NCJ Number
100164
Date Published
1983
Length
260 pages
Annotation
This book describes and analyzes the revolt in Northern Ireland that has flared since 1968, with attention to historical roots, the social role of violence, and terrorist strategies.
Abstract
Following an overview of the interethnic and interracial situation in the British Isles, the book reviews conflicts between the Irish and the British from the time of Henry VIII through World War I. The repressive nature of British rule in Northern Ireland in subsequent decades is described, as are events which triggered the outbreak of violence in 1968. The book explains how social contexts of various class and ethnic groups condition people to react violently to interpersonal irritants and how such contexts shape the socializing experiences of childhood. The author demonstrates how terrorist acts and threats in Northern Ireland reflect a definite class orientation in their patterning. The final chapters examine political terrorism as a form of theater and outline various nonviolent methods currently being discussed or used to resolve the Irish conflict. Individual chapter references and index.