Loretta Goff | University College Cork (original) (raw)

Publications by Loretta Goff

This article applies theories of humour (incongruity, superiority, relief) to a reading of the fi... more This article applies theories of humour (incongruity, superiority, relief) to a reading of the films Irish Jam (John Eyres, 2006) and The Guard (John Michael McDonagh, 2011) in order to interrogate their depiction of racial, national and cultural stereotypes and differences. Both films combine elements of humour in their portrayal of the " fish out of water " experiences of the African-American male leads in Ireland. Through this we see three consequences: the incongruity of the protagonists' experiences, both in terms of their expectations of Ireland and the expectations the Irish have of them; the superiority felt by certain locals, and, thus vicariously, by audience members for recognising moments of (what they consider) ignorance or racism; humour being used to relieve the tensions of interacting with the Other. I argue that the different uses of humour in these films function as a social corrective in their interrogation of racist ideologies. However, the films play it safe by taking their protagonists out of America, allowing the discussion of race to unfold in Ireland where whiteness holds a unique status (as simultaneously nonwhite because of the historical discrimination the Irish faced), and racial and national differentiation can be conflated. Equally, the films ultimately remain conservative in their interrogation of racism, confronting certain stereotypes while perpetuating others. In this article I examine Irish Jam (John Eyres, 2006) and The Guard (John Michael McDonagh, 2011), two films with African-American male leads who, for very different reasons, find themselves in Ireland. While both films portray " fish out of water " experiences for these characters, they approach this narrative in different ways, perhaps reflective of the production context for each film. John Eyres, the British (with dual United States citizenship) director and cowriter of Irish Jam, previously directed and produced several films largely in the action, thriller and horror genres. On the other hand, The Guard was the feature debut, and something of an auteur effort, from British-Irish writer-director John Michael McDonagh. Equally, Irish Jam, which was made on an approximately 11millionbudget,wasastraight−to−DVDrelease,primarilyforAmericanaudiences,withaverageratings,whileTheGuard,withanestimated11 million budget, was a straight-to-DVD release, primarily for American audiences, with average ratings, while The Guard, with an estimated 11millionbudget,wasastraight−to−DVDrelease,primarilyforAmericanaudiences,withaverageratings,whileTheGuard,withanestimated6 million budget, had a theatrical release and was well received, particularly in Ireland. However, while the circumstances of each film are quite different, both ultimately use various types of humour—according to each film's style—to frame race and nation—the focus of this article. While the humour used in these films is perhaps made possible (or more acceptable) by the unique status of Irish whiteness as non taboo (discussed subsequently), many of the typical elements key to humour, including surprise, fear or tension, and feelings of superiority, are also easily linked with experiencing cultural difference—a differentiation often linked with race. Ultimately, I suggest that humour is used in these films as a type of conservative social corrective for the treatment of both racial and national difference.

Racial minorities have long been excluded, marginalised and misrepresented on the big and the sma... more Racial minorities have long been excluded, marginalised and misrepresented on the big and the small screen. Often, the representation of ethnic minorities is lacking authenticity and is still characterised by decades-old stereotypes. Our increasingly diverse global society is still not reflected in the shows and films we see on TV or in the cinema. However, the representation of race has changed over the last decade. The shifting global political and societal milieu has contributed to a slow rise and an increased presence of minorities on screen, which has generally been greeted by a wave of enthusiasm. Social concerns such as the accumulation of frustrations and racial tension on an international level, Donald Trump's presidency and the exhausting election campaigns in the US and Europe have characterised 2016–17. In a time of police brutality and resurging white nationalism, new films and TV shows ignite public discussion about race and the role of minority groups in the twenty-first century. The increased attention to and critical engagement with race and identity on screen and in the media, including a spate of films and miniseries chronicling episodes in American as well as international history from the past centuries, are at the core of a growing public engagement with questions of civil rights and social justice, which—among others—has sparked movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #OscarsSoWhite. With their ability to display iconic images to mass audiences and to be particularly powerful in reimagining history, film and TV are key players in the public conversation about race and identity. Filmmakers and media artists across the world are creating images that have become part of our modern culture and that deeply influence the public understanding of these concepts.

