Stuff, what I have been up to
I've been rather busy since uni got back. I'm actually really proud of my self - I've been spending several hours a day, four or five days a week in the library, as well as reading at home, and I've not missed a single class! This is a first! I love the fact that university is 'free' in Scotland but I sometimes think it makes us take it for granted. I have a first in my sights now though. Here's hoping...
I've been finalising what I want to do for my final dissertation.
I'm currently planning on looking into the experiences of Irish Catholic immigrant in New York City in the 19th Century, how they were treated by the 'natives', how they were perceived and treated in Britain and Ireland, and how they became a respectable community in American society by the turn of the 20th Century. I'm planning on concentrating on those who emigrated due to the famine and their descendants. What I want to look into, as a kind of overriding theme is the idea of America as a nation of immigrants, the idea of 'E pluribus unum' and the American melting pot, and the way the newest arrivals are always looked down upon, even though the majority of those in the State will have arrived in much the same way. I'm also wanting to include the Victorian ideas of race - it was a common belief at the time that the Irish were an entirely separate race from the British, and to look into if (and/how) this impacted upon the Irish immigrants - in C19th Britain the Irish were looked upon in much the same way the black population were in the USA. I'd like to look into how all this impacted on the immigrants and how they managed to over come this and become a powerful community by the turn of the centuary.
This picture illustrates the ideas of social Darwinism etc about the Irish and Black populations at the time.
(There's the link incase anyone wants to read the text)
Any thoughts?
I joined the uni choral society this year - just for shits and giggles.
We're performing Faure's Requiem (which I LOVE) and Poulenc's Gloria (which is pretty cool - but really complicated!) in November. I can read music but I'm having a really hard time translating from the sheet music to the notes to sing - I can only sight read when it comes to playing an instrument. The first rehersal I sat looking confused for about 20mins, before I finally picked up the nerve to join in and copy what everyone else was singing! I've always found it much easier to learn pieces once I've heard them through before, so I've been youtube-ing the pieces to sing along to. My flat mate must think I'm nuts....
Apart from that, not much going on. Been spending loads of time in the library and geeking out - I just really hope it all pays off. So any input into my dissertation proposal would be great!
I've been finalising what I want to do for my final dissertation.
I'm currently planning on looking into the experiences of Irish Catholic immigrant in New York City in the 19th Century, how they were treated by the 'natives', how they were perceived and treated in Britain and Ireland, and how they became a respectable community in American society by the turn of the 20th Century. I'm planning on concentrating on those who emigrated due to the famine and their descendants. What I want to look into, as a kind of overriding theme is the idea of America as a nation of immigrants, the idea of 'E pluribus unum' and the American melting pot, and the way the newest arrivals are always looked down upon, even though the majority of those in the State will have arrived in much the same way. I'm also wanting to include the Victorian ideas of race - it was a common belief at the time that the Irish were an entirely separate race from the British, and to look into if (and/how) this impacted upon the Irish immigrants - in C19th Britain the Irish were looked upon in much the same way the black population were in the USA. I'd like to look into how all this impacted on the immigrants and how they managed to over come this and become a powerful community by the turn of the centuary.
This picture illustrates the ideas of social Darwinism etc about the Irish and Black populations at the time.
(There's the link incase anyone wants to read the text)
Any thoughts?
I joined the uni choral society this year - just for shits and giggles.
We're performing Faure's Requiem (which I LOVE) and Poulenc's Gloria (which is pretty cool - but really complicated!) in November. I can read music but I'm having a really hard time translating from the sheet music to the notes to sing - I can only sight read when it comes to playing an instrument. The first rehersal I sat looking confused for about 20mins, before I finally picked up the nerve to join in and copy what everyone else was singing! I've always found it much easier to learn pieces once I've heard them through before, so I've been youtube-ing the pieces to sing along to. My flat mate must think I'm nuts....
Apart from that, not much going on. Been spending loads of time in the library and geeking out - I just really hope it all pays off. So any input into my dissertation proposal would be great!