Debating austerity in Ireland: crisis, experience and recovery
Book Details
Published by Royal Irish Academy
September 2017
PaperbackNumber of pages: 339
ISBN: 978-1-908997-68-5
The austerity that followed the recent economic and financial crisis has led to impassioned debates across the social sciences and the public at large. Although Ireland was not its only victim, the depth of the interacting economic, banking and budgetary crises has meant that the level of public interest has been especially intense. Among the hotly debated questions: what is austerity? Was it necessary? What have been its consequences? One of the defining features of the debate to date has been its tendency to polarise opinion and adopt a one-dimensional perspective. This book challenges us to adopt a more nuanced approach to understandings of austerity, and by extension the path to recovery. The book brings together leading national and international experts from across the social sciences to debate this traumatic period in Ireland’s economic and social development.
The papers were selected from a conference at the Royal Irish Academy, peer-reviewed and rewritten with the addition of a substantial introduction and conclusion by the editors.
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This book is also available on the Digital Repository of Ireland.
You can buy the e-book here.
Contents
List of figures vii
List of tables viii
About the authors ix
Foreword Patrick Honohan xi
Introduction
Austerity in Ireland: a debate Niamh Moore-Cherry, John McHale and Emma Heffernan 1
Part 1: Austerity as concept and practice
1. A general theory of austerity Simon Wren-Lewis 17
2. Why austerity? John McHale 37
3. The ideological project of austerity experts Kieran Allen 53
4. Irish media coverage of the housing bubble and austerity Julien Mercille 67
Part 2: Experiencing austerity
5. Austerity in the European periphery: the Irish experience Niamh Hardiman, Spyros Blavoukos, Sebastian Dellepiane Avellaneda and George Pagoulatos 83
6. Austerity and inequality in Ireland Christopher T. Whelan and Brian Nolan 100
7. Austerity, resistance and social protest in Ireland:movement outcomes Niamh Hourigan 115
8. Housing and austerity: a two-way street Ronan Lyons 129
9. Poverty and risk: the impact of austerity on vulnerable females in Dublin’s inner city Emma Heffernan 144
10. Child poverty in a period of austerity Dorothy Watson, Bertrand Maître, Christopher T. Whelan and James Williams 157
11. Resilience: a high price for survival? The impact of austerity on Irish higher education, South and North Rosalind Pritchard and Maria Slowey 175
12. Migration patterns, experiences and consequences in an age of austerity Mary Gilmartin 191
13. The austerity myth: parenting and the new thrift culture in contemporary Ireland Fiona Murphy 204
Part 3: Beyond austerity? From crisis to recovery
14. Ireland’s recovery: explanation, potential and pitfalls Seán Ó Riain 219
15. Resources available for public services: how does Ireland compare now and how to prepare for the future? Seamus Coffey 235
16. Towards an inclusive and just recovery Seán Healy 255
Conclusion: progressing debates on austerity in Ireland John McHale, Niamh Moore-Cherry and Emma Heffernan 270
Appendices 281
Bibliography 310
Index 334