This article examines the hyphenated Irish-American identity performed by actor Aidan Quinn acros... more This article examines the hyphenated Irish-American identity performed by actor Aidan Quinn across a number of his media appearances. Hyphenated identities are frequently used in our increasingly globalised, migratory world to consolidate two or more national identifications into a singular, new identity. However, the performances of such identities are often complicated by shifting levels of identification, in line with the concept of identity salience, which result in multiple, protean identity performances—from either side of the hyphen—drawn upon as needed. " Celebrity identities " as a construct forms an ideal category for a broader exploration of hyphenated identity performance, as their highly visible public identities most overtly demonstrate the continuous processes of (economically influenced) construction, performance and negotiation that comprise all identity formation. Aidan Quinn, who holds dual United States and Irish citizenship, has spent significant time living in each country, is vocal about his connection to both and is often framed accordingly in the media, makes an ideal case study for examining the nuances of Irish-American identity performance which are magnified as a result his stardom. By looking at how the actor frames (and is framed regarding) his national connections, I interrogate the intricacies of how his experiences in each country are combined in some instances and separated in others, and ultimately argue that the two sides of his hyphenated Irish-American persona are largely kept separate, resulting in multiple identity performances rather than forming a cohesive, singular performance.

There are certain key signifiers in the relationship between Ireland and America, and of the Iris... more There are certain key signifiers in the relationship between Ireland and America, and of the Irish-American identity that are built around stereotypes. These include the use of the Irish landscape, alcohol, and religion. When these tropes, along with the interaction of American and Irish characters, are looked at in terms of how they are specifically deployed within genre films in order to meet the conventions of that genre, they actually de-romanticise the Irish American relationship, even from within the 'spectacle.' To use landscape for a brief example, there are a number of romantic comedy films, including

Reports by Loretta Goff

Conference Papers by Loretta Goff

Since the economic boom of the 1990s, and the mass immigration that accompanied this, Ireland's p... more Since the economic boom of the 1990s, and the mass immigration that accompanied this, Ireland's previously largely homogenous (white) national identity has required reconceptualisation. However, as Zélie Asava notes, "[t]here has been little attempt made in the Loretta Goff is an Irish Research Council PhD candidate in Film and Screen Media at University College Cork. Her writing has featured in The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, Estudios Irlandeses, Alphaville, Persona Studies and Film Ireland. Her research interests include film and identity, representations of Irish-America, stardom, genre and the exportation of culture through film and new media.

This paper examines the (inter)national identities of two of Ireland's emergent female celebritie... more This paper examines the (inter)national identities of two of Ireland's emergent female celebrities, Saoirse Ronan and Ruth Negga, as framed in their films and the media. Ronan, born in America, and Negga, born in Ethiopia, both moved to Ireland at a young age (with Irish parents) and were raised in the country, calling it home. As such, they are largely framed as Irish actors. However, both women are also indelibly linked to another country and can be considered in terms of their hyphenated identities: Irish-American and Irish-Ethiopian. In today's globalised and migratory world hyphenated celebrity identities offer the ideal case study for an interrogation of our own identity construction, performance and negotiation across countries and cultures. The overt and mediated performances of Ronan and Negga demonstrate how their Irish identities are constructed in relation to other national affiliations. Considering gender and ethnicity in addition to nationality, I will examine how each actor is framed in her film performances, particularly as Irish characters (Ronan in Brooklyn (2015) and Negga in Isolation (2005) and Breakfast on Pluto (2005)), as well as their discussion of nationality in interviews. This reveals not only how they position themselves in regards to their multiple national affiliations (and how this changes in different contexts), but also how they are (often conservatively) positioned by others, reflecting broader societal ideologies.

