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Introduction Collective Remembering and the Power of Commemoration

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Collective Memory and Political Identity in Northern Ireland

Part of the book series: Memory Politics and Transitional Justice ((MPTJ))

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Abstract

For the lives of many in Ireland, commemoration and memorialisation are common parts of life. Representations and the ways in which narratives of the past are used make a difference in the focus and direction of everyday life. This becomes even more relevant in post-conflict Northern Ireland, where the reproduction of the past and its related narratives carry significance for contemporary politics and society. Everyday references to the past abound in social narratives and references from history retain a centrality in people’s political consciousness and thinking often going to structure current political debates and directly influence the future.

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  1. Emeritus Professor of Political Sociology and Irish Studies, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK

    James W. McAuley

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Correspondence to James W. McAuley .

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McAuley, J.W. (2023). Introduction Collective Remembering and the Power of Commemoration. In: Collective Memory and Political Identity in Northern Ireland. Memory Politics and Transitional Justice. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47675-4_1

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