Unit 2:  Framework and Methodology

Required Readings

• 1.      Chapter 2 (pp. 26-46) in Northern Ireland:  The Politics of War and Peace. 

  • In this chapter Dixon lays out the methodology of his analysis and begins his discussion of how we can use the tools he laid out in Chapter 1 to understand the conflict in Northern Ireland. 

  • If you are not certain about these then be sure to pay close attention to page 26 and his definitions of Power, Ideology and Reality in relation to the study of this conflict. 

  • Pay close attention also to his work on page 34 dealing with the propaganda war.  This will be of great significance when we get to our study of the Dirty Protest, the Hunger Strikes and the rise of Sinn Fein.

Study Questions

1. Explain in your own words the author’s reason for using the interrelationship of Power, Ideology and Reality.

2. Explain how each side in the conflict used/uses words in their war. 

3. Explain what the author hopes to correct in our understanding about the conflict in Northern Ireland.