Overview

The creation of Fianna Fail in 1926 marked a new era in Irish politics wherein an evolved version of Irish republicanism, suited to operate in the Irish Free State, entered the political arena. Fianna Fail was indeed a political organisation, but it was also a nationalist project, intent on creating a wide-reaching electorate and shaping Ireland's political discourse. De Valera's party defied the moribund direction of Irish republicanism, reversing the trend to the extent that the movement ultimately triumphed with the passage of the 1937 Bunreacht na hEireann (Constitution of Ireland) and the Eire Confirmation Bill of 1938. Ireland's New Traditionalists situates Fianna Fail's nationalist republican project within a broader European context by analysing the republican aesthetic through the lens of gender theory as well as situating Ireland within the context of interwar Europe. This analytical approach reveals that Fianna Fail--the party that 'made' the modern Irish Republic--spent a great deal of time and energy in building a national discourse rooted in a male/female binary that served to 'correct' short term crises and long-term traumas by fabricating versions of an idealised Irish Feminine and Masculine that served to embody the party's vision of a traditionalist, yet modern Ireland.

Full Product Details

9781782054399

Table of Contents

Reviews

This book puts forward an original, well-researched, thoughtful and clearly developed argument, which promises to bring welcome depth and nuance to our understanding of Irish culture and politics in the interwar period. The scholarship is rigorous but the presentation of it is uncluttered and crisp, and the overall argument is politically astute but subtle, variegated and undogmatic. The writing style is clear, fluent and accessible. The book will certainly be of interest to scholars and students of Irish history, but also to those in cognate fields, such as literary, cultural and visual studies and gender/queer studies, within the broad field of Irish Studies Dr Michael G. Cronin, Department of English, Maynooth University

Author Information

Kenneth Shonk is an Associate Professor of World History and Social Studies Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. A native of southern California and former high school teacher, he earned his doctorate in Irish history at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His book, Historical Theory and Methods through Popular Music, 1970-2000, co-authored with Daniel McClure, was published by Palgrave in 2017.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available