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Traveller Ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland

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Traveller Ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland UCC Library and UCC researchers have made this item openly available. Please let us know how this has helped you. Thanks! Title The intra-Traveller debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland. A critical discourse analysis Author(s) Brandi, Silvia Publication date 2013 Original citation Brandi, S. 2013. The intra-Traveller debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland. A critical discourse analysis. PhD Thesis, University College Cork. Type of publication Doctoral thesis Rights © 2013, Silvia Brandi. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Item downloaded http://hdl.handle.net/10468/1204 from Downloaded on 2021-10-04T11:30:23Z The intra-Traveller debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ in the Republic of Ireland A Critical Discourse Analysis Silvia Brandi April 2013 A thesis submitted to the School of Applied Social Studies, National University of Ireland, Cork, for the award of PhD Head of School: Prof. Fred Powell Supervisors: Dr. Orla O’Donovan and Rosie Meade School of Applied Social Studies National University of Ireland, Cork Ad Elena, che per prima mi ha insegnato a dubitare del senso comune e ad interrogare la mia identità, grazie e ancora scusa. Che questo foglio bianco accolga quella riconciliazione che la vita ci negò… 2 Contents Declaration 6 Abstract 7 Acknowledgements 8 Chapter One: Introduction 1.1. A new perspective on the debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 9 1.2. Contextualisation of the debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 10 1.3. Heterogeneity of Travellers’ positions on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 12 1.4. Previous academic scholarship on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 15 1.5. Aims, rationale and methodological framework 18 1.6. Outline of dissertation’s structure and contents 21 Chapter Two: General assessment of the notion of ethnicity 2.1. Introduction 25 2.2. Increasing salience of ethnicity in the social sciences 26 2.3. Popular and academic uses of ethnicity 27 2.4. Ethnicity, ‘race’, culture and nation 28 2.4.1. Ethnicity and ‘race’ 28 2.4.2. Ethnicisation or racialisation without ‘race’ 29 2.4.3. Ethnicity and culture 30 2.4.4. Ethnicity and nation 32 2.5. Theoretical foundations of the subjective dimensions of ethnicity 34 2.6. Towards a definition of ethnicity 36 2.7. Processual and political dimensions of ethnicity 37 2.8. The problematisation of ‘group’ 40 2.9. Challenges to modern societies by the politics of recognition 41 2.10. Human rights discourse’s impact on definitions of ethnicity 45 2.11. Strengths and perils of identity politics 46 2.12. Insights from feminist and black politics 51 2.13. Conclusion 56 Chapter Three: Hegemonic and subaltern constructions of Irishness 3.1. Introduction 58 3.2. Positive essentialist Irishness versus negative racialised Irishness 59 3.3. Double-edged nature of Irish nationalism 60 3.4. Irish Travellers’ marginalisation and exclusion 63 3.5. Irish Travellers 66 3.5.1. Difficulties in reconstructing Irish Travellers’ origins 66 3 3.5.2. Theories on Irish Travellers’ origins 68 3.5.3. Irish Travellers’ cultural specificities 70 3.6. Heterogeneous mobile population in early twentieth century Ireland 71 3.7. Material and structural factors in the marginalisation of Travellers 74 3.8. Modernisation’s impact on rural Ireland 74 3.9. Irish State policing of public space and citizens’ behaviour 76 3.10. Rise of social welfare, public housing and spatial planning 77 3.11. Irish Travellers’ relegation to the assistance of the voluntary sector 78 3.12. Conclusion 80 Chapter Four: Traveller politics and policies 4.1. Introduction 82 4.2. The Irish State and the emergence of the ‘itinerant problem’ 82 4.3. Outset of Traveller mobilisation and activism 84 4.4. Affirmation of a charitable reformatory approach to Travellers 86 4.5. The 1980s and the start of a new phase in Traveller politics 89 4.6. Changeover in national Traveller representative organisations 93 4.7. New challenges to the three main national Traveller organisations 99 4.8. Outline of main Traveller policies 101 4.9. Conclusion 106 Chapter Five: Critical Discourse Analysis as a methodology and method 5.1. Introduction 107 5.2. Critical theory as the theoretical perspective underpinning this study 107 5.3. Specificities of critical social research 109 5.4. Key role of discourses in the social world 111 5.5. Adherence to the Critical Discourse Analytical perspective 114 5.6. My operationalisation of CDA: an eight-stage method 117 5.7. Further specifications on textual analysis 123 5.8. Criteria of data selection 124 5.9. Overview of primary data 126 5.10. Limitations of this study 129 5.11. Ethical considerations 131 5.12. Conclusion 132 Chapter Six: Traveller NGOs’ discourses for ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 6.1. Introduction 134 6.2. Contextualisation of the five data 134 6.3. The ITM’s Traveller ethnicity campaign 136 6.3.1. Analysis of D1 136 6.3.2. Analysis of D2 145 6.3.3. Analysis of D3 151 6.3.4. Analysis of D4 172 6.4. Minceirs Whiden’s construction of ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 176 