Full Description
Focusing on Irish speakers in Catholic West Belfast, this ethnography on Irish language and identity explores the complexities of changing, and contradictory, senses of Irishness and shifting practices of 'Irish culture' in the domains of language, music, dance and sports. The author's theoretical approach to ethnicity and ethnic revivals presents an expanded explanatory framework for the social (re)production of ethnicity, theorizing the mutual interrelations between representations and cultural practices regarding their combined capacity to engender ethnic revivals. Relevant not only to readers with an interest in the intricacies of the Northern Irish situation, this book also appeals to a broader readership in anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, history and political science concerned with the mechanisms behind ethnonational conflict and the politics of culture and identity in general.
Contents
Dedication
Epigraph
List of Tables, Figures, Maps
Acknowledgements
Glossary
PROLOGUE
Chapter 1. A Walk of Life: Entering Catholic West Belfast
Chapter 2. Framing the Research: Analytical Approach and Methodology
The Analytical Framework for the Study of Ethnic Identity (and the Irish Language)
On Methodology
PART I: THE IRISH LANGUAGE IN CATHOLIC WEST BELFAST
Chapter 3. Fáilte isteach - Welcome In
Chapter 4. Becoming a Gaeilgeoir
Roibeárd, age 63
Rónán, age 61
Mairéad, age 58
Micheál, age 55
Dónal, age 49
Fíona, age 47
Pól, age 47
Pádraigín, age 40
Sinéad, age 33
Caoimhín, age 17
Preliminary observations
Chapter 5. On Prophets, Godfathers, Rebels and Prostitutes:a Contemporary History of the Irish language in Catholic West Belfast
Emerging structural contexts for the Irish language in the 1950s: a prehistory
Prophets on the moral 'High Meadow': the Cumann Ċluain Árd
From a hedge(d) school to Irish language industries: godfathers of the Irish language
Rebels with/out a political cause: the Jailtacht and beyond
Prostitutes of the Irish language?
Conclusions
Chapter 6. 'Our own native language': Local Representations and Practices of the Irish language
Between purism and pragmatism: the micro-dynamics of Irish language usage
The political hijacking of the Irish language revival: the meso-dynamics of supply and demand
'Our own native language?' The macro-dynamics of rights activism, ethnicism and nationalism
Conclusions
PART II: IRISH IDENTITY IN CATHOLIC WEST BELFAST
Chapter 7. 'It's part of what we are' - Identifying Identity
Chapter 8. Becoming (Aware of) Who You Are: Irish
Roibeárd, age 63
Rónán, age 61
Mairéad, age 58
Micheál, age 55
Dónal, age 49
Fíona, age 47
Pól, age 47
Pádraigín, age 40
Sinéad, age 33
Caoimhín, age 17
Preliminary observations
Chapter 9. Casting Nets of Identity: a Contemporary History of Irishness in Catholic West Belfast
'A constant counter-narrative to the dominant narrative of the society': emerging structural contexts for/eclosing Irishness in Northern Ireland
No games, just sports? Gaelic games and the playground of Catholic West Belfast
'If you feel like singing, do sing an Irish song': Irish music in Catholic West Belfast
Knowing how to do your sevens: dancing to the tune of Irishness in Catholic West Belfast
Conclusions
Chapter 10. 'Something inside so strong': Local Representations and Practices of Irishness
What it takes to be Irish
The Irishness of Protestants and the politics of a classificatory anomaly
Autochthony as the causal logic behind ethnicity
Conclusions
EPILOGUE
Chapter 11. 'Trying to make sense of it all': Identity Matters in Catholic West Belfast
POST SCRIPTUM
Bibliography
Index
