From August 4 to 10, 2024, Teachers from our Centre Professor Wang Zhanpeng and Professor Chen Li traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to attend the 2024 annual conference of the International Association for the Study of Irish Literature (IASIL) held at Gakushuin University.
The International Association for the Study of Irish Literature was established in 1969, led by institutions such as University College Dublin. It holds an annual academic conference, which is an important event in the field of Irish studies. This year's conference was hosted by Gakushuin University in Japan, with the theme "Aftermaths," aimed at exploring the lasting impacts of significant historical events in Ireland—such as the Great Famine, the Easter Rising, revolutionary history, and the Northern Ireland issue—on contemporary society and culture, as well as their representation in literature.
The international conference attracted nearly 200 scholars, writers, and researchers from countries including China, Japan, Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. Over ten scholars from various Chinese universities, marking the largest number of Chinese scholars attending this annual meeting in recent years and demonstrating the rapid development of Irish studies in China.
Wang Zhanpeng and Chen Li each presented in their respective groups:
Wang Zhanpeng: His presentation examined the contemporary development of Irish studies through the lens of the rapidly evolving field of regional studies. He elaborated on Ireland's reflections on its cultural and political heritage during the centenary of the War of Independence, as well as the contemporary challenges facing Irish politics.
Chen Li: Her presentation focused on the Booker Prize-winning novel "Milkman," analyzing it through feminist and spatial theory to explore the emotional shifts in contemporary Northern Irish novels regarding the representation of political conflict and personal living spaces.
Both presentations received enthusiastic responses from the audience, leading to lively discussions. During the conference, Wang Zhanpeng and Chen Li engaged in extensive exchanges with domestic and international scholars, effectively promoting our university's Irish Studies Center and enhancing mutual academic understanding between China and abroad.
