ABSTRACT
Thinking about what caused the conflict in Northern Ireland, why it went on for so long and how and why it came to the end it did, we often dwell on the mobilisation of nationalism and unionist divisions in the 1960s, politicisation of the republican movement in later years, the changing policies of the British and Irish government and the development of thought within unionism and loyalism. Thus we quite often prioritise political developments, political processes and relations, ideology and strategy. This edited collection is a welcome opportunity to examine how discourses (as the communication in speech or written form of strategic positions and ideological points), whether political, cultural, religious or otherwise, fit into this complex web. Doing so helps to provide a more complete explanation as to the causes and consequences of the Northern Ireland conflict and peace process.
