The Tyranny of Majorities: Democracy, Brexit and the Northern Irish Border This a version of a chapter published in BREXIT AND NORTHERN IRELAND: BORDERING ON CONFUSION? edited (original) (raw)

Brexit has blown open the unreconciled divisions in Northern Ireland

2017

The British and Irish governments have long tried to keep a lid on the tensions in Northern Ireland. But Brexit, argues Duncan Morrow (Ulster University) has exposed the weaknesses of the Good Friday and St Andrew's Agreements - deals that never required each side to give up their aims of ruling Northern Ireland alone. Now these unreconciled political narratives are ...

The Tyranny of Majorities: Democracy, Brexit and the Northern Irish Border

BREXIT AND NORTHERN IRELAND: BORDERING ON CONFUSION? edited by John Mair and Steve Mccabe with Neil Fowler and Leslie Budd, 2019

This a version of a chapter published in BREXIT AND NORTHERN IRELAND: BORDERING ON CONFUSION? edited by John Mair and Steve Mccabe with Neil Fowler and Leslie Budd, and published on 25 September 2019.

Unionist vs. Nationalist: Potential Re- emergence of Identity Crisis in Post-Brexit Northern Ireland

WIMAYA, 2020

As the world begin to enter another decade of the third millennia, Europe has been struck with various challenges that greatly affects its surrounding geopolitics that, depend on the path further taken, would decide its future: whether maintaining solidarity and regional ‘fraternity’, typically in context of European Union (EU), or towards complete jeopardy and dissolution of the long-lasting union that has been tighten since the end of the Second World War. However, preference of member-states is beginning to drift away to the latter as crisis and problems continue to spring, both internally, such as cases with Greek’s monetary inflation, and externally, concerning massive influx of refugees coming from the Middle East and Africa. As suggested by constructivism, the key of successful resolution depends on the intensity of diplomatic communication. By doing so, both countries should have deep understanding of each other’s perspective. In addition, views and interest of Unionist and ...

The Identity of Northern Ireland - A Change over Time

Malmö universitet/Kultur och samhälle, 2020

The result of Brexit in 2016 gave rise to an imposing question for many politicalscholars, what will happen to Northern Ireland? The region had seen a continuous dividesince its establishment under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, with violence taking centerstage over three decades in what has become known as ‘The Troubles’. This period ledto the death of some three thousand plus people. All had then been stabilized by theGood Friday Agreement in 1998, which sought to ensure cooperation amongst thepolitical parties, as well as the disarmament of paramilitary groups. Brexit may nowpressure this peaceful period as we see Northern Ireland becoming an increasing focalpoint between the Republic of Ireland, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.They all look to establish a more defined political foothold in Northern Ireland as itplays an increasingly larger role for the future of Europe. Internally, Northern Irelandalso has the ideologies of its citizens who still have strong beliefs in how the regionshould move forward. Nationalists still long for unification, uniting Northern Irelandwith the Republic of Ireland, while Unionists demand that they remain a part of theUnited Kingdom. Brexit is a major factor for the people of Northern Ireland, it hasswayed their opinion in favor of belonging to the European Union although they stillproceeded to leave at the end of January this year. This thesis explores the idea ofNorthern Ireland’s identity, whether it will sway in the opinion of the United Kingdom,the Republic of Ireland or become something new entirely.Keywords: Northern Ireland, identity, natio

The division of Ireland and its foes: The centenary of resistance to partition

Nations and Nationalism, 2021

Critics of partition argue that it contributes to the perpetuation, rather than the amelioration, of territorial conflict. This paper engages with the theoretical debates on partition, focusing on the particular and illustrative case of Ireland. The island has been partitioned into two polities for a century. Opposition to the partition of Ireland has existed from the outset to the contemporary Brexit context. The argument is that while hostility to partition has experienced different forms, namely, political and violent and different degrees of intensity, there is a historical continuum of contestation against partition in Ireland. While the territorial issue was calmed by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, Brexit has reanimated the border question, providing political momentum for those who aim to challenge the territorial status quo.

Managing Orderly Decline? Nationalism in Northern Ireland Since the Good Friday Agreement (1998)

The Political Quarterly, 2017

The 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election highlighted substantive issues within nationalism. Both the main nationalist parties, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Sinn F ein, recorded the worst combined vote for over 20 years. This article suggests that the downturn in nationalist support was years in the making and examines why nationalist voters might be turning away from the ballot box. It considers the various factors that underlined both parties' approach to consecutive electoral tests from 1998 until 2016, showing how Sinn F ein replaced the SDLP as the leading force within nationalism, and concluding that new leadership may yet halt the process of orderly decline.

An elusive agenda: the development of a middle ground in Northern Ireland

Area, 1998

Any potential resolution to the conflict in Northern freland depends on the deconstruction of the stereotypical ethnic distinction between Catholic/Nationalist/ Republican and Protestant/Unionist/British and associated notions of zero-sum territoriality. This paper discusses some of the evidence for more diverse, pluralist and inclusive conceptualizations of identity, which might be reflected in accommodationist political alignments. Particular attention is given to the influence of class and to the fracturing of identity into its constituents of political allegiance, citizenship, cuftural or ethnic nationalism and constitutional preference, all of which are not necessarily expressed coherently or consistently within any one individual's socio-political behaviour. The paper concludes that there are indications-albeit very diverseof accommodationism, but that these are not yet reflected in any coherent political form.