Shinners, dissos, and dissenters : Irish republican media activism since the Good Friday Agreement

Newspapers, magazines and pamphlets have always been central, almost sacred, forms of communication within Irish republican political culture. While social media is becoming the primary ideological battleground in many democracies, Irish republicanism steadfastly expresses itself in the traditional forms of activist journalism. Shinners, Dissos and Dissenters is a long-term analysis of the development of Irish republican activist media since 1998 and the tumultuous years following the end of the Troubles. It is the first in-depth analysis of the newspapers, magazines and online spaces in which the differing strands of Irish republicanism developed and were articulated during a period where schism and dissent defined a return to violence.Based on an analysis of Irish republican media outlets as well as interviews with the key activists that produced them, this book provides a compelling long-term snapshot of a political ideology in transition. It reveals how Irish Republicanism was moulded by the twin forces of the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the violent internal ideological schism that threatened a return to the ‘bad old days’ of the Troubles.This book is vital for those studying Irish politics and those interestedin activism as it provides new insights into the role that modern activist media forms have played in the ideological development of a 200-year-old political tradition. Shinners, dissos, and dissenters is a long-term analysis of the development of Irish republican media activism since 1998 and the tumultuous years that followed the end of the Troubles. It is the first in-depth analysis of the newspapers, magazines and online spaces in which strands of Irish republicanism developed and were articulated in a period in which schism and dissent underscored a return to violence for dissidents. Based on an analysis of Irish republican media outlets as well as interviews with the key activists that produced them, this book provides a compelling snap shot of a political ideology in transition as it is moulded by the forces of the Peace Process and often violent internal ideological schism that threatened a return to the 'bad old days' of the Troubles Cover Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Glossary Epigraph 1 Northern Ireland, the public sphere and activist media 2 Contemporary Irish republicanism since 1998: the Shinners 3 Contemporary Irish republicanism since 1998: dissos and dissenters 4 Sinn Féin and the life and death of the republican newspaper 5 A republican digital counterculture? Fourthwrite and the Blanket 6 New forms of republican (in)activism: éirígí and RNU 7 Epilogue: Brexit, the border and nationalism’s bounceback Select bibliography Index This book provides a compelling picture of Irish republican activist media outlets like newspapers, magazines and Internet journals and the role that they played ideologically during the tumultuous years that followed the end of the 30-year civil war that was the Troubles and signing of the Good Friday Agreement.