LANGUAGE, DISCOURSE AND DIALOGUE - SINN-FEIN AND THE IRISH PEACE PROCESS

In what ways can we denote changes in Irish republican thinking! This paper is an attempt to answer this question through examining the shif t in republican strategy in recent years. First, we describe the more militaristic approaches undertaken by Sinn Fein and the Provisional Ir ish Republican Army prior to the 1994 cease-fire. Second, we analyse t he new alliances Sinn Fein forged during a period of self-identified p olitical pragmatism. Third, we acknowledge and explain the re-definiti on not only of discourse but also language and imagery which has been used in recent ye:us to form a vocabulary for peace and national recon ciliation. Although, the cease-fire has been broken, as indicated by t he Canary Wharf and Manchester bombings, much of what was achieved in terms of political re-direction is still popular within republican cir cles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.