Irish poetry and identity discussed at Entangled Histories seminar

Marjan Shokouhi Tajadini Sarvestani from the University of Granada evaluated Irish identity and the concept of borders from a literary perspective through the poems of Patrick Kavanagh and Louis MacNeice at the second meeting of the Entangled Histories seminar series.  

The first session of the seminar series titled “Entangled Histories: Borders and Cultural Encounters from the Medieval to the Contemporary Era,” conducted in collaboration with Üsküdar University and Insubria University, took place online on November 26, 2025. Dr. Marjan Shokouhi Tajadini Sarvestani from the University of Granada, with her presentation titled “Bordered Voices: Kavanagh, MacNeice, and the Poetics of Belonging in Ireland,” opened a multi-layered discussion on the concepts of identity, belonging, and borders through the works of two important poets from 20th-century Irish literature. Analyzing the poets' representations of rural and urban spaces, Sarvestani shared with the audience criticisms directed at the perception of “Irishness” and alternative identity narratives in the writings of MacNeice and Kavanagh. The event drew attention to the decisive role of visible and invisible borders in the triangle of individual-society-national identity.

The Entangled Histories seminar series will continue with speakers from various disciplines until the summer months. The series, held with public participation, aims to provide a critical platform for cultural encounters and border experiences.

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