Lifting the Veil of the Borderscape
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borderscape concept A thesis by Marnix Mohrmann Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of: Master of Science in Human Geography with specialization in Europe: Borders, Identity and Governance Under supervision of Dr. Olivier Kramsch Second reader: Prof. Dr. Henk van Houtum Internships: Visiting Research Associate at Queen’s University Belfast Radboud University Nijmegen, July 2020 Table of Contents List of abbreviations ......................................................................................................... i Preface ............................................................................................................................ ii Summary ........................................................................................................................ iii 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Laying the foundation .............................................................................................. 1 Cultural turn .................................................................................................................... 4 Irresistible vagueness of the concept .............................................................................. 4 Humanising border studies ............................................................................................. 6 1.2 Research objective and outline ............................................................................... 7 2 Theoretical framework .................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Border Thinking Paradigm ....................................................................................... 9 European border genealogy ........................................................................................... 9 Contemporary borders...................................................................................................10 Borderscape or borderland? ..........................................................................................11 The where of borders ....................................................................................................12 Limitations and possibilities ...........................................................................................14 2.2 Lived experience ....................................................................................................15 Setting the stage ...........................................................................................................15 The Chicago School ......................................................................................................16 Individuality and externality ...........................................................................................19 3 Methodology ..................................................................................................................20 3.1 Methodological framework ......................................................................................20 3.2 General approach ..................................................................................................21 3.3 Phenomenology .....................................................................................................23 3.4 Spatially augmenting phenomenology ....................................................................25 Epistemological axis ......................................................................................................25 Ontological axis .............................................................................................................26 Methodological axis .......................................................................................................27 3.5 Data gathering and analysis ...................................................................................27 4 The Ulster Borderscape .................................................................................................30 4.1 The history of Northern Ireland ...............................................................................31 Through the centuries ...................................................................................................31 Northern Ireland’s ‘antebellum’ and the social justice movement ...................................35 The Troubles .................................................................................................................37 4.2 Building the borderscape ........................................................................................39 A stroll through Belfast ..................................................................................................39 Religion and Maps of Northern Ireland ..........................................................................45 An Ghaeilge ..................................................................................................................48 Identity, politics and the border ......................................................................................53 5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................58 5.1 Lived experience and Northern Ireland ...................................................................58 5.2 Limitations and recommendations for future research ............................................62 6 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................63 7 Appendices ...................................................................................................................67 7.1 Appendix A: Summary of the three qualitative approaches to inquiry .....................67 7.2 Appendix B: Questionnaire, notes and reflection interview Karen Logan ................68 7.3 Appendix C: Notes and reflection on seminar ‘Religion and dealing with the past in Northern Ireland’ ...............................................................................................................71 Table of images Image 1: A base map of the Ulster border region ................................................................................... 3 Image 2: Proclamation of the Irish Republic during the Easter Rising (Ulster Museum, 2020) ............ 32 Image 3: A detailed map of the isles of Ireland (Jones et al., 2001; Tonge, 2002) ................................ 34 Image 4: Emphasis on community at the local supermarket (source: Marnix Mohrmann) .................. 38 Image 5: An English flag on top of a building (source: Marnix Mohrmann) ......................................... 40 Image 6: An Orange Lodge facade with flags (source: Marnix Mohrmann) ......................................... 40 Image 7: Ballynafeigh Apprentice boys plaque (source: Marnix Mohrmann) ....................................... 40 Image 8: Ballynafeigh Orange Hall ........................................................................................................ 41 Image 9: Fortified Orange Order building ............................................................................................. 41 Image 10: A side street decorated with British flags (source: Marnix Mohrmann) .............................. 42 Image 11: Plaque of remembrance (source: Marnix Mohrmann .......................................................... 43 Image 12: Bilingual street sign (source: Marnix Mohrmann) ................................................................ 43 Image 13: Lower Ormeau Road mural (source: Marnix Mohrmann) .................................................... 44 Image 14: Map of Northern Ireland's religious geography 1971 (Steven McCaffery, 2017) ................ 45 Image 15: Map of Northern Ireland's religious geography 2011 (Steven McCaffery, 2017) ................ 45 List of abbreviations CBC Cross-Border Cooperation CoR Committee of the Regions CSJ Campaign for Social Justice EGTC European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation EU European Union GFA Good Friday Agreement IRA (OIRA, PIRA, NIRA) Irish Republican Army Official Irish Republican Army Provisional Irish Republican Army New Irish Republican Army MP Member of Parliament NI Northern Ireland NICRA Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association PM Prime Minister RIC Royal Irish Constabulary RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary SI Symbolic Interactionism TA Targeted Analysis