Mincéirí /Pavee (Irish Travellers) are a people indigenous to the island of Ireland who are traditionally nomadic and distinct from the dominant majority Irish population (settled community). According to MacLaughlin (1995), the first mention of Irish Travellers was in the 5th century where they were referred to as 'whitesmiths' due to their association with the occupation of tin-smithing. Although documented as part of Irish society for centuries as a distinct population with unique cultural traditions, Irish Travellers have largely been denied in political and social terms of their ethnicity until in 2017 when a symbolic statement was made by the former Taoiseach Edna Kenny (2017). Recent genetic studies have also confirmed the indigenous origin of Ireland's Traveller community. Numerous studies confirm the intense virulent racism, discrimination, marginalisation and injustices that have perpetrated the experiences of Travellers in Ireland essentially affecting health, education, accommodation, and employment. This module explores the political and social structure of the representation of Travellers in Irish society by using a critical theoretical lens. The module will also examine how nomadic, Indigenous, minority and ethnic communities are subjected to racism by analysing contemporary debates on racism and injustice and how it impacts upon life chances, health, and social policy.

Irish Travellers have been identified in numerous studies as those that experience the most racism and discrimination, impacting on access to fundamental human rights and life chances. Using a critical sociological, theoretical and transformative lens, the aim of this module is:  a) to analyse the uniqueness of Ireland's indigenous minority;  b) to examine the injustices and discriminations that they experience across different social institutions,  c) to explore how their rights could be enhanced and protected in areas such as education, housing, health care, employment and the legal system. The module will also examine other indigenous and nomadic groups who are subjected to prolonged intense racism across the globe with a particular focus on Europe in the context of contemporary sociological debates on racism and indigenous peoples.  

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:   Explain the theoretical conceptualisations of race and racism as it relates to Travellers    Describe and identify racialising practices in everyday social life and how they shaped the lives and experiences of Travellers   Demonstrate an understanding of how institutional racism with respect to Travellers informs public policy  Analyse how intersectional identities shape analyses of, and responses to, race and racism for Travellers

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Demonstrate an awareness of the role of race and racialization in shaping the lives and life chances of Travellers Demonstrate an awareness of social conditions in shaping opportunities and experiences in ways that may or may no align with contemporary moral positions   Demonstrate an awareness of the need for reflexivity in evaluating the moral and ethical dimensions of societies and people from different social contexts

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: NA

This module will be taught through a combination of lecturers and self directed learning.  In combination, these will enhance knowledgeability of the subject area, foster a proactive stance towards research, improve ability to articulate complex statistical terms, increase creativity through engagement with data, and improve a sense of responsibility to self and society.