Irish Exceptionalism? Banal nationalism and multiculturalism in contemporary Irish visual and material culture

<p dir="ltr">During the last five years, Ireland has been enjoying a period of international cultural recognition, producing fashion designers, film makers, actors and musical talents whose work focuses on the country’s national identity. This thesis examines how current visual and material culture in contemporary Ireland promotes the concept of Irish exceptionalism. These exceptionalisms, cultural aspects unique to Irish society, are deconstructed to understand what Ireland’s national identity means in contemporary Ireland. The work is concerned with the question what it means to be Irish today? I will explore how these works showcase Ireland’s current zeitgeist, revealing its preoccupation with national identity and nationalism. I will explore these depictions of Irish excellence through the concepts of ‘Banal Nationalism’, first coined by Michael Billig and Benedict Anderson’s ‘Imagined Communities’. I will also be dissecting how multiculturalism is reflected in Ireland’s increasingly diversify population.</p>