Beyond the ethno-national divide: intersecting identity transformations during conflict

Abstract

This article examines intersecting processes of boundary formation and change during periods of conflict in Chiapas and Northern Ireland in a comparative fashion. It provides new approaches to the studies of boundaries, of intersectionality and of identity change. Looking at female activists’ collective identity narratives reveals the interrelation of different processes of identity change and solidarity formation during ethno-national conflict. Those processes are determined by differences in female activists’ perceptions of and positioning towards different levels of society and by spaces for bridging those boundaries. In order to enhance our understanding of ethno-national conflicts, we need to examine intersecting identity categories in relation to social change and highlight underlying and interacting processes at different levels of society that obscure and deny the existence of the gender category.

Keywords:

• ethnicity
• gender
• boundaries
• intersectionality
• conflict

Notes

1. Over 3500 died during the conflict in Northern Ireland since its start in 1969 (Melaugh 2008), while the Chiapas conflict, which began on 1 January 1994, saw only 12 days of direct armed confrontation between the Zapatista National Liberation Army and the Mexican Armed forces counting between 145 (official government statistic) and 1000 deaths (SIPAZ 2013).

2. Interview conducted on 8 March 2010 in Belfast, page 2, line 52, page 3, line 3.

3. Interview conducted on 30 March 2010, page 4, lines 5/6, page 6, line 27, page 7, lines 3–7 and 9–11.

4. Interviews conducted with women’s rights activists in Belfast on 26 February, 24, 30 and 31 March 2010.

5. Interview with civil and women’s rights activist conducted in Belfast on 26 February 2010, page 3, line 11ff.

6. The Falls Curfew (also called the ‘Battle of the Falls’ or the ‘Rape of the Lower Falls’) was a British Army operation during 3–5 July 1970 in an area along the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

7. Interview with republican women’s rights activist conducted in Belfast on 7 May 2010, page 9, line 13.

8. Interview with republican community activist conducted with republican community and women’s rights activist on 7 May 2010, page 15, line 33ff.

9. Interview with republican community activist conducted on 8 March 2010 in Belfast, page 15, line 3ff.

10. Interview conducted on 3 July 2010 in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

11. Interview with an indigenous women’s rights activist and Zapatista conducted on 17 July 2010 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, page 2, line 20ff and page 7, lines 18/19, 15, line 4ff. See also interviews with female Zapatista activists conducted in Ocosingo on 17 June and 13 and 17 July 2010, in San Cristóbal on 28 June, 3, 9 and 17 July 2010.

12. Interview with a mestiza women’s rights activist conducted on 18 July 2010 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, page 4, lines 38ff.

13. Focus group with Zapatista activists conducted in a rural community in the Selva region, which cannot be named due to issues of confidentiality and security, page 5, lines 7–9.

14. Maria, indigenous peace activist and feminist in focus group, 7 July 2010, Northern Region of Chiapas, page 7, lines 22–27. Similar references in interviews conducted in San Cristóbal de las Casas on 28 June, 3, 15, 17 July, focus group in Ocosingo, 13 and 14 July and in rural community in Selva region, 7 July 2010.

15. Interview with a mestiza women’s rights activist conducted on 16 July 2010 in San Cristóbal de las Casas. Similar references in focus group discussions in Ocosingo on 13 and 14 July 2010 and in the dialogue during event and in encounter ‘Mujeres que trabajan con Mujeres’, which took place in San Cristóbal de las Casas on 25 and 26 June 2010 in CIESAS Sureste.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Melanie Hoewer

MELANIE HOEWER Melanie Hoewer, PhD, is lecturer in the Politics of Conflict and in Conflict Resolution in the School of Politics and IR in University College Dublin and Deputy Director of the Institute for British Irish Studies (IBIS). She is academic adviser to the Consultative Group of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the UNSCR 1325 Action Plan on women, peace and security in Ireland. Her primary areas of research are comparative ethno-national identity, conflict and settlement processes, gender equality and women’s rights, Latin American politics and Northern Ireland.