Political Identity in Northern Ireland

The Good Friday Agreement brought an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland. Before the agreement could be reached an end had to be brought to the propaganda campaigns present throughout the period. This thesis investigates the changes that occurred in the language and presentation of major Republican and Unionist parties in the province in order to allow for this agreement to be reached and implemented. This is achieved by viewing the two as social movements, each containing their own group identity influencing the way the symbols, history and events of the province are interpreted. Framing theory is used as a means by which this is applied to both the peace process leading up to the Good Friday Agreement as well as in the years following. This aims to show how each party moved from a viewpoint related to an ongoing conflict to one of cooperation, as well as how each won support for those compromises required to reach an agreement.