Description
The twentieth and twenty-first centuries have witnessed rapid changes around the world, including in Britain and Ireland, which are now multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural countries. But what does it mean to ‘belong’ in these societies, for both old and new communities?
In this powerful and timely event, historian Kieran Connell draws on his own Irish-heritage upbringing in one of Birmingham’s most diverse neighbourhoods to explore the layered histories of multicultural Bradford and other UK cities. He is in conversation with Irish writer and journalist Rosaleen McDonagh, a board member of Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre who was appointed a Human Rights Commissioner in June 2020.
Taking the question ‘Where are you from?’ as a starting point, this conversation looks at how we can honour the past whilst imagining a more inclusive, hopeful future for both Britain and Ireland.
This event is in partnership with Speaking Volumes through their Breaking Ground Ireland Arts Council England funded project.
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About the Authors
Dr. Rosaleen McDonagh
Dr. Rosaleen McDonagh is an Irish disabled traveller woman, playwright, author, and activist, renowned for her powerful work addressing issues of race, disability, and gender. McDonagh holds a BA in Biblical & Theological Studies, two MPhils in Ethnic & Racial Studies and Creative Writing, all from Trinity College Dublin, and a PhD from Northumbria University. In 2024, McDonagh received the inaugural Rowan Award from The Rowan Trust, recognizing her as a catalyst for social change.
Dr. Kieran Connell
Dr. Kieran Connell is a social and cultural historian specialising in modern Britain, with a focus on race, immigration, and multiculturalism. He is currently a Reader in History at Queen’s University Belfast, where he teaches courses on contemporary British history and supervises PhD students in areas such as race and immigration, urban history, and the New Left. Dr. Connell is currently working on a history of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, examining its cultural and political impact.
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