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Event Recordings: Brexit and Identity in Northern Ireland

The ‘Performing Identities’ team hosted two lunchtime events on 23/24 June 2021, marking the culmination of a total of 5 years of work on ESRC-funded projects examining Brexit, Northern Ireland and legal, political and social dynamics of both.

In the first event, the PI team came together virtually to present some key findings from research that had been completed as part of the current project, which commenced in early 2019. This concluded with a Q&A.

A recording of this full event is now available below, along with time indicators for each part of the session.

Schedule

00.13 – Colin Murray (‘Rooting Around in Archives: The Protocol in Context’)

13.06 – Ben Warwick (Citizenship and Brexit)

24.21 – Megan Armstrong and Clare Rice (Brexit and Identity in Northern Ireland)

41.38 – Sylvia de Mars and Aoife O’Donoghue (Multi-level Governance and Brexit)

49.25 – Discussion and Conclusion

Performing Identities: Brexit and Northern Ireland – Part 1

On Thursday 24th June 2021, we hosted a second lunchtime event – a panel discussion focused on the theme of identity in Northern Ireland.

The purpose of this session was to engage in conversation about different perspectives on identity in Northern Ireland and to explore how the often overlooked complexity and diversity of identity in this context interacts with the traditionally binary conceptions along religious and/or constitutional lines.

The esteemed panel included:

Emma DeSouza (Rights Campaigner; Writer)

Mark Devenport (Former Political Editor, BBC NI)

Linda Ervine MBE (Director, Turas; President, East Belfast GAA)

Susan McKay (Journalist; Author of ‘Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground’ – available to purchase here)

John O’Doherty (Director, The Rainbow Project)

Danielle Roberts (Women’s Rights Activist)

A recording of the full discussion, hosted online, is available below.

Performing Identities: Brexit and Northern Ireland – Part 2 (Identity)

PI’s Megan Armstrong also live-tweeted the session, and her summary thread can be found here.

BLOG: ‘Vichy France and Vassalage: Hyperbole versus the Northern Ireland Protocol’

PI’s Colin Murray has analysed the decision reached in the legal case on the Northern Ireland Protocol yesterday.

In his analysis, Colin examines each of the five grounds argued in the case and situates these in wider legal context. He also considers the interaction between the case and sensitive political dynamics at play within Northern Ireland currently in relation to the Protocol.

The full article can be freely accessed here.

BLOG: ‘The Northern Ireland Protocol is currently caught between an untrusting Brussels and an unrealistic London’

PI’s Colin Murray has authored an article examining how differences in understanding the purpose of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland has led to difficulties between the UK and the EU in relation to addressing its challenges.

Published by LSE British Politics and Policy, the article highlights that until a common understanding of the Protocol’s purpose is reached, it is unlikely that agreement will be achieved on some of its more contentious aspects.

The full article is available to read here: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/northern-ireland-protocol/

In short, there seems to be very little point in discussing technical/legal fixes at the moment, because the key actors are talking at such cross-purposes that the most contentious protocol issues cannot be resolved. 

Colin Murray

EVENTS: Performing Identities: Brexit and Northern Ireland

We are very excited to share that PI will be hosting a two-part event in June on the theme of Brexit and Northern Ireland.

Performing Identities: Brexit and Northern Ireland – Part 1

Wednesday 23rd June 2021 – 12.30-1.30pm (Online)

In this lunchtime seminar, PI team members will present key findings from the extensive catalogue of work completed as part of the ESRC-funded ‘Performing Identities’ project, as well as analysis of research that will be publicly shared for the first time.

This session will include work on citizenship and rights, multilevel governance, archival research and key findings from a series of interviews conducted as part of the project exploring identity and Brexit in Northern Ireland. The event will conclude with a Q&A.

Registration is now live and available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/performing-identities-brexit-and-northern-ireland-part-1-tickets-156666797609

The second event will take place the following day (Thursday 24th June) at 1pm – further details and registration information for this will be released soon. Keep an eye on the website and our Twitter account for further updates.


