Abstract
The conflict in Northern Ireland is argued to be heavily rooted in issues surrounding national identity and group membership. Although group differences in Northern Ireland are not physiognomic, individuals in this society are capable of categorising one as being Catholic or Protestant based on social cues. Such identity categorisation is an important part of everyday life in Northern Ireland, where group symbols are highly salient. Chapter 3 presents national identity trends over recent years based on national surveys. It also focuses on the development of a new potential common ingroup identity, Northern Irish, and the impact this has had upon intergroup relations. It considers the meaning and ambiguity of identity and ends with an introduction to citizenship as a tool to improve attitudes.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2013 Shelley McKeown
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McKeown, S. (2013). National Identity and Citizenship. In: Identity, Segregation and Peace-Building in Northern Ireland: A Social Psychological Perspective. Palgrave Pivot, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137323187_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137323187_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-45870-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-32318-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)