Borders and identities in NI after Brexit: remaking Irish–UK relations

Abstract

The process of de-Europeanisation initiated by the British Government’s form of Brexit poses a major threat to the maintenance of peace in Northern Ireland (NI). This paper contends that a hard Brexit and active dismantling of ties to the European Union (EU) pursued by the Johnson Administration is fundamentally incompatible with the provisions of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA). It is acknowledged that the EU institutions were not directly responsible for achieving the relative peace that resulted. Yet, the EU provided a constructive context for societal normalisation. Shared EU membership improved engagement between the British and Irish governments, fostering ‘habits of co-operation’. It afforded a shared political space that helped transcend binary political, religious and ethnic differences. The implications of Brexit that entails active de-Europeanisation and resulting tensions concerning the NI protocol are therefore significant. Yet, this paper maintains that the long-term impact of Brexit remains uncertain. For instance, it is not clear that a ‘hard’ Brexit will inevitably result in the unification of Ireland. Deadlock marked by prolonged instability appears likely, provoking the re-emergence of sectarian violence. The paper addresses such themes by placing borders and identities at the centre of its analytical framework.