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Masculinities and Generational Change Within the Irish Diaspora

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Identities and Subjectivities

Part of the book series: Geographies of Children and Young People ((GCYP,volume 4))

Abstract

Through the use of participant narratives from the Tyneside Irish community, in the North East of England, this chapter explores how young men can grow up as “Irish subjects.” It highlights ways in which their identities become embodied and emplaced through the concepts of gender and generation. This chapter analyzes men in a diaspora context within the UK and highlights how they construct their national identities. The research is set within a broader set of literatures on the geographies of gender and generation, drawing in particular on the two concepts as social constructions. After an initial discussion of the nature of subjectivities for young men, this chapter explores the role of relational approaches to gendered and generational identities. Following this, empirical examples are drawn from research conducted with men of Irish descent. This research formed an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded studentship between 2010 and 2013. There are three main factors which particularly encourage the growing up as Irish: the first is visits to Ireland itself; the second is cultural participation in Irish activities on Tyneside; and the third is having relatives “back home” in Ireland.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Claremont Road, NE1 7RU, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Michael J. Richardson

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  1. Michael J. Richardson
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Correspondence to Michael J. Richardson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, York University , Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Nancy Worth

  2. Department of Geography, University College London, London, United Kingdom

    Claire Dwyer

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Richardson, M.J. (2016). Masculinities and Generational Change Within the Irish Diaspora. In: Worth, N., Dwyer, C. (eds) Identities and Subjectivities. Geographies of Children and Young People, vol 4. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-023-0_9

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