AIRE: Attentive Inquiry Reclaiming Environment

PI: Dr Lucy Elvis 

Civic Partner: Cope Galway 

Funder: Irish Research Council, New Foundations Award 

'Aire’ in Irish is translated as both care and attention. AIRE applies care and attention to our relationship to the landscape, outsiders and home by focussing on the experience of young people and older persons, two groups marginalised during the COVID pandemic. 

A community of philosophical inquiry comprised of young people and older persons will read iris Murdoch’s novel The Unicorn together, exploring important questions that arise in the book. An exhibition, reading group resource and conference will connect researchers, readers and the general public with an important Anglo-Irish thinker and urgent questions about our relationship to the environment. 

This project is related to the wider interest in Public Philosophy, in particular, the Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CPI) approach practised by colleagues working in the research theme: philosophy of childhood. In addressing issues of home and environment, the project will also contribute to the applied philosophy work at the University of Galway, Philosophy.  

Project Phases:  

Reading Group: Intergenerational CPI that will read Iris Murdoch’s novel The Unicorn together. This experience will be used to create a reading group resource for others to think philosophically through core philosophical concepts present in the text. 

Exhibition: An exhibition of new artworks as well as reproductions of documents from the Iris Murdoch archive will be hosted at the University of Galway, gallery before moving on to other locations.  

Conference: An international conference on Attention will be hosted at the University of Galway on 18th and 19th of April 2024.