Ruairi Cousins
Brexit: An Ideological Dilemma for Unionist, Nationalist, and Non-aligned Political Parties in Northern Ireland?
Ruairí is studying for his PhD within the Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance.
Ruairí holds a BA (Hons) First Class in International Relations, Media and Communication and a Masters Degree in Peace Studies.
PhD research description
Ruairí's PhD examines the impact of Brexit on devolved governance and power-sharing in Northern Ireland. The research investigates the role of political discourse from the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly Election. The 2017 Assembly election represents a key communicative event for political parties as they assess the implications of Brexit. Moreover, as Northern Ireland struggles to maintain political stability after the collapse of power-sharing in January 2017, the resurfacing of core ideological values and beliefs around sovereignty and the constitutional position of NI risks further political instability. Ruairí's research employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyse political party manifestos. Additionally, interviews with political parties and key stakeholders will take place.
PhD supervisors
Professor Helen Drake and Dr Tim Oliver.
Awards, grants or scholarships received
Scholarship - MA Peace Studies 2018