Doctoral Dissertation Research: Irish Neutrality in World War II

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SES - 1131566Jeffrey Olick (PI)Tara Tober (co-PI)University of VirginiaDoctoral Dissertation Research: Irish Neutrality in World War IIAbstractOn September 2nd, 1939, independent Ireland officially declared its neutrality during the Second World War. This period is known as "the Emergency." How and why has public memory and commemoration of this period changed over time? This dissertation traces the causes and consequences of social, political, and cultural shifts in how the Emergency has been officially and publicly remembered in Ireland since 1945. Ireland's neutrality during the deadliest and most widespread war in history, during which it abandoned allies and neighbors and failed to defend democracy against fascism, created difficulties in a post-World War II European context. As such, the Emergency presents a unique case to examine how nations construct and reconstruct particular unpleasant or embarrassing aspects of their past. This project involves analysis of archival data (political speeches, government documents), survey data (Irish opinion polls), and interview data (interviews of Irish soldiers who fought in WWII despite neutrality). Broader ImpactsFindings from this research may be of interest to a broad set of stakeholders, including policy makers, and the general public. Many states and nations periodically face a situation in which part of their past requires interpretation, and re-interpretation. Public memory and efforts to memorialize the past plays an important role in enabling countries to promote national cultures, legitimate the state, and address both positive and negative events of the past. Findings from this research may improve our understanding of how shifts in public memory and commemoration contribute to political stability over time, and to the development of more democratic societies.