Political relations in the British Isles
Kenan Bajraktarevic, a rising second-year student at Oxford College studying finance and international studies, visited Cork and Dublin in Ireland and Belfast in Northern Ireland as part of the “Brexit, Borders, and Belonging: Identity and Conflict on the Island of Ireland” class to learn from experts in education, government and nonprofits about identity and conflict.
Bajraktarevic and other Oxford students learned about the history of the Irish fight for independence with a focus on the Troubles, a decades-long period of conflict between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“Our tour guides in locations around the country had interesting personal testimonies about the Troubles. They helped us understand both sides of the conflict by inviting us to explore every corner of where it historically happened,” says Bajraktarevic.
The most valuable learning experience for Bajraktarevic happened when high officials of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs met the group in Dublin.
“I had the opportunity to ask them about the prospects regarding unification between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland,” says Bajraktarevic. “Other students asked questions regarding health care systems and economic growth. No matter the major of each student, we were able to find some application of our studies to the work of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.”
Diya Nair, a rising second-year student from Woodbridge, New Jersey, was also on the trip. The human health and international studies double major found it interesting to explore the many topics that are impacted by the historical division.
“We explored factors like politics, nationalism, history, religion, ethnicity and the impact of recent developments like Brexit,” says Nair.
“It was interesting to think about the future of the peace process and how we may play a role as the next generation of leaders.”
Perhaps one of the most notable pieces of information from her time abroad was learning the history of certain city names.
“It was interesting to learn about the complex historical, political and religious divisions in the region that have created contention over the naming of cities,” says Nair. “This is a matter that can cause offense when interacting with locals, and it reminds us to be mindful and respectful when approaching such a divided topic.”
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