This paper looks at the diasporic Irish-American identity as performed by Saoirse Ronan and Aida... more This paper looks at the diasporic Irish-American identity as performed by Saoirse Ronan and Aidan Quinn in the media, particularly surrounding the promotion of their respective films with strong Irish-American themes, Brooklyn (2015) and This Is My Father (1998). Celebrity identity is carefully constructed, economically rooted and highly performative, and, as such, overtly illustrates our own identity construction, and the influences on it, making it perfect for an examination of the performance of hyphenated and national identities. As the levels of identification with various nationalities in a hyphenated identity shift, in line with the concept of identity salience, heightened performance of one side over another can occur in a given context, often resulting in a division between each side of an individual’s identity, rather than a cohesive singular performance. Following this, both Ronan and Quinn, who hold dual citizenship from Ireland and America and have resided in each country, enact each side of their hyphenated identity as needed. By looking at how each actor frames his/her relationship with Ireland and America, I will interrogate the various connections of the contemporary Irish-American (with direct experience living in both countries) and ultimately argue that the two sides of the hyphenated identity are kept separate, resulting in multiple identity performances, rather than forming a cohesive, singular identity.

This paper applies theories of humour (incongruity, superiority, relief) to a reading of the film... more This paper applies theories of humour (incongruity, superiority, relief) to a reading of the films Irish Jam (2006) and The Guard (2011) in order to interrogate how they depict racial and cultural (national) stereotypes and differences. Both films combine these strands of humour in their portrayal of the " fish out of water " experiences of the African-American male protagonists in Ireland. Through this we see three consequences: the incongruity of the protagonists' experiences, both in terms of their expectations of Ireland and the expectations the Irish have of them; the superiority felt by certain locals, and, thus vicariously, by audience members for recognising moments of (what they consider) ignorance or racism; humour being used as a way to relieve the tensions felt in dealing with the " Other ". I argue that the different uses of humour in these films function as a social corrective in their interrogation of racist ideologies, which are revealed to be not only inappropriate, but also incongruous with reality. However, the films also play it safe by taking their protagonists out of America, allowing the discussion of race to unfold in Ireland where whiteness holds a unique status as non-taboo (resulting from the historical discrimination facing the Irish abroad), and racial and national differentiation can be conflated. Equally, the films ultimately remain conservative in their interrogation of racism, confronting stereotypes, but also perpetuating them.

The past two years have seen Irish talent nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Actre... more The past two years have seen Irish talent nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Actress in a Leading Role: Saoirse Ronan for her role in Brooklyn (2015) and Ruth Negga for her role in Loving (2016). As a result, both actresses became the focus of substantial international media attention, which often linked their own identities with major themes from each film—immigration and race. Ronan, born in America, and Negga, born in Ethiopia, both moved to Ireland at a young age (with Irish parents) and were raised in the country, calling it home. As such, they are largely framed as Irish actors. However, both women are also indelibly linked to another country and can be considered in terms of their hyphenated identities: Irish-American and Irish-Ethiopian. The overt and mediated performances of Ronan and Negga, particularly surrounding the Oscars, demonstrate how their Irish identities are constructed in relation to other nationalities and ethnicities. In today's globalised and migratory world hyphenated celebrity identities offer the ideal case study for an interrogation of our own identity construction, performance and negotiation across countries and cultures. In this paper I will examine the media attention on these actresses regarding their Oscar nominations and nominated performances, revealing not only how they position themselves in regards to their multiple national affiliations (and how this sometimes changes in different contexts, revealing the flexibility of the hyphen), but also how they are (often conservatively) positioned by others, reflecting broader societal ideologies.

New York to radio and television voices we diegetically overhear discussing the existence of (spa... more New York to radio and television voices we diegetically overhear discussing the existence of (space) aliens and the inclusion of numerous references to, and metaphorical uses of, E.T. (1982). Amidst this, as an immigrant narrative, the film also includes direct interaction with the "American Dream" by both the parents and young children of the family, contrasting economic and social perceptions of it. Examples of this address various approaches to (and definitions of) success: hard work paying off versus gamble and risk, caring and helping versus threatening or demanding, and social inclusion versus difference. Though not directly referenced in Irish Jam, the idea of "being alien" is similarly present in this film, embodied in the African-American protagonist who comes to a small Irish village after winning a contest. He is initially cast as an Other, in a culture that is alien to him, before eventually finding himself at home there. As is the case in numerous other films with American protagonists who ultimately move to Ireland, the suggestion made here is that he has traded in the capitalist "American Dream" for a more socially centred Irish one. Ultimately, the economic struggles and failures of the protagonists in both films are cast aside in favour of the successful familial healing which results in each, implying that this is the real dream.

