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Subjugated Knowledges and the Politics of Irish Unifi cation: Is There a Space for Women’s Voices?

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Abstract

Drawing on a case study of constitutional debates on the island of Ireland, this article examines how a feminist approach reveals the displacement of marginalised identities in terms of authorised and disqualified knowledges. It explores how constitutional transitions can be reimagined to foster participatory, equitable, and gender-responsive frameworks that disrupt entrenched power dynamics and promote transformative inclusion. Through the lens of the Critical Epistemologies Across Borders project, this article illustrates how feminist principles were operationalised in the Irish context to reconfigure privileged and marginalised constitutional knowledges. By fostering inclusive, participatory spaces that centred women’s voices and diverse standpoints across geographic, social, and identity boundaries, the project disrupted entrenched epistemic inequalities. The article concludes that without robust, sustained interventions by stakeholders to prioritise feminist constitutionalism, marginalised groups—particularly women and sexual and gender minorities—risk remaining sidelined in constitutional debates, perpetuating inequitable gender power dynamics.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)219-243
Number of pages25
JournalIrish Studies in International Affairs
Volume36
Issue number2
Early online date10 Jun 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished online - 10 Jun 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s).

Funding

The research was funded by the North -South Research Programme (NSRP) which is, a collaborative scheme arising from the Irish Ggovernment’s Shared Island initiative. NSRP funds were delivered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS).

Funders
Higher Education Authority

    UN SDGs

    This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

    1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
      SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
    2. SDG 5 - Gender Equality
      SDG 5 Gender Equality
    3. SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
      SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
    4. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
      SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

    Keywords

    • Constitutional Change
    • Irish Unity
    • Gender
    • Participation

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