Patrick Finnegan
Department: Social Science and International Studies
Discipline: Politics
Research Centre/Unit: Strategy and Security Institute
Project Summary
My project will examine the activities of the Provisional IRA over the length of the Northern Irish Troubles through the lens of military cohesion. By utilising the theory of task cohesion and professionalism it will be possible to show how a non-state actor has expanded its capabilities through processes of professionalism, in many ways similar to traditional militaries.
Supervisory Team
Primary Supervisor: Anthony King
Secondary Supervisor: Patrick Porter
Wider Research Interests
I have conducted pervious research into cohesion in the Irish Defence Forces during the Second World War or 'Emergency' as it was entitled by the Irish government. During this people the Irish army saw high levels of desertion and ineffectiveness, in particular 5000 men deserted and enlisted in the British army and become fully active in the war.
My research highlighted a number of reasons for this as well as assessed the consequences these men faced upon their return.
