Embedded Spring: Irish Media, Politics and Cultural Survival

Dublin, Ireland | Galway, Ireland

Program Overview

Term Start Date End Date Application Deadline
Embedded Spring 2026
TBA
TBA
Dec 01, 2025
Language(s) of Instruction
English
No
No
No
Class Standing
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
2.0
Restrictions

Students must have completed "Gender, Race, and Class in the Media" (preferably with Professor Marchi) or "Media and Social Change" before going abroad in order to be eligible for this program. This is a 3+1 course. Students will register for the 3 credit JMS course, and Study Abroad will register them in an additional 1 credit. 

Credits

1

Program Advisor
Lloyd Pearson

The Program

Travel to Ireland to study the role of Irish (Gaelic) media in historic and current struggles for political autonomy and cultural identity.

Through readings, films, lectures, and site visits, students will learn the history of British colonialism in Ireland and the role of Irish-Gaelic journalism in the country’s struggles for political independence from England. They will meet Irish Civil Rights activists who fought in the 1960s and 70s for the right to have Irish/Gaelic radio and TV stations in Ireland, and will visit Gaelic radio, TV, print and online news outlets to speak with journalists and other media makers. Focused on the political and cultural importance of native language media for minoritized and formerly colonized populations, students will see examples of Irish-language journalism and cultural programming such as documentaries, websites, children’s cartoons, sports, music videos and soap operas (all subtitled in English), and gain familiarity with contemporary debates about whether the Irish government should continue public funding for Gaelic media.  Students will gain an understanding of similarities between struggles for Gaelic media in Ireland and struggles by minoritized and indigenous populations in other parts of the world for the right to have media in their native languages.

Watch this video to learn more about the program. 

Program Locations

Dublin Ireland

Ireland

Dublin

Dublin is the capital and largest city in Ireland. It's also known to be a historical and contemporary hub for education, the arts, administration and industry. Students will spend two days in Dublin.

Rural Galway (village of Carraroe)

Ireland

Rural Galway (village of Carraroe)

Students will spend four days in Carraroe, a lovely rural village where Gaelic is the main language spoken.

Galway City

Ireland

Galway City

Students will spend two days in Galway City, one of Ireland’s most beautiful and culturally vibrant cities.

Academics

Requirements:

Students must have completed "Gender, Race, and Class in the Media" (preferably with Professor Marchi) or "Media and Social Change" before going abroad in order to be eligible for this program.

Mandatory participation in six 3-hour class meetings on Rutgers campus before travel to Ireland. Students will have assigned weekly readings and films; weekly quizzes and a final writing assignment (due one week after returning to the US) in which they produce a 1,500-word article or high quality video piece about what they learned in the course. 

Learning objectives:

  • Enhance skills in interviewing, writing and photography
  • Understand the historic importance of journalism in Ireland’s fight for Independence from England
  • Learn about the history of British colonialism in Ireland (its economic, political, social and linguistic effects) and Irish Civil Rights struggles for the right to have Irish language radio and TV
  • See examples of Irish-language journalism and cultural programming such as documentaries, cartoons, music videos and soap operas (subtitled in English) 
  • Gain familiarity with contemporary debates about whether the Irish government should continue public funding for Irish-language media programming
  • Understand connections between struggles for Gaelic media in Ireland and struggles by minoritized and indigenous populations in other parts of the world for the right to have media in their native languages
     

Academic Calendar

Embedded Spring

May

2021

Housing and Meals

All lodging is included – a combination of hostels and family stays (shared rooms)

Breakfast is included daily in all three locations

During the 5-day stay in the village of Carraoe, all meals are included at the family-stay 

Galway City and Dublin: students buy their own lunch and dinner, except for “Farewell Dinner” (final night)

Financial Information

Program Costs

This is the billed amount that will appear on your Rutgers term bill during the term you study abroad.
All Students
Program Cost $1,550
*JMS Cost $1,050
Program Cost includes:
  • Tuition
  • Housing
  • Some meals
  • Excursions
  • In-country transportation
  • Administrative Fees
  • Emergency Medical Access Abroad

 

* The program cost for JMS students is only available to JMS-declared majors. 

Out-of-Pocket Costs

These are estimated expenses that are not part of your term bill. Students will need to pay for these expenses out-of-pocket.
Airfare $1,000
Meals $150
Personal Expenses $100
Total $1,250.00
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:

The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.

Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket, while some of these expenses, such as meals and personal expenses, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.

Scholarships

Available to all Rutgers students participating in a Rutgers Global–Study Abroad program. Applications can be found inside of your study abroad program application. For more information, please visit the Scholarship section of our website.

Students in the JMS department are eligible for up to $500 to go toward their study abroad experience.

Faculty Leaders

Dr. Regina Marchi

Regina Marchi is Associate Professor in Rutgers' Department of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS), where she teaches and conducts research about media, culture and politics. An award-winning author and researcher, she studies communication processes of populations historically marginalized from formal politics and/or media because of their race, ethnicity, immigration status, social class, gender or age. She also studies how media can advance or hinder possibilities for democratic participation. Dr. Marchi is the co-liaison of the Global Media Specialization in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies and one of the founders of the JMS short-term study abroad initiative.