How Long to Read Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment

How Long Does it Take to Read Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment?

It takes the average reader 4 hours and 57 minutes to read Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment by James M. Smith

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The Magdalen laundries were workhouses in which many Irish women and girls were effectively imprisoned because they were perceived to be a threat to the moral fiber of society. Mandated by the Irish state beginning in the eighteenth century, they were operated by various orders of the Catholic Church until the last laundry closed in 1996. A few years earlier, in 1993, an order of nuns in Dublin sold part of their Magdalen convent to a real estate developer. The remains of 155 inmates, buried in unmarked graves on the property, were exhumed, cremated, and buried elsewhere in a mass grave. This triggered a public scandal in Ireland and since then the Magdalen laundries have become an important issue in Irish culture, especially with the 2002 release of the film The Magdalene Sisters. Focusing on the ten Catholic Magdalen laundries operating between 1922 and 1996, Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment offers the first history of women entering these institutions in the twentieth century. Because the religious orders have not opened their archival records, Smith argues that Ireland's Magdalen institutions continue to exist in the public mind primarily at the level of story (cultural representation and survivor testimony) rather than history (archival history and documentation). Addressed to academic and general readers alike, James M. Smith's book accomplishes three primary objectives. First, it connects what history we have of the Magdalen laundries to Ireland's “architecture of containment” that made undesirable segments of the female population such as illegitimate children, single mothers, and sexually promiscuous women literally invisible. Second, it critically evaluates cultural representations in drama and visual art of the laundries that have, over the past fifteen years, brought them significant attention in Irish culture. Finally, Smith challenges the nation—church, state, and society—to acknowledge its complicity in Ireland's Magdalen scandal and to offer redress for victims and survivors alike.

How long is Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment?

Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment by James M. Smith is 288 pages long, and a total of 74,304 words.

This makes it 97% the length of the average book. It also has 91% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 6 hours and 46 minutes to read Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment aloud.

What Reading Level is Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment?

Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment?

Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment by James M. Smith is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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