Ireland, before the end: A psychically numb and partially alienated kayfabe state, accepting of biopolitical commodification and predation upon sections of its population

This article outlines some of my experiences of growing up in Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s. It then goes on to discuss what I see are the main changes that Ireland experienced since then. The article argues that by the 2020s Ireland had become a kayfabe state, accepting of biopolitical commodification and indifferent to predation upon segments its population.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Irish Journal of Sociology
Published
2025-10-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/07916035251388896
Primary Topic
Irish and British Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Ireland, before the end: A psychically numb and partially alienated kayfabe state, accepting of biopolitical commodification and predation upon sections of its population

Myles Balfe
Irish Journal of Sociology
Irish and British Studies
article

Ireland, before the end: A psychically numb and partially alienated kayfabe state, accepting of biopolitical commodification and predation upon sections of its population

Myles Balfe
article en

Abstract

This article outlines some of my experiences of growing up in Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s. It then goes on to discuss what I see are the main changes that Ireland experienced since then. The article argues that by the 2020s Ireland had become a kayfabe state, accepting of biopolitical commodification and indifferent to predation upon segments its population.

Irish Journal of Sociology
University College Cork (IE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 59%
Irish and British Studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.