Theorizing Ireland

'Claire Connolly has done Irish Studies a service by bringing together a rich and at times surprising collection of materials which speak well to each other ...Connolly's selection ... includes important emergent voices as well as dominant ones and covers a range of cultural forms - poetry, fiction, drama, material culture, political discourse. It therefore provides an excellent introduction to general concerns through examples of some of the most stimulating cultural criticism in the field.' - David Alderson, University of Manchester 'this book will be warmly recieved by students, teachers and other interested readers. Quite simply, Theorizing Ireland comprises an exceptional selection of critical essays, which is richly annotated and thoroughly introduced.' - Paul Delaney, The Irish Review

A new kind of writing about Irish culture has emerged in recent years, the best examples of which are gathered in this volume.A new kind of writing about Irish culture has emerged in recent years, the best examples of which are gathered in this volume. Joining political, linguistic, social and historical approaches to culture, these essays have substantially altered the critical climate of Irish Studies. The Introduction provides a vantage point from which to survey the contemporary critical and cultural currents, while the summaries, glossary and notes for further reading will assist readers who wish to explore in greater depth this challenging and contested field.