The Politics of Memoir and the Northern Ireland Conflict

Acknowledgements x 1 The Study of Political Memoir and the Legacy of the Conflict in Northern Ireland Introduction The Politics of Memoir: Establishing the Parameters of Study The Construction and Narration of Exemplary Lives The History of an Individual's Soul: Truth and Memory in Life-Writing 2 Provisional Republican Memoir-Writing Introduction Becoming a Provo: Narratives of Belonging Different Worlds of the Troubles: Locality and Internal Republican Politics 3 Departing the Republican Movement: Memoir-Writing and the Politics of Dissent Introduction Explaining the Break: Dissent or Disavowal? 4 Loyalist Paramilitarism and the Politics of Memoir-Writing Introduction: A New Phenomenon? A Line in the Sand? Authorial Motivation and Loyalist Paramilitary Memoir A Confusion of Voices: Author and Subject in Loyalist Life-Writing An Enclosed World? Localism and Loyalist Memoir-Writing Loyalists, Life-Writing and Motivation: Exploitation or Reconciliation? Conclusion 5 Memoir-Writing and Moderation? Ulster Unionists Face the Troubles Introduction Unionists and Reform: O'Neill and Narratives of Frustration Reflections on Unionist Political Division: O'Neill and Faulkner 6 Northern Nationalists and Memoir-Writing: The Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Troubles Rejecting Republicanism? A Paradigm Shift? Civil Rights and the Attitude to Unionism The SDLP and the Troubles 7 A Case-Study of Memoir-Writing and the Elusive Search for a Political Settlement: The 1974 Power-Sharing Executive and Sunningdale Introduction Hope and Hesitation 'A Government of All the Talents' The Ulster Workers' Council Strike: 'A Nightmarish, Surreal Experience' 8 British Ministers and the Politics of Northern Ireland: Reading the Political Memoirs of Secretaries of State Introduction The Experience of Northern Ireland: Marginal or Central? Welcome to Belfast, Minister! Appointing the Secretary of State The 'Loneliness of the Northern Ireland Secretary': Reflecting on Policy-Making as SOSNI Working with the Northern Irish Parties Conclusion 9 Journalists, the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' and the Politics of Memoir-Writing Introduction My War Gone by, I Miss it so ... 'Blow-Ins' and Belfastmen Forgive Us Our Press Passes: Political Space and Journalism Confronting the Past: Distance and Denial Telling the Story and Telling one's Story Reflections on Reporting Political Violence Conclusion 10 Victims and Memoir-Writing: Leaving the Troubles Behind? Introduction Insiders and Outsiders: The 'Different Worlds' of the Troubles Memoir-Writing and the Question of Timing Victims and Perpetrators: Towards Understanding? Conclusion 11 Chroniclers of the Conflict Notes and references Bibliography Index