Striving for peace: Northern Ireland, from the Good Friday Agreement to Brexit (1998- 2020)

Abstract

Europe has historically been a battleground for diverse communities, many of which fighting to achieve some form of power or sovereignty. Medieval battles between kingdoms lead to wars between empires and lastly to modern guerrilla based conflicts between armed organizations, which said to fight in the name of stateless nations, and their respective dominating states. These bloodsheds have drawn the geopolitical maps of modern Europe. The island of Ireland has not been exempt from this phenomenon. The lack of peace and political instability have caused numerous divisions in the Irish society, being even more profound in Northern Ireland. This paper argues the difficult Peace Process of Northern Ireland during the last two decades taking into account to do so the main clashing socio-political variables present in the area; The concept of modern state and national identities. First I will shed some light on the historical background of the Irish Peace Process emphasizing the importance of the Good Friday Agreement (1998). I will argue all the social work done in order to strengthen the foundations on which the Peace Process is built upon mainly focusing on social and the detrimental effects this has for the society. This paper points out the great influence of the last decades on the new historical chapter opened with the withdrawal process of the UK from the European Union. Lastly, I will try to note the great difficulties lying ahead in the near future for peace in Northern Ireland.