Community discourse about politics in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Political and parliamentary discourse analysis is a well-established field of research. Such work focuses on the patterns and processes of political discourse and their relation to wider issues and ideologies. In this article, we aim to further understanding of sociopolitical processes by shifting the focus from parliamentary to community discourse about political life. With reference to data from post-devolution Northern Ireland, we examine how political and parliamentary processes are discussed and interpreted at the level of community discourse. Through this approach, we demonstrate: (a) how politics is interpreted differently within different local frames of reference; and (b) how these interpretations are grounded within broader (global) narratives and ideologies of politics. Thus, “lay” interpretations of politics can be seen as finely balanced between local and global concerns.