Mundane material culture and political identity in Long Kesh / Maze prison

Summary

Studies of the material culture of political imprisonment during the Northern Irish Troubles have hitherto concentrated on prisoner self-expression – especially through the creation of contraband and handicrafts - or the presencing of prison protests in external communities through wall murals. Of less aesthetic value, but highly significant as a both a signifier of compliance / dissent and criminal / political status, are the relationships between prisoners and prison-issue artefacts. From mattresses and blankets, to bed frames, chairs and desks, contemporary prison records and photographs - as well as later oral testimonies - reveal the relationship between prisoner and official material culture was complicated, context-specific and often contested. This paper will discuss how the use, treatment, acceptance and / or rejection of these mundane artefacts are central to understanding the often overlooked roles of materials in prison power relations.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Actor-Network Theory and other Relational Approaches in Historical Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 455