This thesis examines the social and political activism of the Belfast labour movement though one of its leaders, William Walker (1870 - 1918). It reassesses his place in Irish historiography which often dismissed him despite his acknowledged prominence in early twentieth century Ireland. The thesis argues that Walker has been narrowly defined as a political activist and makes the case for broadening the understanding of him through his social activism. [...]. The thesis conclused by arguing that Walker deserves greater recogniition for his courage, sense of dury and commitment to improving working-class conditions.

This thesis explores the relevance of the Bildungsroman genre to a selection of Northern Irish writing from the 1960s through to the late 1990s. Synthesizing a range of critical approaches it shows how six novels by Leitch, Duffaud, Patterson, Deane, Madden and Molloy challenge the traditional Bildungsroman. It brings the thwarted Bildungsroman into correspondence with the key elements of ‘minority discourse’ as defined by Mohamed and Lloyd (1990), focusing on subjectivity and identity position. Using Jameson’s concept of the ‘political unconscious’ the thesis demonstrates how fragmented and hybridised subjectivities challenge the two main Northern Irish identarian discourses, Irish nationalism and Ulster unionism. It argues that all six counter-Bildungsromane feature some of the characteristics of ‘minority discourse’ with one even providing an example of ‘minor writing’ as defined by Deleuze and Guattari (1975).