarians of the world, unite? (Dr Michiel Rys)

These seminars will examine different concepts, experiences and mediations of class identity from the nineteenth century to the present. First, we will reconstruct the history of class categories in relation to changing social and economic contexts. Special attention will go to the complex interplay between individual and collective class identities, questions of intersectionality and class mobility, as well as the role of class imaginaries in social movements. Second, a case study will illustrate how literature and/or film are not mere extensions or illustrations of class theories but renegotiate and shape our understanding of class realities.

For full details (including indicative bibliography and assessment format), review the full module descriptor for Part 1 (ID7001).
   

Questions of Identity in Europe - Part 2 (Hilary Term) 

This core module is taught in Hilary Term and consists of a range of core topics. The core topics for Hilary Term 2025 are: 

1. Nations and nationalism (Dr Balázs Apor)

These seminars focus on the construction and development of national identities in Europe in modern times with a particular emphasis on the homogenising aspects of modern nationalism. The two cases studies discussed in the framework of this topic address the constructed nature of national identities in the context of the Soviet Union, and the most extreme outcome of nationalism’s homogenising ambitions: genocide.

2. I still believe (Prof Clodagh Brook)

Religion has been instrumental in the creation of contemporary socio-political Europe. It has been held responsible for some of the darkest moments in recent history, from the Holocaust to Jihad. But it has also been described as the creator of a forceful heritage of architectural and artistic works, from monasteries and cathedrals to the Vatican treasures, from paintings, sculptures and frescos to the rich imagery and narratives on which writers and poets have drawn for centuries, and upon which filmmakers to the present day still draw. In these seminars, we concentrate on how post-secular theories of religion try to understand the continuing place of religion in Europe after secularisation. After an introductory class, we look at case studies of Italy, through discussion of sociological texts and of representation of religious identity on screen.

3. What did Earth ever do for us? (Prof Michael Cronin)  

The advent of human-induced climate change and the entry of humanity into the new geological era of the Anthropocene raises fundamental questions about the nature of what it is to be human in such radically altered circumstances. In these seminars, we explore the emergence of the concept of ‘transversal subjectivity’ (Braidotti) as a way of trying to think about new forms of human subjectivity in the context of the relationship to other animal species and to the world of the organic and inorganic elements in which humans are immersed. Questions of sustainability, resilience and biocultural diversity are also examined in the framework of changing paradigms of the human and post-human. 

4. Cognitive estrangements: Science fiction and identity (Dr Hannes Opelz)

What becomes of the human when reality itself is estranged? These seminars explore this question by examining how science fiction (SF) challenges and reshapes our understanding of human identity through the lens of Darko Suvin’s concept of cognitive estrangement. Drawing on Suvin’s seminal Metamorphoses of Science Fiction, the sessions explore the extent to which SF (de)constructs worlds that estrange its readers from familiar assumptions, while remaining cognitively plausible. We will focus on key elements of Suvin’s theoretical framework, before attempting close readings of one or more case studies – e.g. a short story, a film and/or a TV show episode (tbd) – to test the ways in which Suvin’s model illuminates, or fails to account for, the speculative rethinking of what it means to be human.

5. The Brain Identity (Dr Hannes Opelz)  

These seminars explore some of the ways in which recent developments in neurobiology and philosophy are changing our understanding of human identity. The seminars examine a selection of works by contemporary philosopher Catherine Malabou, with a particular focus on her concept of plasticity. Key issues to be discussed are the ways in which brain plasticity relates to capitalism, trauma, and artificial intelligence.  

Conclusion: Beyond Identity (Dr Hannes Opelz) 

This seminar serves as a conclusion to the core modules. It will also give students an opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the module, particularly in relation to their course work in the run-up to submission. 

For full details (including indicative bibliography and assessment format), review the full module descriptor for Part 2 (ID7002).

Optional Modules

The optional modules allow students to explore questions of identity in much more depth, while also building their degree around their areas of interest. For example, they may choose to investigate racism through sociology, nation-building through cultural history, warfare through gender studies, poetry through ecology, multilingualism through literature, religion through cinema, etc. Students on the Master’s who are interested in experiencing how identity issues play out in civil society may also choose as one of their optional modules to do an internship (see below) at a partner institution, NGO, civil society organisation, or corporation.

There are two kinds of optional modules: programme modules and approved modules. Programme modules are modules developed specifically for the Identities & Cultures of Europe course. Approved modules are modules developed by other Master's programmes at Trinity and have been selected and approved by our course because of their relevance to the question of identity. Students on the Master’s and Diploma take 4 optional modules in total, 2 per term. For each term, students choose one programme module and one other optional module (the other optional module can be another programme module or an approved module). Students on the Certificate take one optional (programme or approved) module, either in the first or the second semester. 

