129 research outputs found
The Benefit of Personal Experience and Personal Study: Prisoners and the Politics of Enfranchisement
No full text Prisoners and ex-prisoners have played a prominent role in modern Irish history. Yet despite using their prison experience for political advancement, on release, few political leaders became vocal advocates of penal reform in general or prisoner enfranchisement in particular. Prior to the passing of the Electoral (Amendment) Act in 2006, Irish prisoners were in an anomalous position: they were allowed to register, but no facility existed, for them to vote. However, this did not prevent prisoners from engaging with, and at times, challenging the political system, both north and south throughout the 20th century. Much has been written about political activity among prisoners in Northern Ireland but relatively little about their endeavors in the Irish Republic. This article begins with an examination of political participation among prisoners in the early decades of the Irish State. Despite the legal and political struggle by prisoners and penal reformers to achieve enfranchisement, when it was granted, it was in the context of electoral, rather than penal reform. Prisoner enfranchisement did not become a major issue in Ireland in contrast to other countries and reasons are examined from a historical and political perspective. </jats:p
‘Still Entitled to Our Say’: Prisoners' Perspectives on Politics
No full textIn May 2007, Irish prisoners voted for the first time as a result of legislation which allowed them to cast their franchise. This article outlines the first experience of voting for Irish prisoners and sets out their views on voting, politics, politicians and civic engagement. Despite optimism that enfranchisement would encourage prisoners to vote, the low turnout suggests a population for whom special measures are needed if they are to embrace the franchise. As the Conservative‐Liberal Democrat government considers its response to the Hirst judgment on the enfranchisement of prisoners, the experience of Ireland might help inform UK policy makers in their deliberations
Class, Sexuality and Nationalism: Identity Building in the Prose Writing of Brendan Behan
No full textNathalie Lamprecht Abstract Class, Sexuality and Nationalism: Identity Building in the Prose Writings of Brendan Behan focuses on Irish author, playwright and rebel Brendan Behan's prose fiction. It uses notions of Irish autobiography, memory and narrativity in order to analyse his collected short stories, his only crime novel The Scarperer and his columns, originally published in the Irish Press, as well as his most extensive work, the autobiographical novel Borstal Boy. Due to the autobiographical nature of most of these texts, throughout this thesis biographies of the author function as co-texts. The aim of this thesis is to find out how Behan uses the themes of class, sexuality and nationalism in order to create identity in his prose. Mostly, the author is critical of his time's accepted version of Irishness, creating characters principally based on himself that do not fit the mould
Brendan Behan (les enjeux de la mémoire entre écriture et oralité)
No full textCette thèse de doctorat présente l œuvre de Brendan Behan, dans le but d apporter une contribution à la recherche sur un auteur qui n a pas encore reçu toute l attention qu il mérite. L œuvre de B. Behan est une œuvre très hétérogène qui mélange genres et styles différents, écriture et oralité, texte et images. A travers l étude des publications de l auteur (roman, théâtre, récits enregistrés, productions radiophoniques, poésie, nouvelles et articles) ce travail montre l importance du thème de la mémoire dans la littérature de l auteur. Le titre de la thèse souligne les différents aspects de la mémoire qui sont ici considérés. Le terme de mémoire implique en effet plusieurs notions telles que la faculté de conserver ou de ramener à l esprit le passé, l acte du recouvrement et de la recherche dans la définition de l identité de l individu, ainsi que le devoir de conservation et de transmission de l histoire et de la culture collectives. Du fait des difficultés que l on peut rencontrer dans la définition du concept de mémoire, il faut bien sûr prendre en compte diverses approches (philosophique, psychologique, sociologique, anthropologique et linguistique). Le projet s inscrit dans le domaine plus vaste de la littérature autobiographique irlandaise, et il espère apporter une contribution à ce domaine de recherche qui reste largement ouvert à l investigation. Nous explorons particulièrement le rapport qui existe entre mémoire et imagination. Bien que nous puissions considérer que l œuvre de l auteur s inscrit dans le mouvement littéraire réaliste irlandais des années 1930 et 1940, nous essayons surtout de montrer l importance de l élément fictif de l écriture autobiographique. La littérature est pour Behan un instrument d introspection à travers le souvenir et l imagination. Raconter son histoire personnelle est