Transcending Ethnoreligious Identities in Northern Ireland: Social Work's Role in the Struggle for Recognition

Abstract

It is axiomatic that recognition of the different categories of identity lies at the heart of social and political transmutation. This truism applies to Northern Ireland, where a history of sectarianism has led to an abnormal State and fractured civil society. Yet, sociopolitical structures in this most troubled of regions are now perched on a climactic edge with the reestablishment of a new, devolved political Assembly. At this historic moment, Northern Ireland is witnessing a new optimism as politicians from opposing ends of the political spectrum engage in open debate about local issues. Although progress may be slow, there now seems to be a greater opportunity to engage with the “politics of identity” in a purposeful way. In this new political dispensation, social work is faced with the challenge to move beyond its technocratic mindset to embrace social justice as a master discourse. However, the present paper argues that the starting point for this paradigm shift lies in an understanding of identity formation through the portal of critical social theory. In particular, it will be argued that Honneth's critical theory of recognition provides a means for reshaping social work intervention according to three perspectives: object–relations theory, citizenship rights, and communitarianism. Armed with these perspectives, social workers in Northern Ireland can rethink their role as activists committed to the recognition of all the different categories of identity formed by social class, gender, religion, and culture.