IES Blog

On Thursday, October 17, the Irish Studies Program was pleased to mark the release of Douglas Hyde: My American Journey, with a visit from the editors of Douglas Hyde's newly published diary and travelogue. Hyde, who would become Ireland’s first president (1938-45), spent eight months traveling across the United States from 1905 to 1906 to raise funds for the Gaelic League. First published in Irish in 1937, the comprehensive new edition and translation of Hyde’s writings sheds light on his work and on the Irish diaspora at the turn of the 20th century.

by Rikke From and Greyson Young

On Thursday, October 3, IES and ISEES were pleased to welcome Professor Paolo Mancosu for a lecture based on his breakthrough study of Russian Nobel laureate Boris Pasternak. Mancosu’s lecture, titled “Moscow Has Ears Everywhere: Olga Ivinskaya and the loss of Pasternak’s 'Will',” centered on Soviet resistance to Pasternak for engaging with Western writers and publishers in order to secure the publication of his 1955 novel Doctor Zhivago, which was primarily distributed in Western Europe.

by Julia Nelsen

On September 26, Irish Studies Program director Catherine Flynn celebrated the release of her new book “James Joyce and the Matter of Paris” before an enthusiastic crowd at City Lights Booksellers in San Francisco. In conversation with Berkeley English professor Kent Puckett, Flynn discussed the importance and influence of the French capital across Joyce's work.

by Danielle Miller

On September 13, the Institute of European Studies and the Clausen Center were honored to host former Prime Minister of Portugal (2002-2004) and former President of the EU Commission (2004-2014) José Manuel Durão Barroso for a forum on the UC Berkeley campus. The conversation drew an audience of 100 and was moderated by IES Director Jeroen Dewulf and Berkeley Professor of Economics Maurice Obstfeld.