This text seeks to redefine the Northern Ireland conflict in terms of the history and literature of imperialism and colonialism. Essays focus on Ulster unionism, Irish nationalism, British nationalism, strategy and policy, culture and gender, and the peace process.

Rethinking Northern Ireland provides a coherent and critical account of the Northern Ireland conflict. Most writing on Northern Ireland is informed by British propaganda, unionist ideology or currently popular 'ethnic conflict' paradigm which allows analysts to wallow in a fascination with tribal loyalty. Rethinking Northern Ireland sets the record straight by re-embedding the conflict in Ireland in the history of a literature on imperialism and colonialism. Written by Irish, Scottish and English women and men it includes material on neglected topics such as the role of Britain, gender, culture and sectarianism. It presents a formidable challenge to the shibboleths of contemporary debate on Northern Ireland.