The aim of the Symposium is to encourage scholarly study and public awareness of the historical connections between Ulster and North America including what is commonly called the Scotch-Irish or Ulster-Scots heritage. The Symposium has as its general theme the process of transatlantic emigration and settlement, and links between England, Scotland, Ireland and North America. Its approach is interdisciplinary, encouraging dialogue between those working in different fields including history, language, literature, geography, archaeology, anthropology, folklife, religion, and music, to name a few.

The 2022 symposium theme, “Transatlantic Transitions: Environment and Society”, offers an opportunity to reflect on the two-way diasporic relationship operating across the Atlantic and welcomes papers that explore this influence in both Ulster and America. With the overarching theme of “Migration”, the symposium offers an opportunity to learn from each other by looking at both the past and present. 

The recent Glasgow Climate Change Conference reminded us that environmental history has never been so important. Among other reasons, migration is often a response to environmental
change. The story of movement on a changing planet is intimately tied with themes of home, family and diaspora. A better understanding of our migration past is central to meeting the environmental challenges that we all face and to building a shared future on our common home.

About the host institution:

The Department of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University includes a range of academic programs as well as the outstanding resources of the Center of Excellence in
Appalachian Studies and Services. The Department includes the Bachelor of Arts in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies, the leading program in its field
and the first four-year degree of its kind in the world, along with a range of minors. The Department is also home to its popular and long-running program in Appalachia, Scottish, and Irish Studies, which offers a summer study abroad experience and exchange programs in Scotland and Ireland. In addition to its undergraduate programs, the Department offers both a Graduate Certificate and Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Heritage Interpretation and Museum Studies. The Department’s programs are a natural fit
for ETSU, with its strong history of service to Appalachia and a mission that embraces its Southern Appalachian identity and regional setting, proudly reflecting its traditional roots and heritage.

East Tennessee State University is located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, just an hour’s drive from Asheville, North Carolina. Other nearby attractions include the Appalachian
Trail, The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Carter Fold, Roan Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Grandfather Mountain, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, Cumberland Gap, and many more. Opportunities for excursions will be available.