Bulletin n. 1/2008 | ||
May 2008 | ||
Diez Thomas, Hayward Katy |
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Reconfiguring Spaces of Conflict: Northern Ireland and the Impact of European Integration | ||
in Space and Polity , Volume 12, Number 1 / April , 2008 , 47-62 | ||
The Irish border has historically been one of the most contested borders in Europe. In the context of the peace process and EU membership, co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been encouraged, supported and normalised, although internal borders of segregation stubbornly remain. This paper offers a conceptualisation of borders in conflict cases and a theoretical account of how European integration can affect their transformation. Analysis of the Northern Ireland case shows there are ambiguities within integration that allow for a 'rebordering' of identities at the same time as the state border diminishes in significance. | ||