Language from Below

This book critically investigates the relationship between the Irish language and politics through a survey of individuals and movements associated with the language. This approach takes into account competing socialist and nationalist perspectives on language and society to demonstrate the different motivations for and class interest in Irish. The increasing power of the global market has the negative effect of reducing the well-being and autonomy of national populations. The study examines the decline of the Irish language as part of a global neo-liberal system that homogenises markets by reducing national and linguistic boundaries. It is argued that the struggle for rights is transformational and that the struggle for language rights by individuals and communities is an essential part of this transformation.