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Two Nations, One Struggle: A Qualitative Postcolonial Analysis of the Motivations of Pro-Palestinian Young Activists in Northern Ireland

Gonzalez Brodin, Sofia LU (2025) FKVK02 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Adopting a postcolonial theoretical framework, drawing specifically on the concepts of imagined geographies and subaltern nationalism, this thesis explores the motivations behind pro-Palestinian activism among the post-accord generation in Northern Ireland since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beginning on October 7, 2023. Based on in-depth interviews, field observations and online content analyzed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the analysis reveals two overarching themes: (1) anti-imperialism and (2) nation-building. Particularly, the findings suggest that young activists in Northern Ireland are motivated to express pro-Palestinian solidarity by a sense of anti-imperial resistance, on a global level, as well as by... (More)
Adopting a postcolonial theoretical framework, drawing specifically on the concepts of imagined geographies and subaltern nationalism, this thesis explores the motivations behind pro-Palestinian activism among the post-accord generation in Northern Ireland since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beginning on October 7, 2023. Based on in-depth interviews, field observations and online content analyzed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the analysis reveals two overarching themes: (1) anti-imperialism and (2) nation-building. Particularly, the findings suggest that young activists in Northern Ireland are motivated to express pro-Palestinian solidarity by a sense of anti-imperial resistance, on a global level, as well as by challenging British imperialism, in which constructed parallels
assist in bringing a distant cause close in an imagined geography. Similarly, young activists are motivated to express pro-Palestinian solidarity to reinforce nationalist imaginations and to define “we”, in which ethnonational divisions and discontent stemming from the failures of the Good Friday Agreement play a significant role. Ultimately, the study contributes to wider academic debates surrounding the younger generation’s role in transnational solidarity movements where the findings also challenge traditional narratives of young people as passive beneficiaries of peace, rather highlighting their role as active agents who constantly re-imagine the very meaning of peace. (Less)
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author
Gonzalez Brodin, Sofia LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVK02 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Pro-Palestinian Solidarity, Youth Activism, Northern Ireland, Imagined Geographies, Subaltern Nationalism
language
English
id
9191306
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:23:03
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:23:03
@misc{9191306,
  abstract     = {{Adopting a postcolonial theoretical framework, drawing specifically on the concepts of imagined geographies and subaltern nationalism, this thesis explores the motivations behind pro-Palestinian activism among the post-accord generation in Northern Ireland since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beginning on October 7, 2023. Based on in-depth interviews, field observations and online content analyzed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the analysis reveals two overarching themes: (1) anti-imperialism and (2) nation-building. Particularly, the findings suggest that young activists in Northern Ireland are motivated to express pro-Palestinian solidarity by a sense of anti-imperial resistance, on a global level, as well as by challenging British imperialism, in which constructed parallels
assist in bringing a distant cause close in an imagined geography. Similarly, young activists are motivated to express pro-Palestinian solidarity to reinforce nationalist imaginations and to define “we”, in which ethnonational divisions and discontent stemming from the failures of the Good Friday Agreement play a significant role. Ultimately, the study contributes to wider academic debates surrounding the younger generation’s role in transnational solidarity movements where the findings also challenge traditional narratives of young people as passive beneficiaries of peace, rather highlighting their role as active agents who constantly re-imagine the very meaning of peace.}},
  author       = {{Gonzalez Brodin, Sofia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Two Nations, One Struggle: A Qualitative Postcolonial Analysis of the Motivations of Pro-Palestinian Young Activists in Northern Ireland}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}