The impact of Brexit on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland -
A special consideration of the relationship between borders and identity processes
The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union holds a new and difficult-to-calculate conflict potential for Northern Ireland. Because Brexit now creates an EU external border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. For to this day, clear discrepancies exist between the two central population groups in Northern Ireland (Irish republicans and Ulster loyalists). The border plays a central role in this (Lenk 2018).
The presentation is based on a study conducted in spring 2022. Both population groups in Northern Ireland were asked in qualitative interviews what role the border plays in their own identity formation.
The lecture presents the results of the study and shows,
- how both population groups construct the border,
- what role the border plays in the everyday life of both groups,
- what significance the border has for the formation of individual identity, and
- with which values the border is symbolically charged.
On the basis of the study, the lecture discussed on a conceptual level to what extent borders have an influence on identity processes (Paasi 2001). Theoretical concepts are taken up and considered in relation to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (for example „The territorial trap“ (Agnew 1994), „Imagined communities“ (Anderson 1983).
The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is a good example of how dynamic borders can be, how they can influence crises and conflicts and how borders can influence identity processes (Weber 2020).
Mots clés : Geographies of borders|Border conflicts|Borders and identity processes|Northern Ireland|Brexit
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