This paper traces the dual performance of Irish and American identity represented by the characte... more This paper traces the dual performance of Irish and American identity represented by the character of Eilis Lacey in Brooklyn (2015), and examines how the topic of the film may have influenced actress Saoirse Ronan's own identity performance while promoting it. One of the key complexities of emigration is the reconfiguration of identity that results from beginning a new life in another country. This alteration becomes even more complex when individuals return "home", or travel frequently between old and new homelands, and thus continue to re-negotiate their identities based on their location. The character of Eilis Lacey emigrates from Ireland to America in the 1950s (reflecting a reality of the time for many Irish), and struggles with identity choices there, and again after returning to Ireland. Her experience is made harder by the cost and difficulty of travel, and slower communication methods of the time, which enforced the feeling of separation between places (and identities). Now, with ease of travel and instantaneous connections afforded by technological advances, this sense of separation has dissipated, allowing for greater flexibility of identity. Saoirse Ronan, who plays Lacey, was born in New York, but grew up in Ireland. She now travels between both countries for work and claims connections to each in interviews. Through a consideration of both Lacey's and Ronan's identity performances, framed by film and media, I will highlight the performative and protean nature of identity, demonstrate the ways in which the Irish and American sides of Irish-American identity are kept separate (in their own worlds) during each time period, and interrogate the reasons for enacting different identities in different places.

This paper will trace how Saoirse Ronan’s identity has been constructed and shaped lately in the ... more This paper will trace how Saoirse Ronan’s identity has been constructed and shaped lately in the media of both Ireland and America, particularly in regards to nationality. Ronan has recently been in the spotlight for her role in Brooklyn, and subsequent award nominations and wins. As a result Saoirse has not only been subject of many articles and discussions, she has also given a number of interviews and made various talk show appearances.
Like her character, Eilis, in Brooklyn, Ronan has connections to both Ireland and America. She was born in New York, grew up in Ireland, and now travels between both countries for work, claiming connections to each in interviews. However, the discussion of Saoirse occurs differently in each country. A recurrent feature of the American media attention is a struggle with (or comment on) the pronunciation of her very Irish name, which leads to a discussion of her “Irishness”, often in terms of particular generalizations or traits, as well as her connection to America. Meanwhile, in Ireland less focus is needed on establishing Ronan’s “Irishness”; here, she is known to be Irish, a national pride is demonstrated in the actress, and she is freer to express other facets of her identity.

Any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the ... more Any man who carries a hyphen about with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic whenever he gets ready. –Woodrow Wilson

Hyphenated identities, which usefully reveal the mediation and ideology at the root of identity formation, have long been a subject of debate in America, from the “hyphen conspiracy” and calls for assimilation and singular allegiance to proud displays of various national heritages. The Irish-American identity is one in particular that has undergone remarkable transformation. Once regarded as amongst the bottom rungs of American society, the identity has now risen to the level of marketability. However, despite achieving its comfortable status today—fully integrated into American society while proudly able to celebrate Irish roots—the contemporary Irish-American identity is not an unproblematic one. Using film as a lens for examining this identity, I will argue in this paper that, though it may be subtle, a push remains ultimately to choose a single side of this hyphenation. By applying Rick Altman’s “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre” to my examination of the Irish-American identity as portrayed in contemporary genre films I will demonstrate how these films, using particular Irish and American tropes within different genre conventions, ultimately take a conservative approach to the hyphenated identity, portraying a singular cultural identity as “safer” and “happier”, despite often encouraging, and profiting off of, an Irish and American relationship.