6.4.1.Analysis of D5 176 6.5. Comparative analysis of the examined data 192 4 Chapter Seven: Intra-Traveller problematisation of ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 7.1. Introduction 197 7.2. Contextualisation of Traveller questioning of ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 197 7.3. Analysis of D6 201 7.4. Martin Ward’s stances on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 212 7.4.1. Analysis of D7 212 7.4.2. Analysis of D8 219 7.4.3. Analysis of D9 233 7.5. Comparison between questionings of ‘Traveller ethnicity’ 245 Chapter Eight: Conclusion 8.1. Key insights from this study 248 8.1.1. Attribution of different meanings to ethnicity 248 8.1.2. ‘Traveller ethnicity’ questioned as a political strategy 254 8.1.3. Broader power struggles behind this contest 255 8.1.4. Contest as reflective of different approaches to Travellers 256 8.1.5. Significance of Irishness for Travellers 257 8.2. CDA’s contribution to the interpretation of this debate 259 8.3. Location of this study vis-à-vis dominant trends in research 261 8.4. An Irish exemplification of identity politics’ dilemmas 264 8.5. ‘Traveller ethnicity’ as a matter of Travellers’ self-determination 265 Bibliography 268 Appendices 285 9.1. Brief outline of main national Traveller NGOs 285 9.2. Analysed texts 289 5 DECLARATION I certify that all of this work is my own. Where I have used the work of others, it is acknowledged/referenced accordingly. Furthermore this work has not been submitted for another degree, either at University College Cork or elsewhere. Signed: ……………………………………… (Silvia Brandi) Dated: ………………………………………. 6 Abstract This dissertation assesses from an under-explored angle the enduring contention over Travellers’ ethnic recognition in the Republic of Ireland, particularly over the last decade. The novelty of this study concerns not only its specific focus on and engagement with the debate on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ among Traveller activists. It also pertains to the examination of Travellers’ arguments for and against ethnicity in light of critical theorisations as well as insights from identity politics. Furthermore, the adoption of a Critical Discourse Analytical framework offers new perspectives to this controversy and its potential implications. Finally, this thesis’ relevance extends beyond the contention on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ in itself. It also draws attention to the complex dynamics of colonisation and appropriation between the global and the local. Particularly, it points to the interplay between international human rights discourses and the local ones, formulated by NGOs struggling for equality. In this way it sheds light on more general issues such as the dialectical potential of human rights discourses: the benefits and pitfalls of framing recognition claims in the legalistic terms of human rights. In this study it is argued that the contention on ‘Traveller ethnicity’ defies a simplistic polarisation between Irish Travellers and the Irish State since it has been simultaneously played out within the Travelling community. Specifically, this study explores how ‘Traveller ethnicity’ has been introduced, embraced, promoted and contested within Traveller politics to the point of becoming a hotly debated and divisive issue among Traveller activists and at the heart of the community itself. Putting Traveller activists centre-stage, their discourses for and against ‘Traveller ethnicity’ are examined and assessed against one another and their potential implications for Traveller politics, policies and identities are pointed out. Contending discourses are historically contextualised as the product of specific structural, material and discursive configurations of power and socio-economic relations within Irish society. Discourses for and against ‘Traveller ethnicity’ are assessed as being significant beyond the representational level. They are regarded as contributing to dialectically constitute Travellers’ ways of being, representing and acting. Furthermore these discourses are considered as sites and means of power struggles, whose stakes are not only words, but relate to issues of power and leadership within the Travelling community; adjudications over material resources; the adoption of certain policy approaches over others; and, finally, the consolidation of certain subject positions over others for Travellers to draw upon and relate to mainstream society. This study highlights an ongoing ideological struggle for the naturalisation of ‘Traveller ethnicity’ as a self-evident ‘fact’, which involves no active choice by Travellers themselves. Overall, ‘Traveller ethnicity’ appears to constitute an enduring source of dilemmas for the Travelling community. These revolve around the contradictory potential of ethnicity claims-making —both its perils and advantages— and its status as a potent political strategic resource that can both challenge and reinforce existing power relations, policies and identities. 7 Acknowledgements If I managed to complete my study it is also by virtue of the support I received from many people. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisors, Orla O’Donovan and Rosie Meade, who have accompanied me during this long journey with their invaluable expertise, human and academic support and appreciation.
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