This is the first general history of the Northern Irish civil rights movement to be written from a non-partisan perspective. By using original sources and placing developments within the wider context of post-war European history, it provides a totally new explanation for the outbreak of the Troubles. The book argues that the key to understanding what happened in Northern Ireland during the civil rights crisis lies in politics. The coming of the Troubles was the work of men and women, not fate. The book therefore has a narrative structure and tells the stories of the people - housewives, students, factory workers, civil servants, and prime ministers - who shaped events. Although the book is a case study of Northern Ireland, it will also make a significant contribution to the existing literature on the international student revolt of 1968. Using new research and a new perspective, the book successfully explains how international politics interacted with local circumstances to spark