The fragility of “white Irish” as a minority ethnic identity in England

ABSTRACT

This paper is a methodological reflection on the experiences of a white Irish woman researching ethnicity in England. Ethnic identity is described as a performance between two social actors that requires the collusion of both parties in order to be socially accepted. The history and disputes around the white Irish ethnic group category in England are discussed. Through the use of fieldnotes and interview extracts, I discuss how I became aware that my ethnic identity was not always recognized by participants, and in some cases the distinction between white Irish and white British was denied. At the micro level, this affects my rapport with individual participants, while at the macro level it resonates with historical relationships between Ireland and England. I argue that such experiences can lead to an existential threat to a person’s ethnic identity and therefore that the status of white Irish identity in England can be fragile.

KEYWORDS:

• Reflexivity
• ethnic invisibility
• Irishness
• whiteness
• ethnicity
• minority

Additional information

Funding

The different projects drawn on in this paper were supported by the National Institute for Health Research, School for Social Care Research [T976/T11-017/USRW]; King’s College London Graduate School; Funds for Women Graduates [9105]; and the Gilchrist Educational Trust [S90042]. This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research (SSCR). The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SSCR, the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health.