View - eTheses Repository - University of Birmingham

ABSTRACT
This thesis asserts that an Irish dimension reflects approaches towards diversity within the
English History Curriculum. An Irish dimension is explored within the context of
Multicultural Britain, debates over ways in which the past has been constructed and changes
in the history curriculum. A series of ‘fuzzy generalisations’ of an Irish dimension in the
curriculum emerge from questionnaire and interview case studies. This approach is based on
Bassey’s (2001) premise that case studies can lead to tentative generalisations, which are
subject to being challenged by findings drawn from different contexts. This study explores the
perceptions of primary and secondary teachers, together with participants in Irish related
projects and key ‘movers and shakers’ working outside the classroom. The research findings
suggest that a respondent’s perceptions of the importance of an Irish dimension in the
curriculum reflect a range of influences including values, pragmatism, subject knowledge and
expertise. The researcher accepts that the extent to which an Irish dimension contributes to the
history curriculum will vary between different school contexts. However, the thesis argues
that the way in which an Irish dimension is developed and how it relates to the teaching of
diversity within the history curriculum is of more importance than the amount that is taught.