Research

EROSS promotes and supports interdisciplinary research in the area of Sexuality Studies. It recognises the benefits of joined-up research programmes and the need to address questions of relating to all sexualities from a number of disciplinary perspectives.

EROSS Project Abstracts

Exploring the Life Histories of Older Lesbian Women

This research proposes to explore the lived experiences of older lesbian women in Ireland. Such research has not been undertaken previously in Ireland. The life histories of lesbian women are as complicated and multi-layered as these social histories in other countries have demonstrated. Such histories will be lost given the age of the potential participants. As such this research is crucial for the understanding of the socio-cultural and socio-political context in which lesbian women's experiences were embedded.

A qualitative approach using the biographical methodological framework will be taken using one-to-one in-depth interviews to uncover the history of the lived experience of the post-retired lesbian woman in Ireland.

Dr. Mel Duffy, DCU & Dr. Vera Sheridan, DCU

EROSS Publications

Every year, EROSS publishes research material pertaining to the field of Sexuality Studies:

Cultures of Diversity: Sexual Orientation in An Garda Síochána
Authors: Mel Duffy and Vera Sheridan

This report on the experiences of LGB people working in An Garda Síochána (the Irish Police Force). It unearths both positive and negative lived realities, giving a a voice to those who ordinarily may not be heard. All those who are member of An Garda Síochána or members of the reserves expressed an informed decision to join the Gardaí. They did this while recognising that they were different to others. Yet they all expressed their pride in being police officers. Findings demonstrate that being out and openly gay is not fully acceptable to An Garda Síochána. This is evidenced by the fact that participants remain closeted, or if open, are fearful of a lack of career progression. As such there appears to be a 'glass ceiling' in relation to LGB persons serving in An Garda Síochána. The organizational message appears to be one of no change, and, if anyone is different they should keep their head under the radar, thus remaining invisible.

Voices from the Hinterland (2011)
Author: Mel Duffy

There is a lack of knowledge about lesbian women's lives and social experiences in Irish society. This study deals with the nature of being-in-the- world of health care: the nature of being lesbian women both as service users and orivuders as nurses working in the health care environment. In their day to day living, lesbian women know how to act, react and behave to exist within society. However, these taken-for-granted ways of understanding of being-in-the-world are brought to the forefront when lesbian women seek health care. For lesbian nurses, being-in-the-world of health care is to know that world both as health care professional and as lesbian women. The findings from this study suggest that some lesbian women go to great efforts to conceal their sexual identity. They curtail their behaviour, set up barriers to communication utilising protective devices to protect the self from exposure to Others. Lesbian nurses remain hidden, fearing the consequences of being discovered, which leads to feelings of isolation, loneliness and sadness.

Transcultural Encounters Amongst Women (2010)
Editors: Patricia O'Byrne, Gabrielle Carty and Niamh Thornton

Traditionally women have found recourse in artistic means to interrogate change and upheaval. This volume explores the experiences of women from Spain, Portugal and Latin America in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries who themselves have crossed cultural boundaries or have described this experience in their literature and film. Common to most of the essays are the central issues of identity, values, conflict and interconnectedness and an analysis of the patterns that result from the transcultural encounter of these aspects.

Parallèles : Anthologie critique de la nouvelle féminine de langue française (1996)
Editors: Madeleine Cottenet-Hage and Jean-Philippe Imbert

Dix-sept nouvelles du vingtième siècle, cueillies un peu partout dans la francophonie, permettent de se poser l'éternelle question: y aurait-il des nouvelles qui affirment un caractère spécifiquement féminin? Chacun des textes ici présentés, certains empruntés aux écrivaines les plus importantes de notre monde, est suivi d'un commentaire critique à l'usage des étudiants de troisième cycle. Chaque commentaire est généré d'une école théorique critique spécifique.

EROSS Online Publications

Should you wish to publish online please contact Mel Duffy & Jean-Philippe Imbert. All online publications are double blind peer reviewed and are provided with an ISBN number.