The Troubles
Frontiers in History: People, Places, and Ideas
The Project
The Troubles in Northern Ireland
The 2022-23 theme was 'Frontiers in History.' My group and I researched the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the period of sectarian violence lasting nearly three decades, studying the physical frontiers known as 'peace walls' that divided Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods. To this day Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom and the recent British split from the European Union has unburied old divides as a formal international border goes up between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The Theme
Frontiers in History
Unlike many other NHD themes, Frontiers in History is uniquely narrow. After deciding to focus on the Troubles we chose to interpret the theme as the physical frontiers in Northern Ireland which were pivotal to the conflict. Segregation and housing inequities by religion were central to the divide and reflected the history of British colonization of the island. Studying the topic from this lens allowed me to understand the complex relationship of how two cultures coexist on shared land. This theme is seen across the globe from Israel and Palestine to South Sudan, regions that still feel the effects of colonization and whose frontiers are disrupted.