Racism and Social Change in the Republic of Ireland

"This book would make a welcome contribution to the study of race and racism in Ireland. Fanning's description of the circumstances faced by the Jewish, travelling and asylum-seeking communities in Ireland would add to our understanding of racism in Ireland as would his analysis of the historical context of current events and how that historical context can be linked to nineteenth century Irish nationalism."
Iarfhlaith Watson, Lecturer in Sociology, University College Dublin

"This book fills a gap in the existing literature on Ireland. While there are books that discuss nation-building, Travellers and Jews in the Republic, there is no text that brings these issues together and locates them within the context of racism and social change. There is currently considerable debate about the position of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland, but again, no book considers this 'new' phenomenon in relation to the 'older' forms of immigration and discrimination."
Alastair Christie, Lecturer, Department of Applied Social Studies



Racism and social change in the Republic of Ireland provides an original and challenging account of racism and Irish society. In the last decade Irish society has visibly changed with the emergence of new immigrant communities of black and ethnic minorities. This book argues that Ireland was never immune from the racist ideologies that governed relationships between the 'west and the rest' despite a history of colonial anti-Irish racism. Drawing upon a number of academic disciplines, it focuses on the relationship between ideological forms of racism and its consequences upon black and ethnic minorities, and sets out an invaluable critique of racism in Irish society.

Chapters on nation-building, Ireland's response to the Holocaust, refugees and asylum seekers, the politics of Traveller exclusion and multiculturalism in Ireland examine the mechanics of exclusion resulting from institutional racism within political and administrative processes. The book locates Irish responses to asylum seekers, immigrant minority communities and travelling people within a history of indigenous Irish racisms.

This book will be important for students of contemporary Irish society and Irish social history and for those interested in politics, sociology and social policy and social history.

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Racism in Ireland
3. Nation-building and exclusion
4. Ireland and the Holocaust
5. Refugees and asylum seekers
6. The politics of Traveller exclusion
7. The legacy of anti-Traveller racism
8. Multiculturalism in Ireland
Index