pour Behan un moyen d oublier l expérience traumatique, individuelle et collective. En même temps, l écriture permet à l auteur d assurer sa présence éternelle.The topic of this doctoral dissertation was dictated by a need to address the lack of critical studies on Brendan Behan. Behan s work appears as a very heterogeneous one, merging various genres and styles, mixing orality and writing, texts and images. Through an investigation of the author s production (novel, recorded books, drama, radio-plays and features, poetry, short stories and sketches), this dissertation aims to show how the concept of memory underpins his literature. The title of the dissertation highlights the various aspects of the term memory explored in this volume. Memory is in fact a hazy concept that may refer to the mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences and to the act of remembrance and the attempt at defining the individual s identity, as well as to the duty of preserving and transmitting collective history and culture. As memory is never easy to define and implies many aspects, different approaches have been taken into account (philosophical, psychological, sociological, anthropological and linguistic). This project is framed by the larger field of Irish autobiographical studies which remains open to further investigations, and our aim has been to bring a modest contribution to it. In the dissertation, we explore above all the connections between memory and imagination. Although Behan s literature may be considered as the author s critical view on Irish society and, thus, brought in line with the realism of the 1920s and 1930s, we shall underline the importance of imagination in the process of recollection and the fictional aspect of autobiographical writing. Literature is for Behan the medium of a personal introspection through recollection and imagination. Telling his personal story is for the author a way of forgetting, hence healing, individual and collective trauma. But at the same time it is an attempt to guarantee the author s infinite presence.TOULOUSE2-SCD-Bib. electronique (315559903) / SudocSudocFranceF
"We are all convicted criminals”? Prisoners, protest and penal politics in the Republic of Ireland
No full textThis article examines protests by “ordinary” prisoners in the Republic of Ireland, which began in the 1970s. Whereas “political” prisoners have attracted significant academic and popular attention, little historical research exists about organizations that represented “ordinary” prisoners, such as the Prisoners Union. Yet “ordinary” prisoners demonstrated that they too had the capacity to organize. Though their protests took similar forms, the state adopted a markedly different approach when dealing with the two groups of prisoners. Despite appalling prison conditions, governments rejected the Prisoners Union’s claim to represent “ordinary” prisoners and resisted its demands for penal reform. In contrast, after more prolonged protests, and despite assertions that the paramilitary organizations to which “political” prisoners belonged posed an existential threat to the state, the government neutralized their protests by accepting their representation, improving their conditions, and effectively recognizing them as a special category of prisoner
Oribatella parallelus Behan-Pelletier & Walter 2012, sp. nov.
No full textOribatella parallelus sp. nov. (Figs. 17, 18A, 29A, B, 30E) Material examined. Holotype: adult female; Canada, British Columbia, Hwy 6, 14.7mi N Burton, 1500ft, 4.ix.1975 (B. D. Ainscough) from cedar, hemlock and birch litter under fallen log; deposited in the CNC, type number 24043. Paratypes: 20 (15 females, 5 males) with same data as holotype; British Columbia, Trinity Valley Field Station, 6 mi N Lumby, 18.vii.1966 (EEL) 1 male from pure cedar Douglas fir duff, no herbs; Valley of Ste. Wiskin Creek, 5 mi S Nakusp, 25.v.1972 (P. Kevan) 3 males. Paratypes deposited in the CNC, RNC and the USNM. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 525–584 µm. Integument of pedotectum I reticulate basally, lamella laterally with strong striae. Rostral margin undulating to concave, with small, rounded lateral teeth. Lamellar cusps contiguous along most of length; separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through long oval opening, 9 µm wide x 16 µm long; translamella without tooth. Medial dens of lamellar cusp 50–64 µm long, lateral dens, 40–50 µm. Bothridial seta 142–161 µm long, with barbed, long bacilliform head, tapered distally. Custodium about 41 µm long, tapered. Ten pairs of weakly barbed notogastral setae present (37 to 67 µm long) with c seta longest, and h 1 shortest; lm posteriad Aa, lp anteriad A1; seta h 1 distinctly directed posteriorly. Distance h 1 –h 1 22–25 µm, subequal or shorter than distance p 1 –p 1 , 25–33 µm. Epimeral seta 4c smallest, thinnest epimeral seta, about 27 µm long; 3c longest seta, about 63 µm, slightly thicker and more barbed than other epimeral setae. