Abstract
The aim of the research is to examine collective identity in activism in Ireland, specifically as part of the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment. It looked at the experiences of first-time activists in order to gain insight into their participation in the Repeal campaign. It was a qualitative study with four participants and used semi-structured interviews for data collection before carrying out a thematic analysis of the data. The researcher found that the participants experiences and interactions with their fellow activists were overwhelmingly positive. In turn it was found that they transcended differences, identified with each other and shared common goals and desires for justice and change. The study found that collective identity, while vital, is still a challenge for contemporary social movements. Despite adopting intersectionality and inclusiveness as strategy the Repeal campaign met with varying and limited degrees of success on the ground.
