Irish Poetry and the Creative Economy

Shirley Wong, PhD, from Westfield State University, will deliver a talk titled, "Contemporary Irish Poetry and the Creative Economy," from her forthcoming book on globalization, place, and contemporary Irish poetry Monday, February 15th at 7:00 P.M. EST. The talk is open to all! 

In this lecture, Wong will discuss occasional poetry, which memorializes a specific event such as a funeral or military victory. Wong argues that contemporary Irish poets exploit the poem’s historic ties to patronage in order to critique the creative economy schemes (e.g. UNESCO City of Literature; Per Cent for Art Scheme; World Cities Culture Forum). Focusing on the work of Paula Meehan, she argues that occasional poetry dramatizes the capitalist crisis of contemporary Irish literature, which has been transformed by Ireland’s rapid financialization from the 1980s to the present. Wong makes the case that contemporary Irish poetry proves an exemplary site to explore how the forces and conditions of neoliberalism and globalization have molded poetic innovation. 

This event is courtesy of our friends in Irish Studies, and it will be held on Zoom.