Social movements and Ireland is an innovative new text which aims to provide a comprehensive introduction and critical analysis of collective action in Irish society. Participation in social protest in Ireland has become a widely utilized form of political expression and has played a profoundly important role in generating the wide-ranging cultural, political, social and economic changes which have shaped Irish society in the twentieth and twenty-first century. The book combines a broad overview of social movement activity in Ireland with an integrated introduction to the major theoretical forms of social movement analysis, and is ideally suited to the needs of students from a wide range of disciplines. By adopting an integrated approach, this landmark text provides new perspectives on international social movements theory, based on the Irish experience. At the same time, a distinct account of the development of Irish society and ongoing social change is provided through the focus on substantive questions - gender, civil rights, rural development, consumerism, environmentalism, language, sectarianism, sexuality, war, globalization, racism, ethnicity and immigration. -- .

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the emergence, consolidation, and development of the Irish women's movement in the course of the 20th century. It illuminates the processes through which the movement and its networks of organizations came to fruition as agencies of social change. Connolly argues that the Irish women's movement is characterized by its interconnectedness and continuity: its central tensions, themes, and organizing strategies connect diverse organizations and constituencies.

When situated in the wider European context, 'the Irish family' has undergone a process of profound transformation and rapid change in very recent decades. Recent data cites a significant increase in one parent households and a high non-marital birth rate for instance alongside the emergence of cohabitation, divorce, same sex families and reconstituted families. At the same time, the majority of children in Ireland still live in a two-parent family based on marriage and the divorce rate in Ireland is comparatively lower than other European countries. 21st century family life is, in reality, characterised by continuity and change in the Irish context. This book seeks to understand, interpret and theorise family life in Ireland by providing a detailed analysis of historical change, demographic trends, fertility and reproduction, marriage, separation and divorce, sexualities, children and young people, class, gender, motherhood, intergenerational relations, grandparents, ethnicity, globalisation, technology and family practices. A comprehensive analysis of key developments and trends over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is provided.

When situated in the wider European context, 'the Irish family' has undergone a process of profound transformation and rapid change in very recent decades. Recent data cites a significant increase in one parent households and a high non-marital birth rate for instance alongside the emergence of cohabitation, divorce, same sex families and reconstituted families. At the same time, the majority of children in Ireland still live in a two-parent family based on marriage and the divorce rate in Ireland is comparatively lower than other European countries. 21st century family life is, in reality, characterised by continuity and change in the Irish context. This book seeks to understand, interpret and theorise family life in Ireland by providing a detailed analysis of historical change, demographic trends, fertility and reproduction, marriage, separation and divorce, sexualities, children and young people, class, gender, motherhood, intergenerational relations, grandparents, ethnicity, globalisation, technology and family practices. A comprehensive analysis of key developments and trends over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is provided.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the emergence, consolidation and development of the Irish women's movement, as a social movement, in the course of the twentieth century. It seek to address several lacunae in Irish studies by illuminating the processes through which the movement and, in particular, networks of constituent organisations, came to fruition as agencies of social change. The central argument advanced is that when viewed historically, the Irish women's movement is characterised by its interconnectedness and continuity: the central tensions, themes and organising strategies of the movement connects diverse organisations and constituencies, over time and space. This book will be essential reading for those interested in Irish studies, sociology, history, women's studies, and politics.

This wide-ranging volume traces the development of second-wave feminism in Ireland, drawing upon a diversity of rare primary sources, including documents, photos, and publications. Connolly and O'Toole explore several themes in Irish feminist politics from the 1970s to the 1990s, including the emergence of pioneering feminist groups and organizations; reproductive rights and activism; the legal system and the state; the development of cultural projects; feminism and Northern Ireland; lesbian activism; and class and education. This book is an invaluable resource in the fields of history, sociology, politics, Irish studies, and women's studies.

This superbly incisive, comprehensive history of the Irish women's movement from the 1860s to the twenty-first century - appearing for the first time in paperback - shows how a network of constituent organizations and individuals was transformed into an engine of social change. While feminism is a major intellectual and political tradition in Ireland, it has been misrepresented and misunderstood in mainstream Irish studies. This survey of key historical and contemporary perspectives redresses that imbalance. It demonstrates how the women's movement fundamentally challenged established interpretations of the way in which modern Irish society has evolved over time, creating new theoretical directions in Irish studies.