Them and Us?: Attitudinal Variations Among Churchgoers in Belfast (Insight) - Softcover

Boal, F. W.; Keane, Margaret C.; Livingstone, David N.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0853896798 ISBN 13: 9780853896791

Publisher: The Institute of Irish Studies, 1997

Synopsis

Insight Series No.1.

About this title

From the Publisher

Attitudes among Catholic and Protestant churchgoers in NI.
Northern Ireland is typically portrayed as comprising two monolithic blocs, Catholic and Protestant. Them and us? questions this oversimplification in an in-depth investigation of attitudes among Catholic and Protestant churchgoers. A wide range of moral, religious, social, and political sub-cultures is revealed by analysis of an extensive survey.

Frederick W. Boal and David N. Livingstone are Professors of Geography at the Queen's University of Belfast and Margaret C. Keane is Head of Geography and Director of the Centre for Research and Curriculum Development at St Mary's College, Belfast.

'Unique as Northern Ireland may be, this study confirms that it is not immune to outside trends. Inexorably we are becoming more and more secular. The most frequent attenders at Mass are those who left school at primary level. As more and more go to university, so frequency of attendance falls...The survey also shows how political violence enforces the ghetto society. Seventy per cent of Protestants and 84 per cent of Catholics see themselves living in areas all or mostly of their own kind. Only one Catholic in four, mostly highly educated professionals under 45, would willingly marry an Ulster Protestant.' Belfast Telegraph 30/9/97

'The authors of this book have neatly used the question mark in its title to summarise their survey...Its results have led them to question our unthinking assumptions about the "other side" and to reject the monolithic stereotypes of the "two traditions". They suggest there are significant variations within each group and genuine similarities between them.' Search

Edition details

• Publisher: The Institute of Irish Studies
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0853896798
• ISBN 13: 9780853896791
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240