Resetting relationships: UK-Ireland connections, culture and the stories that bind us
Our World, ConnectedShow Notes
What does it really mean to reset a relationship between nations?
In this episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson is joined by Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Modern History at Trinity College Dublin, to discuss the complex and deeply intertwined relationship between the UK and Ireland. Drawing on her own life and work across Ireland, the UK and beyond, Jane reflects on how history, imperial legacy and mobility continue to shape identities and relationships across these islands. Exploring difficult conversations about the past and the challenges brought about by Brexit, as well as celebrating educational and cultural links and looking to a more hopeful future, she explores how these connections can be nurtured.
We also hear a personal perspective from Bukky Adebowale, Policy Education Officer at the Irish Network Against Racism. Bukky shares how her educational and cultural experiences in Ireland and later in the UK shaped her understanding of her Irish and Yoruba identity, sense of belonging and connections. Her story highlights how education, culture and relationships can help people bridge histories, communities and borders.
This episode questions whether national relationships can ever be reset through diplomacy alone, and how culture, education and people-to-people connections can help imagine a more open, empathetic future.
Listen to Our World, Connected, the award-winning podcast from the British Council, exploring culture, communication, and the power of collaboration in a changing world.
Further resources:
Erasmus+ https://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmusplus Higher Education Mobility UK and Ireland https://www.britishcouncil.ie/higher-education-mobility-research Professor Jane Ohlmeyer https://www.janeohlmeyer.ie/
More from Our World, Connected
What happens when a story crosses a border? Can it also help us move beyond our own boundaries?
Our World, Connected, the award-winning podcast from the British Council, is back for season four. Join host Christine Wilson, Director of Research and Insight, as she meets experts and changemakers from around the world to discuss the most pressing issues of our time. Hear big ideas and personal stories about what connects us: from stories across borders to AI and the changing nature of soft power.
In this episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson speaks with Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London and Founding Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Together, they explore why we need a new way of thinking about economic growth, one that places creativity, culture and the common good at the heart of prosperity. They discuss the role of governments in shaping innovation, why arts and culture should be seen as essential public infrastructure, the role of imagination, and how new measures of success could help build more sustainable, inclusive economies.
Did you know that 12 August is International Youth Day? But what happens the day after is just as important, so how can we ensure that it’s both a short-term celebration and a catalyst for lasting change? In this special episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson revisits conversations from season 3, including previously unheard audio, with six inspiring young people. They work across a range of fields, including climate action, health, disability rights, youth policy, culture and filmmaking. A selection of our guests from the past season - Amanda da Cruz Costa, Bukky Adebowale, Saja Mohammed Alkadhimi, Juhi Adhikari, Caitlin Askin and Marko Pešikan - reflect on how their identities and communities have shaped their work, the barriers young people continue to face, and the importance of having a genuine and authentic voice in decisions affecting their lives. Marking International Youth Day and its theme, ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’, the episode asks what meaningful youth leadership looks like and what governments, institutions and other generations must do to continue to support and engage when the global spotlight moves on. Listen to Our World, Connected, the award-winning podcast from the British Council, exploring culture, communication, and the power of collaboration in a changing world.
What can football teach us about connection, community and diplomacy in an interconnected world?