Political Studies Association Ireland Annual Conference 2017

Description

Title of Paper: Political Violence, Ethno-national Commemoration and the Management of Political Constituencies

The paper examines how and why ethno-national political elites use the commemoration and memorialisation of recent conflict to manage their constituencies. Theoretical assumptions about the utility of commemoration in cohering and guiding constituencies is informed by observations taken from several ethno-nationalist settings. Particular attention is given to how elites construct ‘usable’ narratives during periods of political transition from a varied palette of commemorative practices. The paper will argue that this memory work, although linked to narratives of political violence, may not only harden boundaries between rival groups but also enable a more pragmatic adaptation to current political circumstance.

Period	13 Oct 2017
Event type	Conference
Degree of Recognition	International