Counter-Hegemony and the Irish "Other"

This volume hopes to act as a catalyst for some new and exciting areas of enquiry in the more “liminal” interstices of Irish Studies. Traveller Studies, Romani Studies and Diaspora and Migration Studies. These disciplines are all relatively new areas of enquiry in modern Ireland, a country whose society has witnessed very rapid and wide-ranging cultural and demographic change within the short space of a decade. The issue of multiculturalism is not one which is particularly new to Irish society as a number of contributors to this volume point out. What is new however is an increased acknowledgement of diversity and multiculturalism in Ireland and Europe as a whole. Such an acknowledgement makes increased dialogue between “mainstream” society, older minorities such as the Irish Travellers and the many newer immigrant communities such as the Roma all the more necessary. For such constructive dialogue to take place it is vital that the voices of Travellers and Roma are listened to and that their distinctive worldview be given due acknowledgement and respect. It is hoped that this volume will go some way towards the development of such a process. Some problems in bringing the dialects and culture of smaller Romani groups into the school curriculum / Thomas Acton A hegemony of silence : the case of India's denotified tribes / Ajay Dandekar Obstacles to healthy living & health care for Irish Travellers / Colm Power Irish Travellers and images of counterculturality / Michael Hayes Cultural denigration : media representation of Irish Travellers as criminal / Anthony Drummond Romani origins and Romani identity : a reassessment of the arguments / Ian Hancock Irish Travellers and third-level education : some reflections / John Heneghan A few thoughts on the language and cultural history of the Irish-American Pavee (Travellers) / T.J. Parlari/Parley : Mionteanga Lucht Siúil na nAontaí = Parlari/Parley : the language of the fairground travellers / Michael Hayes Rokkering on the drag / by Alex Smith Edited By Michael Hayes And Thomas Acton. Includes Bibliographical References.