The Irish Question

This special issue of "Radical History Review" focuses on the 'Irish question' - the historical role of British imperialism in Ireland and its legacies in the modern Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. This collection of essays places Ireland in a comparative context, addressing the broader relevance of the Irish experience to questions of empire and colonialism worldwide. Examining how the Irish nationalist movement functioned for more than two centuries within the context of various forms of British imperialism, the issue analyzes the evolution of contemporary Ireland's politics of race, immigration, and armed resistance. One contributor addresses the issue of constitutional nationalism in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Ireland, while another looks at the recent history of Irish republicanism in relation to the peace process. Other essays examine Protestant society and Unionist hegemony in nineteenth-century Ulster, immigration and racism as the Irish experienced them in post-war Britain, and the historiography of race and racialization in Ireland. The historical adviser for the award-winning film "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" reflects on its portrayal of the period of the Irish War of Independence and Civil War and a photographic essay focuses on supporters of the modern Irish republican movement in the United States and Ireland. Contributors include: Kevin Bean, Pauline Collombier-Lakeman, Mary Conley, John Corbally, Steve Garner, Diane George, Van Gosse, Martin Hayes, Bill Kissane, Conor McGrady, Kerby Miller, Kevin Noble, and Donal O Drisceoil.