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Militant Nationalism Between Movement and Party in Ireland and the Basque Country Cynthia L. Irving |
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A comparative analysis of two militant nationalist groups. Why do some militant nationalists turn to electoral politics while others resist—and even seek to destroy—that arena? Cynthia L. Irvin examines two cases of successful electoral interventions by nationalist organizations engaged in violent political competition: in Northern Ireland and in the Basque provinces of Spain. Based on her findings, she offers insights into the circumstances that lead such groups to abandon violence in favor of institutional political struggle. Using fieldwork done in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country, Irvin develops a model linking the internal dynamics of Sinn Fein and Herri Batasuna (the electoral arm of the militant Basque separatists) to changes in their external environments. In this unusual comparative analysis, she draws on interviews with more than 100 Sinn Fein and Herri Batasuna activists and on a unique survey of 140 Herri Batasuna activists. This approach moves Irvin's work beyond previous analyses, which have relied on either descriptive and historical accounts or formal models of insurgent violence. This detailed account has broad implications for the study of social movements and ethnic identity, providing a valuable new perspective into the strategic interactions and often conflict-ridden relationship between social movements and political parties. "The majority of studies on paramilitary groups focus on why they resort to violence, but Irvin recognizes in this comparison of the Irish and Basque cases that understanding the move from violent to 'playing by the rules of the game' is indispensable. Such knowledge offers insight into the best way to get extremist groups to the negotiating table. Because her data are gathered from interviews (for both cases) and surveys (for the Basque case only), Irvin makes a significant empirical contribution to the study of revolutionary movements. For obvious reasons, it is rare for anyone to observe this particular kind of organization, but the perceptions of these actors are crucial to understanding their behavior in changing contexts. This book should be of interest to a broad cross-section of political scientists and social movements theorists." —American Political Science Review Cynthia L. Irvin is assistant professor of political science at the University of Kentucky. 304 pages | 26 tables | 5 7/8 x 9 | 1999 |
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$28.00 paper