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MAPPING FRONTIERS, PLOTTING PATHWAYS. BACKGROUND. Borders and border zones as a reality of life in contemporary Europe …. BACKGROUND. and the Irish border as a new challenge: from four provinces … to two states. OBJECTIVES.
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BACKGROUND Borders and border zones as a reality of life in contemporary Europe …
BACKGROUND and the Irish border as a new challenge: from four provinces … to two states
OBJECTIVES The programme will explore the border from a comparative historical perspective and look at efforts (especially after 1998) to counteract its more negative effects. It is designed to: • Improve our understanding of the nature of borders in general and of the Irish border in particular • Assess socio-economic and political costs of partition • Examine cross-border bodies, old and new • Propose measures to improve cross-border relations
APPROACH The programme will tackle three main themes: • Borders in comparative perspectivecomparison with other borders and frontiers zones within and outside Europe • The Irish border analysis of partition and its consequences for the two Irish states that appeared in 1921-22 • Cross-border relationsassessment of the degree of cross-border contact in contemporary Ireland and of the changing position since 1998
(1) BORDERS: COMPARATIVE There are many bases of comparison: • “Cold War” frontiers (Korea, China-Taiwan; Germany and Vietnam in the past) • Internal ethnic conflicts (Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Belgium) • Consequences of geopolitical realignment (Alsace-Lorraine, Tyrol, Schleswig) • New transfrontier issues (Basque Country, etc.)
(2) THE IRISH BORDER The evolution of the Irish border will be studied in detail, focusing on: • Partition as a mechanism for separating communities • “Cold-war” perspectives from Dublin and Belfast • The “Irish dimension” after 1972 • Negotiating a new North-South relationship
(3) CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS Here three major sub-themes or topics will be addressed: • The nature of the border • The impact of the border • Addressing the issue of the border
(3) CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS A. The nature of the border • The border and the two communities • The southern minority • The northern minority • The reality of life on the border
(3) CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS B. The impact of the border • Politics and political organisations (parties, elected members) • Public administration (civil services, education, health, etc.) • Communications (road, rail, air, sea; newspapers, radio, TV, etc.) • Economy (trade, industrial develop.) • Society, culture, religion, sports (island-wide organisation)
(3) CROSS-BORDER RELATIONS C. Addressing the issue of the border • Voluntary or non-state initiatives (Co-Operation Ireland etc.) • Public sector initiatives post-1972 • European dimension (INTERREG, Peace and Reconciliation Programme, etc.) • North-South implementation bodies post-1998 • Other forms of institutionalised public sector cooperation
OUTPUTS CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS • Regular workshops and round-table meetings • Periodic conferences and public events • Closing conference PUBLICATIONS • Regular working papers • Journal articles, book chapters, two books • Website PUBLIC IMPACT • Involvement of policy makers • Liaison with public
Research team (Belfast-Armagh): Elizabeth Meehan, Liam O’Dowd, Cathal McCall, Patrick McWilliams, James Anderson, Hastings Donnan, Andy Pollak, Robin Wilson
Research team (Dublin): John Coakley, Jennifer Todd, Etain Tannam, Cormac Ó Gráda, Kevin Howard, Kieran Rankin, John Bradley
CONTACTS: Dublin:+353-1-716 8670ibis@ucd.iewww.ucd.ie/ibis Belfast:+44-28-9097 5317mapping.frontiers@qub.ac.ukwww.governance.qub.ac.uk