Cathy,

Good luck with your thesis. I believe that this is a much broader topic than you imagine. Songs have helped the cause of peace during war as well as the cause of national unity. There is no more powerful a weapon than a well turned phrase. I can't document this following statement but I recall someone saying of a British officer: We can never truly defeat/subdue the Irish, how can you win over an enemy that goes singing into battle or to their death.

Good luck.

Don Meixner