Overview

Giving voice to everyday people in Ireland, Redefining Irishness in a Globalized World: National Identity and European Integration covers crucial topics around notions of ‘race’, ethnicity, citizenship, inclusiveness, regionalism, global-local dynamics, migration, and governmentality. In this multimedia work, author Yaqoub BouAynaya delves into perceived Irishness and how identity in Ireland evolves within an ever-changing society. Yaqoub examines how identity-related values impact individuals’ engagement in their perceived social reality and studies their representation at the local, national, European and global levels. Additionally, chapters explore the evolution of nationalism and its connection to the postcolonial Irish nation state in the context of European governance and globalization. Discussing and often deconstructing ‘Irish’ national identity, the author incorporates still portraits which expose the reader to variations of Irishness. Drawing on focus groups and analysis of transcribed conversations, Yaqoub presents contemporary attitudes towards identity, ethnicity and citizenship within both Irish and global contexts. Reimagining 'Irish' identity on a uniquely intimate level, this richly thoughtful work aspires to a more egalitarian society in Ireland, Europe and beyond, encouraging readers to rethink their own national identities in turn.

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9781837979417

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Reviews

This ground-breaking book draws on an innovative qualitative audiovisual approach to elicit information from people residing in Ireland what it means to be Irish in the 21st century given the rapidly changing nature of Irish society in part due to migration and globalisation. One of the key thought-provoking findings is the centrality of essentialist notions of race in the social construction of Irishness. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in identity formation, socio-psychological theorisation of identity, and nationhood in Europe and beyond. -- Daniel Faas, Department of Sociology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland This book cuts through the usual fluff about national identities being constructed and fluid, recognizing the gravitational pull of a bureaucratic regression to something less savoury. Remarkably it does this while retaining a much-needed optimism that is grounded in a deeply felt ethical sensibility. Wonderful! -- Andrew Finlay, PhD, Lecturer in Sociology, Trinity College Dublin [Yaqoub BouAynaya] wonderfully captures the hard questions of the global challenges experienced as complex national(istic) internal divisions, while providing alternative frameworks of analysis in a rapidly changing Ireland. He very successfully avoids the clichés attached to the cultural wars, offering nuanced insights into the ways in which the dominant group in Ireland are making sense of contemporary Ireland and Irishness. We get a real sense of the processes, the mechanics, by which identity is redefined in Ireland across regions within the continuum of an ever-changing society. Drawing upon multi-disciplinary theoretical perspectives, diverse empirical work and an original qualitative methodology design of audio-visual production, the book will appeal to the widest audience, including those interested in Irish studies and more broadly questions of identity making in national contexts. Yaqoub BouAynaya is a highly skilled writer, who is able to communicate complex ideas in a simple language that is a joy to read. -- Professor Mairtin Mac an Ghaill, Newman University Birmingham

Author Information

Yaqoub BouAynaya is Lecturer in Sociology at the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), Ireland. In 2006, Yaqoub studied photojournalism at the renowned Danish School of Journalism and has been an ardent photographer ever since. He was awarded Masters of Philosophy in Race, Ethnicity & Conflict (2011) and successfully defended his PhD thesis in Sociology in 2016 at Trinity College Dublin (2016). The appeal of photography for Yaqoub, especially photojournalism, is the unspoken word.

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