While notions of identity are often simplified, categorized by nationality, generalizations and s... more While notions of identity are often simplified, categorized by nationality, generalizations and stereotypes, the concept of identity is a very complicated one, with its protean nature making an attempt at any linear definition very difficult. When identity becomes hyphenated even more complications arise. However, using the hyphen as a focal point for the examination of identity reveals the mediation and ideology at the root of identity formation and performance in a manifest way, as hyphenated identities are often the focus of media attention. My paper, which looks particularly at the hyphenated Irish-American identity, begins with an historical overview of the unique journey of this identity in America, rising from the bottom rungs to the top, amidst changing opinions on hyphenation in the country. From this historical context, I use film as a magnifying lens for examining the contemporary hyphenation of Ireland and America, and the problematic performance of this identity. By applying Rick Altman’s “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre” to my examination of Irish and Irish-themed films which portray American characters in Ireland, I demonstrate with some brief examples how, by using key signifiers or tropes of the Irish-American identity and relationship within the conventions of a particular genre, these films, through different methods, ultimately take a conservative approach to the hyphenated identity by portraying a singular identity as “safer”, despite often encouraging an Irish American relationship.

For whether they are set in the pas t or in the future, on the mean streets of a contemporary New... more For whether they are set in the pas t or in the future, on the mean streets of a contemporary New York or long ago in a galaxy far away, genre movies are always about the time and place in which they are made. —Barry Keith Grant This paper examines the relationship of Ireland and America as seen through the lens of the horror genre, with particular reference to films from both sides of the Atlantic: Shrooms (2007) and Leprechaun (1993). Through their subversion of key Irish-American tropes and the romantic or tourist gaze these two films can be read as representative of contemporary fears relating to cultural commodification and colonisation, even while themselves participating in this commodification to a degree. Recent years have seen a large number of horror or comedy/horror films produced in Ireland. The genre, which does not require large budget for productions, can easily be achieved in rural Irish settings. At the same time, the American audience easily identifies with these settings, familiar to them through the genre's convention of isolation. The combination of low budgets, marketability, and increasing distribution options including Netflix and the internet can make these films appealing to produce. The root of the 'fear' produced in horror films, however, may have deeper implications, outside of the conventions of the genre, which both reflect and challenge societal ideologies. My reading of the aforementioned films will attempt to draw out these roots as key difficulties in the contemporary connections between Ireland and America.

Call for Article Abstracts Issue 13 — Screening Race: Constructions and Reconstructions in Twent... more Call for Article Abstracts

Issue 13 — Screening Race: Constructions and Reconstructions in Twenty-first Century Media

Deadline: Friday 9 September 2016

Issue 13 of Alphaville will focus on the renewed interest in race and identity on screen and in the media. These topics have received increasing attention in recent years, including a spate of films and mini-series chronicling episodes in black history from the past two hundred years, and are at the core of a growing public engagement with questions of civil rights and social justice, which most recently has sparked movements like Black Lives Matters in the aftermath of numerous deaths of black citizens at the hands of American police.

With their ability to display iconic images to mass audiences and to be particularly powerful in reimagining and influencing both internal and external views of history, as well as the present and future, film and TV are key players in the public conversation about race and identity. Filmmakers and media artists across the world are creating images that have become part of our modern culture and that deeply influence the public understanding of these concepts.

Media representations of race and identity have changed and shaped how we perceive the world around us. The construction and performance of identity on screen influences our individual identity performance as well as societal opinion on particular identities. However, these constructions are not without complications, notably in terms of what tropes are used to represent specific national, racial or ethnic identities, as well as the balancing act of composite identities and hyphenated subjects.

The forthcoming issue of Alphaville, to be published in summer 2017, will be guided by several overarching questions and ideas. American author, feminist, and social activist bell hooks speaks of the “levelling power” of film, its ability to “reach both into the ivory tower and out to the people on the street in a way that few elements in Western culture can” (Sealey, 2008, p. 14). Do films like Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave, Selma and others demonstrate this levelling power, or is there a danger of oversimplifying and even misrepresenting highly complex issues like race and identity? How are media formats and platforms like TV, web series and the mobile social media influencing the representation and construction of race and identity today? What do these say about our changing society and the role of the media in it?

