Women’S Troubles

Claire Pierson is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liverpool

CHOICE Recommended: Graduate students, faculty and professionals.'This book deftly intertwines feminist theory, gender politics, and the nuances of rights movements in post-Agreement Northern Ireland. Pierson’s emphasis on exploring hierarchies of power and the myriad ways that both state and non-state actors have supported and challenged feminism in the 25-year period since the 1998 Agreement is impressive. Readers, especially advanced students and researchers, will appreciate how the success narrative of the post-Agreement world is complicated when a gendered rights perspective comes into focus. By investigating not only foundational concepts linked to gender and feminist politics, Pierson (Univ. of Liverpool, UK) also includes important discussions about intersectionality, coalition/network building, and the influence of social media for feminists in Northern Ireland and beyond. The inclusion of multiple interviews from activists, community leaders, scholars, and elected officials showcases the overlap between theory and practice. Readers interested in an in-depth exploration of gender-based violence, the legacies of memory and conflict, and abortion rights activism will particularly appreciate the final two chapters of this work. Impressively researched, this slim volume highlights how Northern Ireland, so often sidelined in larger discussions about global feminism, can teach us about challenging dominant narratives in a post-conflict society.'--J. M. O'Leary, Mitchell College, CHOICE, March 2026

• Introduction1 Gender identities and political spaces2 Feminist movement building and collective identity3 Gender experts, participation and policy-making4 Women, peace and security? Gender-based violence, legacies of conflict and masculinities5 Beyond the state: prefigurative politics and abortion care activismConclusionReferencesIndex