Trinity College Dublin

Social Entrepreneurship is a rapidly growing area in Ireland and internationally, as businesses can no longer operate in isolation from social, environmental and political challenges.  When considering climate change trends, economic inequality, and political instability, arguably, those challenges, are existential and urgent. This course develops a critical awareness of major issues, opportunities, and problems associated with social entrepreneurship in Ireland and internationally. Students examine the theoretical underpinnings of social entrepreneurship and social venture development and analyze patterns of social entrepreneurial behavior. Students work with theory, cases, and their own social entrepreneurial projects to identify how social entrepreneurship can respond to and even drive social-economic-political change.

The course focuses on the domestic politics of the states of the modern Middle East. It applies the major concepts of political science and adopts a thematic approach to offer a large survey of the region, from North Africa to the Persian Gulf, from World War One to the present day. Topics include colonialism, identity politics, political economy, state institutions, political ideology, democratization and civil society, gender and youth, leadership, and regime change.

This course addresses the concept of gender in Islam from historical, socio-political, and legal perspectives. A broad range of topics including contemporary debates on identity, feminism and sexuality are covered. The areas of Islamic law pertaining to women’s legal rights is another topic of discussion. The changing discourse regarding construction of gender identities is explored through studies of women’s movements in Muslim majority countries. 

This course offers students a critical perspective on the prevailing trends, dynamics, and opportunities within the field of entrepreneurship. Over the last decade, entrepreneurship has emerged as a pivotal discipline in the business world, garnering attention from scholars, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide. Entrepreneurship serves as a primary catalyst for innovation, economic growth, regional and urban competitiveness, and a vital source of employment. However, it has also faced scrutiny for exacerbating wealth and income disparities, particularly in sectors characterized by winner-takes-all dynamics. As entrepreneurship continues to evolve, expand globally, and provoke both opportunities and controversies, it necessitates a multidisciplinary and international approach. Recognizing the intricate nature of contemporary entrepreneurship, this course draws from diverse theoretical and practical resources.