(Please note that optional modules may vary from year to year, depending on staff availability and timetabling constraints. There may also be caps on student numbers in some modules, due to viability, popularity or other restrictions.)

The module descriptors not linked above can be found on the School of English MPhil Option Modules document.

Internship (M.Phil. only)

A distinctive feature of this masters programme is to offer students the option to do a work placement during the second half of the academic year as one of their 10-credit optional modules. 

The programme proposes a range of placements with partner institutions, NGOs, civil society organisations and corporations in Dublin. Past and/or current partner institutions include, among others, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), Science Gallery Dublin, Photo Museum Ireland, Belong To, Literature Ireland, Mother Tongues, Immigrant Council of Ireland, Amnesty International Ireland, Spirasi, Alliance française, the Irish Red Cross, the Youth & Education Services for Refugees and Migrants, etc. 

Although students are also free to find their own placement, all placements have to be approved in advance by the Course Director and Course Coordinator in order to be taken for credit as part of the programme. On the basis of their internship, students taking this option write a report applying theories of identity to practices at the internship institution. This report is then assessed by an academic staff member of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies.

Internships on this programme are in principle unpaid and should normally take place between January and May. Please note that selecting the internship option does not in and of itself guarantee that the student will secure a placement (decisions regarding placements are made jointly with partner institutions). The internship option is only available to students on the MPhil. 

Field Trip to Belgium

A key feature of the course is the 3-day field trip to Belgium, where students have the opportunity to learn about, network and create links with, key cultural institutions, international organisations, and NGOs at the heart of Europe. Hosted by Irish College Leuven, students follow a structured programme of events in Leuven and Brussels, including visits to EU institutions, NGOs and a range of cultural/art centres, as well as career sessions with graduates now working in Belgium. 

The bulk of field trip costs (train/coach transfers in Belgium, accommodation, programme visits and activities, speaker fees, staff presence and support in situ, as well as administrative costs) is included in the fees. However, the fees do not include the following: coach/taxi transfers to/from Dublin airport, flights to/from Brussels, visa fees, travel insurance and subsistence. 

The field trip is assessed as part of the first semester’s core module (for more details on this assessment, please consult the relevant core module descriptor.

Dissertation

During the research period (April to August), students on the M.Phil. programme complete a dissertation module, in which they have an opportunity to pursue a research question of their choice from any area of Identity Studies with expert guidance and supervision, and to present their findings in a substantial, multi-chapter research paper (15,000-20,000 words). 

In addition to training and presentation sessions, a student will normally receive up to 6 one-hour individual supervisions over the course of preparing, writing and revising their dissertation. 

For more details on the dissertation module, please consult the module descriptor.

How to apply

​​In order to apply for this course, you will need to complete the online application form and submit the following materials as part of your application.

Personal Statement Form 

​The Personal Statement Form (linked below) is an important part of our assessment process. It is your opportunity to state your reasons for applying to this programme and how they match what the programme delivers.

Sample of Academic Writing  

​As part of your application, you also need to submit a sample of no more than 2,500 words (including foot/endnotes but excluding bibliography) of your best academic writing in English. 

When we assess your application, we will pay particular attention to: 

• ​your ability to build and present a logical, cohesive argument; 

• ​your ability to analyse and evaluate the arguments of others; 

• ​your ability to adhere to the norms of academic writing (referencing, quotation, avoiding plagiarism* and other forms of academic misconduct, and bibliography); 

• ​your command of academic English. 

We make use of Turnitin and other software to check for plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct in the samples submitted. An application may be rejected if samples of work submitted are found to include instances of such misconduct. 

​English Language Qualifications 

​Unless you have completed a degree through the medium of English or are a native speaker, you are required to prove your proficiency with the English language. Trinity prefers IELTS, but will accept alternative tests run by international organisations. A minimum of 6.5 in each IELTS category or its equivalent is required. 

​Degree Certificate(s)

​You will need to provide degree certificates (in PDF format) that prove you have completed all of the degrees you mention in your application. If you haven’t yet completed your degree, you can still apply and supply these documents when you have them. 

​Degree Transcripts

​You will need to provide official transcripts (in PDF format) showing all of the components you have completed as part of your degree(s). 

​Two Reference Letters 

​You will need to provide reference letters (on letterheaded paper) from two referees who can provide references written in English, explaining why you would be a strong candidate for the course.  

​It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact their referees and inform them of their intention of applying for this programme.  

​Referees listed by the applicant on Trinity’s online application system will automatically receive an electronic reference request, providing them with a Trinity reference template and a link to upload their references. 

​Online Application Form

​Once you have all of these materials (use the checklist below to ensure you have completed all the required documents) and fill out the online application form in full, not forgetting to upload all the requested materials as attachments. 

Please note that you must specify the category of each attachment you upload (for example, when uploading an official transcript, you need to specify that the attachment is an “Official Transcript”). Otherwise your application may be deemed incomplete.