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Description. Adults. Dimensions: Mean total length female (n = 4) 567 µm (range 545–584), mean total length male (n = 2) 535 µm (525, 545). Mean notogastral width female (n = 4) 391 µm (range 386–396); mean notogastral width male (n = 2) 371 µm (range 366, 376). Integument: Prodorsum, notogaster, venter and mentum micropunctate; coxisternum, lamellae medially and pedotectum I with fine striae, pedotectum I reticulate basally, lamella laterally with strong striae (Fig. 18A). Prodorsum: Rostral margin undulating to concave, with small, rounded lateral teeth. Lamella about 182 µm long, of which cusp 133–135 µm long, about 61 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps contiguous along most of length, separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through long oval opening, 9 µm wide x 16 µm long; translamella without tooth, about 9 µm at greatest width, about 5 µm at greatest depth (Figs 17, 18A). Medial dens on lamellar cusp 50–64 µm long, without teeth, lateral dens 40–50 µm long, without teeth (Figs 17, 18A). Seta ro about 124 µm long strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially. Seta le about 100 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Seta in about 210 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of insertions of pair about 64 µm. Bothridial seta 142–161 µm long, with barbed, long bacilliform head, tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally (Fig. 18A). Exobothridial seta about 29 µm long, thin, acuminate. Lateral region of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, rounded distally, without ventrodistal dens, with longitudinal ridge ventrolaterally. Tutorium extending anterior of rostrum, about 207 µm long, of which cusp about 111 µm long, rectangular, with 6–10 teeth distally. Custodium about 41 µm long, tapered (shape modified on one side of one specimen (Figs 29A, B)). Porose area Al about 14 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex region lateral of bothridium with about 12 transverse ridges. Pteromorph with striae along margin; with ridges on anteroventral margin. Porose areas about 13 µm in diameter (Fig. 30E). Ten pairs of weakly barbed notogastral setae present (37–67 µm long) with seta c longest, and h 1 shortest, lm posteriad Aa, and lp anteriad A1; seta h 1 distinctly directed posteriorly; distance h 1 –h 1 22–25 µm, distance p 1 –p 1 , 25–33 µm (Fig. 17). Subtriangular lenticulus present. Ventral Region: Epimeral setae mostly 27–63 µm long, weakly barbed; 4c smallest, thinnest epimeral seta, about 27 µm long; 3c longest seta, about 63 µm, slightly thicker and more barbed than other epimeral setae (Fig. 29A). Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae weakly barbed, 8–12 µm long. Genital setae 2+4. Lyrifissure iad anterior of anterolateral corner of anal plate. Postanal porose area oval 23 x 6 µm. Gnathosoma: Anterior border of mentum with reflexed transverse ridge, with narrow tectum. Axillary saccule about 5 x 2 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Seta l” of genua I and II about 44 µm; l” of tibiae I and II about 45 and 35 µm, respectively. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Etymology. The specific epithet is a substantive noun in apposition and refers to the nearly parallel medial margins of the lamellar cusps. Remarks. This species is similar to Oribatella similis Fujikawa, 1990, known from spruce forest in Hokkaido (Fujikawa 1990), the holotype and paratypes of which the senior author has examined. They differ by the following characters (those of O. similis in parentheses): body length 524–584 µm (560–609 µm); medial and lateral dens of lamellar cusp about 50 µm (about 75 µm); lamellar cusps laterally without teeth (lamellar cusps laterally with small teeth). This species is also similar to O. jacoti from eastern North America (Behan-Pelletier 2011). They differ by the following characters (those of O. jacoti in parentheses): body length 524–584 µm (576–624 µm); medial and lateral dens of lamellar cusp about 50 µm (about 72 µm); tutorium about 207 µm long, of which cusp about 111 µm long (tutorium about 228 µm long of which cusp about 144 µm long). Eventually, all three species may prove conspecific, but we retain them as separate species herein because of size differences in multiple character states, and their discrete distributions. Distribution and Ecology. This species is known only from forest habitats in an area on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains in interior British Columbia, in Ecoregion 44 of the Montane Cordillera Ecozone (Atlas of Canada 2007).Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, Valerie M. & Walter, David E., 2012, 3432, pp. 1-62 in Zootaxa 3432 on pages 34-3
Review: ‘Punishment in Europe: A Critical Anatomy of Penal Systems’ by Vincent Ruggiero and Mick Ryan (eds.),
No full textLearning to Escape: Prison Education, Rehabilitation and the Potential for Transformation
