About this Book

"The contributors to this volume deal with the notion of belonging - how it evolves, manifests itself, is shaped and challenged - across a range of contexts in contemporary Ireland. In Belongings, the reader is invited to contemplate recent developments in Irish society through the eyes of sociologists, who scrutinise a series of events and issues relevant to the years 2005 and 2006. The book provides sociological insights into such diverse topics as the Michael Neary case, the Miss China Ireland pageant, Paddy Power's provocative advertisements and the Jumbo Breakfast Roll. It re-visits events such as the 2006 commemoration of the 1916 Rising, the opening of the Dundrum Town Centre and the Irish Ferries dispute. Issues such as apartment-living, new planned communities, the busyness of everyday life, the attraction of self-help books, and the fervour of 'Munster mania' are examined in a fresh and engaging way."--BOOK JACKET.