The Theoretical Background and Practical Implications of Argumentation in Ireland

While the association between the words “Ireland” and “argumentation” may not necessarily look particularly straightforward, this book shows that they are, in fact, closely connected. Specifically, the volume offers a linguistic perspective to suggest that the study of reasoned argument is likely to have a wide range of potential applications in the context of Irish public discourse. Taking two of the classic, favourite subjects of inquiry of contemporary argumentation theory, it addresses the issue of the construction of argumentation in the judiciary and in the politics of the Irish Republic. On the basis of three illustrative case studies, the book explores which methods can be used to identify distinctive aspects of the language at work in public settings where argumentation is the expected form of interaction, and the ways in which such methods can lead to an integrated approach to the study of argumentative language in Irish public discourse, in the interest of field scholars and practitioners alike.