ABSTRACT
Northern Ireland has a long history of protracted conflict and 25 years of liminal peace. It is a unique case study offering a historical record of several economic and political initiatives to reduce and attempt to transform the continuing conflict. This chapter covers (1) the underlying causes of the Northern Ireland conflict, (2) economic aid from the International Fund for Ireland and the European Union Peace and Reconciliation Fund and the 1998 Belfast or Good Friday Agreement, (3) the British government’s 2010 austerity program, (4) the 2012–2013 flying the flags controversy, (5) the 2016 Brexit referendum, (6) President Donald Trump’s election in 2016 and his America-First policy, (7) the 2017 collapse and restoration of the Northern Ireland executive, (8) the United Kingdom’s 2020 departure from the European Union, and (9) the impact of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Ireland.
