Rebordering Britain & Britons after Brexit
Methodological nationalism and the Northern Ireland blind-spot in ethnic and racial studies
Abstract
Northern Ireland (NI) has been one of the central issues in Brexit. Yet, it barely featured in the discussions in the run up to the EU Referendum in 2016. This blind-spot regarding NI has been a long-standing feature of social science research on the UK. This article examines the NI blind-spot, with a particular focus on its operation in ethnic and racial studies. The article examines the NI blind-spot as a methodological issue, through an application of, and then critical reflection on, the concept of “methodological nationalism”. The article also examines the NI blind-spot in relation to two key areas of applied ethnic and racial studies: immigration and “race relations”. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of our analysis for ethnic and racial studies in, and of, the UK.
You might also be interested in :
“It was the photograph of the little boy”: reflections on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme in the UK
This article examines the “Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme” (SVPRP) as a specific British response to the “European refugee crisis”. Based on an analysis of media reporting (2014–17) and empirical evidence from agencies and volunteers tasked with implementing the programme…
Brexit, British People of Colour in the EU-27 and everyday racism in Britain and Europe
This paper foregrounds an understanding of Brexit as unexceptional, as business as usual in Britain and Europe. It reports on original empirical research with British People of Colour who have settled elsewhere in Europe…
Do they need to integrate? The place of EU citizens in the UK and the problem of integration
This article aims to provide empirical evidence against the theory and practice of immigrant integration through the experience of EU citizens in the UK around Brexit. We demonstrate that, in the case of EU citizens, the outcomes of presumably successful “integration” have been achieved while - and…
Marginalized (non)citizens: migrant youth political engagement, volunteering and performative citizenship in the context of Brexit
Migrants' opportunities for civic and political participation are often restricted by their legal rights. This paper reports on a study which included a survey with 1,120 young people aged 12-18 originally from Central and Eastern Europe, living in the UK…