Gender Equal Citizenship and Ethno-National Conflict : Women's Political Activism and Public Participation During the Northern Irish Troubles

Summary, in English

This paper provides a theoretical synthesis of three research areas – gender, nationalism and citizenship – by linking together the gendered discourses of ethno-nationalism and citizenship. It explores the potential for building a gender equal citizenship in societies divided by ethno-national conflict. More specifically, it analyzes women’s activism and participation in public and political life during the Northern Irish Troubles (1968-1998). Firstly, it studies how gendered notions of citizenship and ethno-nationalism created both possibilities for and obstructions to women’s political participation in public life in Northern Ireland. Secondly, the paper examines how women’s grassroot projects in the North of Ireland attempted to reform the politics of citizenship in a gender equal and inclusive manner, while also navigating the politics of ethno-national conflict. Lastly, the paper provides a discussion of the premises of women’s local initiatives, finding maternal, ethno-nationalist and feminist principles being utilized as a basis for activism and reform.

• Author: Linda Eitrem Holmgren
• Department/s: Department of Political Science
• Publishing year: 2018-06
• Language: English
• Document type: Conference paper
• Topic: Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies); International Migration and Ethnic Relations; Gender Studies
• Keywords: ethno-nationalism; maternal politics; gender; women; activism; the Troubles; Northern Ireland; civil rights; feminism; transversal politics
• Conference name: British International Studies Association (BISA) Annual Conference 2018
• Conference date: 2018-06-13 - 2018-06-15
• Conference place: Bath, United Kingdom
• Status: Unpublished