Do Ulster unionists have a right to self‐determination?

Abstract

The nationalist case for a united Ireland is sometimes expressed in terms of the concept of self‐determination. Nationalists have generally argued that the application of the principle to Ireland points clearly to the legitimacy of a united Ireland. On the other hand, unionists could invoke self‐determination as an argument for the continued partition of the island. In terms of the manner in which the concept is interpreted and has been applied internationally, each side has an arguable case. Added complications in the Irish context are the question of whether Northern Ireland can be considered a colonial enclave, and the fact that most of those opposed to a united Ireland are seen by many nationalists as descendants of settlers rather than as indigenous to the island. The paper concludes that the idea of an absolute right to self‐determination is chimerical in the case of Northern Ireland.