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Transgender activism in conflict and transition Philip Rivers (24167994) PUREID: 525307609 Transgender Northern Ireland Northern Ireland conflict LGBTQ+ gender theory social movements activism cause lawyer This thesis offers theoretically-informed, empirical, socio-legal research on the transgender social movement in Northern Ireland. It grounds itself in both gender theories (feminist, queer and trans theory) and social movement theory. This is designed to encourage a more focused and holistic approach to the study of transgender rights and identity. In addition to extensive desk-based research, the research draws upon eleven, in-depth semi-structured interviews to document and probe the perspective of key players within the Northern Irish trans social movement. Areas of focus include the use of litigation and legal strategies in relation to trans rights in Northern Ireland, with particular emphasis on how the Northern Irish transgender movement has utilised the language of rights to advance recognition and protections for transgender people. This is given context and meaning with reference to related developments globally and, more particularly, in light of relevant cases and legislation in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. An additional focal point of the research is how the term “activism” is understood within the trans community and how this evolved over time. A related concern is how the Northern Irish transgender movement frames and prioritises issues and how this in turn influences the collective identity of the transgender community. The thesis concludes with reflections on what is different about the nature of collective mobilisation and campaigning strategies in conflicted and transitional societies and how the specific socio-political and cultural context of Northern Ireland has shaped the local campaign for transgender rights.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2027</i>.<br><br><br> 2026-10-01T16:47:19Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32638161.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Transgender_activism_in_conflict_and_transition/32638161 All Rights Reserved Open Access after 2027-12-31