Performing Identities: Brexit and Northern Ireland – Part 2 (Identity)

Thursday 24th June 2021 – 1pm-2.15pm (Online)

Building on themes that emerged through interviews the PI team completed with individuals across Northern Ireland in 2019 and 2020, this event will bring together a range of perspectives and expertise to discuss the complexity and nuances of identity in Northern Ireland.

Panel members are:

– Emma DeSouza (Rights Campaigner; Writer)

– Mark Devenport (Former Political Editor, BBC NI)

– Linda Ervine MBE (Director, Turas; President, East Belfast GAA)

– Susan McKay (Journalist; Author of ‘Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground’ – available to purchase here)

– John O’Doherty (Director, The Rainbow Project)

– Danielle Roberts (Women’s Rights Activist)

Chair: Dr. Clare Rice (Newcastle University)

Registration is available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/performing-identities-brexit-and-northern-ireland-part-2-identity-tickets-157819633773

Article: ‘The Anglo-British imaginary and the rebuilding of the UK’s territorial constitution after Brexit: unitary state or union state?’

‘Territory, Politics and Governance’ has published an article co-authored by PI’s Colin Murray with Daniel Wincott and Greg Davies (both Cardiff University).

The Anglo-British imaginary and the rebuilding of the UK’s territorial constitution after Brexit: unitary state or union state?‘ presents a fascinating examination of the interaction between the Internal Market Act and conflicting understandings of the UK’s constitution.

“The need to replace European law as a foundation of the UK internal market, and the UK Government’s attempts to exert control over this transition, has produced a sustained debate about what the union means after Brexit.”

Wincott, Murray and Davies, 2021

The full paper is available to read here: https://rsa.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21622671.2021.1921613?src=#.YKPX8ahKjIV

A working version (freely available) can also be accessed here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3831946

BLOG: Examining the DUP in Northern Ireland

PI has contributed analysis to a number of outlets on recent developments within Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

In a week that saw a party revolt, the resignation of the First Minister and the announcement of the party’s first leadership campaign in its existence, the team have tweeted, written and spoken about events as they have unfolded.

PI’s Clare Rice was interviewed twice on the BBC News Channel, and prepared a blog analysing the situation for LSE Politics and Policy, available to read here.

Clare was also interviewed by France’s ‘Le Monde’ newspaper about the implications of the changes within the DUP for politics and power-sharing in Northern Ireland. A summary of her analysis was reported in this article: https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2021/04/29/en-irlande-du-nord-les-unionistes-en-crise_6078493_3210.html

The team will continue to share updates on all the latest developments in Northern Ireland on our Twitter – @performidentity

BLOG: Examining the Riots in Northern Ireland

PI’s Clare Rice has written an article examining some of the root causes that have led to rioting, protests and violence in Northern Ireland over recent weeks.

Published by the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank, the piece highlights that a combination of multiple factors have contributed to these scenes, one of which has been the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

The full article is available to read at this link: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/riots-in-northern-ireland-an-explanation/

PI at PSA Annual Conference 2021

The Political Studies Association’s annual conference kicks off on Monday 29th March. Intended to be held in Belfast, the event will be conducted entirely online in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Performing Identities will be presenting two papers over the coming days; very handily, both will be happening in the same session!

Clare Rice will be presenting a solo piece of research examining the implementations of identity and governance provisions agreed in Northern Ireland’s ‘New Decade, New Approach’ deal one year on.

The second will be a joint presentation from Clare Rice, Megan Armstrong and Ben Warwick, outlining some key findings from interviews completed in Northern Ireland on the theme of identity and Brexit.

For those attending the conference, these will be happening in Panel 919 on Wednesday 31st March (9am-10.30am).

Evidence Submission to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee ‘Citizenship and Passport Processes’ Inquiry

PI’s Colin Murray and Clare Rice have submitted evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of the ‘Citizenship and Passport Processes in Northern Ireland’ Inquiry.

The submission examines some of the post-Brexit complexities that Brexit has given rise to in Northern Ireland for citizenship, particularly in relation to the provisions of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.

Their submission is available to download here:


This is a topic that the PI has also written extensively on, including a report for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. See ‘Continuing EU Citizenship “Rights, Opportunities and Benefits” in Northern Ireland after Brexit‘ for more analysis on this.