James Beirne
Critical Skills, Maynooth University, Ireland
PhD, Social & Political Thought, York University, Canada
My research interests are wide-ranging, but are united by empirical and theoretical synthesis, queer feminist methodology, a commitment to social justice, and an emphasis on historical mediation. My major projects explore the historical and theoretical relationship between Ireland and the rest of the colonial world. I also conduct interdisciplinary work in critical pedagogies, critical AI studies, games studies, and Irish studies.
Publications
Roots of Anticolonial Universalist Communism: Between James Connolly and Frantz Fanon
Taking James Connolly seriously as a political theorist, I identify some similarities between his work and that of the much more well-known Frantz Fanon.
(2025). ‘Roots of Anticolonial Universalist Communism: Between James Connolly and Frantz Fanon.’ Interventions, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369801X.2025.2555836
Concealed Conscientization: A Case Study of a Commercial Dungeons & Dragons Adventure
We make the case that commercial RPGs are good candidates for conducting social research, demonstrating a case of a D&D adventure producing a moment of conscientization in the players.
(2026). McKenzie, Brian, Bret Zawilski, and James Beirne. ‘Concealed Conscientization: A Case Study of a Commercial Dungeons & Dragons Adventure’. International Journal of Role‑Playing Studies. (in press).
Contact
Please send me an email if you wish to discuss my research or projects.