On this page, you will find all of our media appearances to discuss our work, whether at select committees, on the radio, or on television. You will also find any blogs and op-eds we have written.

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

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

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).

Explainer: Article 16 of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

In light of the challenges that have been seen with the Northern Ireland Protocol since it came into force on 1st January 2021, there have been calls for the UK Government to use Article 16 of the Protocol as a means to solving these issues.

The UK Government has been reluctant to take this step. But in the face of mounting pressure on the UK Government to use it, and increased discussion about it, the complexity of Article 16 has come under close scrutiny.

But what is Article 16, how does it work, and what does it mean?

PI’s Clare Rice prepared an explainer on this for UK in a Changing Europe. This concise guide is available to read in full here: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/article-16-of-the-northern-ireland-protocol/

PI Panel at UACES 2020

The Performing Identities will (virtually) come together on Monday 7th September to lead a panel discussion at the UACES Virtual Conference 2020.

Initially planned to be happening in Belfast, the full conference has now moved to an online platform in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We have planned a panel on the theme of Brexit and Northern Ireland, in which each member will outline some key aspects of the work being done within the Performing Identities project.

This will include the presentation of initial findings from interview-based research in Northern Ireland, and overviews of several forthcoming papers not yet in the public domain.

Central to our plans for the session is to provide a forum for informal discussion – on the work of the team, but also more generally on the topics being covered.

As a ‘non-traditional panel’ at the UACES conference, we had ambitious plans for this session in Belfast. While now proceeding in a virtual format, this remains a session not to be missed for anyone interested in Brexit and its impact in Northern Ireland!


Unfortunately, this panel is only open to registered participants of the conference, but we will be tweeting updates on the day from our account – @performidentity


Blog: Implementing the NI Protocol

Following the publication of the UK’s Command Paper on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement’s Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, our team prepared several pieces of analysis.

Aoife O’Donoghue prepared an article for the DCU Brexit Institute Blog – ‘The UK’s Approach to Implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol‘ – which highlighted absences of detail in the document, reaching a conclusion that ‘this is unlikely to be the basis on which the EU will accept the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.’

Colin Murray, also writing for the DCU Brexit Institute Blog, highlights ambiguities between the UK’s position and the commitments already signed up to in the Withdrawal Agreement. In Front-Foot Negotiations: The UK’s Proposed Implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol it is argued that the document exposes the UK’s weak position in the discussions, and that rather than bravado, a more realistic approach is necessitated.

Clare Rice prepared an article for The UK in a Changing Europe – ‘A road to nowhere? The UK’s approach to implementing the NI Protocol.’ This piece explored the potential intent behind the position the UK outlined on implementing the NI Protocol. It suggests the Command Paper indicates that Northern Ireland will likely become collateral damage as a consequence of political ambitions beyond its control.


For further analysis and immediate responses to developments as they happen, check out our Twitter – @performidentity


General Election 2019 Coverage and Analysis

The PI team have been busy in the lead up to the General Election and in the days since, offering insight and analysis across a range of platforms.

Professor O’Donoghue has appeared on BFM Radio Malaysia and Today FM (Ireland).

Clare Rice has been involved in BBC coverage, appearing on Inside Politics, Sunday Politics, Good Morning Ulster, Evening Extra, Newsline, Newsnight, and the BBC News Channel.

Follow us on Twitter (@performidentity) for all the latest updates and links to catch up on our analyses!