This book studies a vital element of modern British history: the situation in Northern Ireland. Its aim is to provide historical illumination. More than many histories, the history provided in this book is incomplete; not just because of the incompleteness of the source material, but because of the particular framework within which it is conceived. ‘Total history’ only happens once, and not subsequently. This account is restricted to violent relationships, to the reciprocal effect of government in Ireland and resistance to it. The two concepts exist, to a great extent, in symbiosis. Resistance ... More

This book studies a vital element of modern British history: the situation in Northern Ireland. Its aim is to provide historical illumination. More than many histories, the history provided in this book is incomplete; not just because of the incompleteness of the source material, but because of the particular framework within which it is conceived. ‘Total history’ only happens once, and not subsequently. This account is restricted to violent relationships, to the reciprocal effect of government in Ireland and resistance to it. The two concepts exist, to a great extent, in symbiosis. Resistance may be a manifestation of different cultural or political forces, but its meaning is determined by government. The book looks in detail at the concepts of ‘government’ and ‘resistance’.