Abstract
This chapter examines the ethnic portrayal of the Irish in the American gangster film genre. The analysis refers to a small selection of Irish-themed crime films produced between 1990–2010 in light of the historical context and socio-economic status of the Irish in the USA. The chapter concentrates on the ethos of the family and ethnic tribal codes of honor and clan loyalties allowing the survival of vigilante justice. The chapter also explores ethnic ghettos as places threatened not only by gang violence, but also by the dual forces of immigration and gentrification. The chapter concludes that the films illustrate the historical process of the shaping of the Irish-American identity by both American influences and the ethnic environment.
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Martynuska, M. (2016). Ethnic Conflicts in Urban Landscape: Irish-American Representations in the Gangster Film Genre, 1990–2010. In: Arapoglou, E., Kalogeras, Y., Nyman, J. (eds) Racial and Ethnic Identities in the Media. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56834-2_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56834-2_10
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