The Editors invite contributors to investigate topics and issues including, but not limited to:
• Race, representation and identity: a problematic trinity?
• Race on the big screen, race on the small screen — Why now?
• Are we finally ready? Cinematic confrontation with race and identity in twenty-first century screens
• Construction and performance of racial and ethnic identities
• Screening race, shaping identity: How are racial/ethnic identities
represented in contemporary media?
• Considerations of hyphenated or hybrid identity performance in
contemporary media
• The impact of addressing race on screen
• Self-description and self-representation by non-white filmmakers
• The persistence of stereotype in constructing racial/ethnic identities
• Genre and race on screen
• Cultural appropriation of films and TV series
• The director as a mediator between cultures
• Contemporary audiences and the experience of racism on screen
• The overt or inadvertent creation of racist media
• How does the construction of racial identity on screen influences
society/daily identity performances?
• Stardom and race in contemporary media
• Hollywood and whiteness
• Intersections of gender and race in twenty-first century film and TV
• Activism, social media, racial conflict
• The role of media in current political context and debate about race
and identity in the USA
• From Django Unchained to the new The Birth of a Nation (Parker,
2016): Renewed interest in African-American representation on the
big and small screen

Potential contributors are invited to submit a 300-word abstract, 3–5 keywords and a biographical note by Friday 9 September 2016 to Loretta Goff and Caroline Schroeter at the following address: issue13.alphaville@gmail.com

Authors will be notified of editors’ decision by 26 September 2016. Following acceptance, authors will be required to submit their completed articles of 5,500–6,000 words that fully adhere to Alphaville Guidelines, MLA and House Style by Friday 11 November 2016.

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, Aug 17, 2016

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 2017

Irish Studies Review, 2020

The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Irish Cinema, published as part of Rowman &amp... more The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Irish Cinema, published as part of Rowman & Littlefield’s “Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts” series, offers a much needed, and c...

The Legend of Longwood, situated in the realm of family adventure film, is one of a number of rec... more The Legend of Longwood, situated in the realm of family adventure film, is one of a number of recent Irish films, including Pursuit (2015) and Song of the Sea (2014) to feature the use of myth prominently. The film follows twelve year old Mickey Miller, her mother, and younger brother as they move from New York to the fictional Irish village of Longwood after inheriting a home there. Mickey's arrival coincides with the return of the legendary Black Knight. Once a prominent and kind man living in the Dumonceau castle, after his baby daughter was kidnapped he became angry and bitter, working the villagers too hard and starving them in a manner reminiscent of Famine Era Ireland. On the night of a tragic fire that killed seven village children, the Knight mysteriously disappeared and was believed dead. Since then, the village has been cursed by the Black Knight who continues his search for his daughter. While the employment of the myth in this film will satisfy the film's younge...

How does one revive a journal?” and “what does it entail to run a peer-reviewed online postgradua... more How does one revive a journal?” and “what does it entail to run a peer-reviewed online postgraduate journal?“—questions that the new Aigne Editorial Team had to deconstruct and explore when we decided to bring the journal back to life in 2017. Aigne, which was founded in 2010, had not published an issue since 2014 when we came on board. In April that year, an initial group of twelve PhD students from different departments at University College Cork met to discuss what this process of reviving, running and redefining a journal could look like and how we could realise it. [Read more on PDF]

Persona Studies, 2017

This article examines the hyphenated Irish-American identity performed by actor Aidan Quinn acros... more This article examines the hyphenated Irish-American identity performed by actor Aidan Quinn across a number of his media appearances. Hyphenated identities are frequently used in our increasingly globalised, migratory world to consolidate two or more national identifications into a singular, new identity. However, the performances of such identities are often complicated by shifting levels of identification, in line with the concept of identity salience, which result in multiple, protean identity performances-from either side of the hyphen-drawn upon as needed. "Celebrity identities" as a construct forms an ideal category for a broader exploration of hyphenated identity performance, as their highly visible public identities most overtly demonstrate the continuous processes of (economically influenced) construction, performance and negotiation that comprise all identity formation. Aidan Quinn, who holds dual United States and Irish citizenship, has spent significant time living in each country, is vocal about his connection to both and is often framed accordingly in the media, makes an ideal case study for examining the nuances of Irish-American identity performance which are magnified as a result his stardom. By looking at how the actor frames (and is framed regarding) his national connections, I interrogate the intricacies of how his experiences in each country are combined in some instances and separated in others, and ultimately argue that the two sides of his hyphenated Irish-American persona are largely kept separate, resulting in multiple identity performances rather than forming a cohesive, singular performance.

Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 2017