Constructions of Illiteracy in Twentieth-Century Ireland

<p><i>Constructions of Illiteracy in Twentieth-Century Ireland: Contesting the Narrative of Full Literacy</i> offers new insights into literacy and illiteracy in the context of twentieth-century Ireland.</p><p>Through a close analysis of archived documentation from educational military and parliamentary sources the book reveals a potent <i>narrative of full literacy</i> that promoted literacy proficiency as a facet of the Irish national identity and suppressed any formal acknowledgment of illiteracy within the adult population. Tobin applies a sociological approach and uses Foucauldian concepts of <i>knowledge power</i> <i>discourse</i> and <i>silence</i> to examine how constructions of illiteracy and the “illiterate person” varied over time while also being entwined with activities of nation-building in the twentieth century. Though focused on Irish society from 1900 to 1980 this volume also offers a resonant lens through which to approach the “Decade of Centenaries” an Irish Government initiative spanning 2012–2023 that commemorates significant events in the history of the Irish state.</p><p>Relevant to any readers with an interest in the Irish experience of independence decolonisation and postcolonialism this book will be a useful companion for scholars and postgraduate students of literacy and Irish studies more broadly.</p>