The Myth of Ulsterization in British Security Policy in Northern Ireland

For many years, the term "Ulsterization" has been a byword for the cynicism with which British governments decided to transfer the responsibility (as well as the human cost) for law enforcement to the local population of Northern Ireland. This analysis, however, demonstrates that Ulsterization has generally been misunderstood. Given that the expansion of local security forces was limited to the police, it is perhaps more appropriate to use the term "de-militarization." Also, the label "Ulsterization" has prevented students of the conflict from understanding the most significant development to follow from the policy changes of 1974-75, namely, the professionalization of the local security forces.­