No full textThis article examines motivations behind participation in education based on interviews with Irish prisoners. It begins by considering the relationship between education and rehabilitation, especially the latter’s re-emergence in a more authoritarian form. Drawing on results from the research, this article argues that the educational approach, culture and atmosphere are particularly important in creating a learning environment in prison. It makes the case that educational spaces which allow students to voluntarily engage in different types of learning, at their own pace, at a time of their choosing, can be effective in encouraging prisoners to engage in critical reflection and subsequently, to move away from criminal activity. It locates education in prison within a wider context and concludes that while prison education
can work with, it needs to distinguish itself from, state-sponsored rehabilitation programmes and stand on the integrity of its profession, based on principles of pedagogy rather than be lured into the evaluative and correctional milieu of modern penality
Brendan Behan : memory brought into play between writing and orality
No full textCette thèse de doctorat présente l’œuvre de Brendan Behan, dans le but d’apporter une contribution à la recherche sur un auteur qui n’a pas encore reçu toute l’attention qu’il mérite. L’œuvre de B. Behan est une œuvre très hétérogène qui mélange genres et styles différents, écriture et oralité, texte et images. A travers l’étude des publications de l’auteur (roman, théâtre, récits enregistrés, productions radiophoniques, poésie, nouvelles et articles) ce travail montre l’importance du thème de la mémoire dans la littérature de l’auteur. Le titre de la thèse souligne les différents aspects de la mémoire qui sont ici considérés. Le terme de « mémoire » implique en effet plusieurs notions telles que la faculté de conserver ou de ramener à l’esprit le passé, l’acte du recouvrement et de la recherche dans la définition de l’identité de l’individu, ainsi que le devoir de conservation et de transmission de l’histoire et de la culture collectives. Du fait des difficultés que l’on peut rencontrer dans la définition du concept de mémoire, il faut bien sûr prendre en compte diverses approches (philosophique, psychologique, sociologique, anthropologique et linguistique). Le projet s’inscrit dans le domaine plus vaste de la littérature autobiographique irlandaise, et il espère apporter une contribution à ce domaine de recherche qui reste largement ouvert à l’investigation. Nous explorons particulièrement le rapport qui existe entre mémoire et imagination. Bien que nous puissions considérer que l’œuvre de l’auteur s’inscrit dans le mouvement littéraire réaliste irlandais des années 1930 et 1940, nous essayons surtout de montrer l’importance de l’élément fictif de l’écriture autobiographique. La littérature est pour Behan un instrument d’introspection à travers le souvenir et l’imagination. Raconter son histoire personnelle est pour Behan un moyen d’oublier l’expérience traumatique, individuelle et collective. En même temps, l’écriture permet à l’auteur d’assurer sa présence éternelle.The topic of this doctoral dissertation was dictated by a need to address the lack of critical studies on Brendan Behan. Behan’s work appears as a very heterogeneous one, merging various genres and styles, mixing orality and writing, texts and images. Through an investigation of the author’s production (novel, recorded books, drama, radio-plays and features, poetry, short stories and sketches), this dissertation aims to show how the concept of memory underpins his literature. The title of the dissertation highlights the various aspects of the term “memory” explored in this volume. Memory is in fact a hazy concept that may refer to the mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences and to the act of remembrance and the attempt at defining the individual’s identity, as well as to the duty of preserving and transmitting collective history and culture. As memory is never easy to define and implies many aspects, different approaches have been taken into account (philosophical, psychological, sociological, anthropological and linguistic). This project is framed by the larger field of Irish autobiographical studies which remains open to further investigations, and our aim has been to bring a modest contribution to it. In the dissertation, we explore above all the connections between memory and imagination. Although Behan’s literature may be considered as the author’s critical view on Irish society and, thus, brought in line with the realism of the 1920s and 1930s, we shall underline the importance of imagination in the process of recollection and the fictional aspect of autobiographical writing. Literature is for Behan the medium of a personal introspection through recollection and imagination. Telling his personal story is for the author a way of forgetting, hence healing, individual and collective trauma. But at the same time it is an attempt to guarantee the author’s infinite presence
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