Re-Locating Identity Politics in the UK in a Post-Brexit Era: The Scottish, Northern Irish, And Welsh National Backlash

Yıl 2020, Cilt: 15 Sayı: 24, 2957 - 2981, 30.04.2020

Sertan Akbaba

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.640273

Öz

In a recent referendum, the British voted to opt out of the European project. Clearly the outcome still remains unclear. Immediately after the referendum, internal debates on how the individual regions that comprise the UK would react have now come to the fore. This study is to examine how the British government will settle its relations with its regions (i.e., Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), and whether the UK will devolve after Brexit. The retrieval of state power will certainly trigger popular movements hence, there is a need to question how identities can be positioned in the UK after Brexit. I argue that the issue of identity will become essential in British politics as it will spell the revival of an internal nationalist political rhetoric. An identity based harsh political discourse is on its play and will remain present for some time in the UK. This is tested by examining the nationalist discourse of the Scottish National Party, Sinn Fein, and Plaid Cymru.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brexit, United Kingdom, Identity, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

Brexit Sonrası Dönemde Birleşik Krallıkta Kimlikleri Yeniden Tanımlamak: İskoç, Kuzey İrlandalı Ve Galli Milliyetçilikleri

Öz

İngilizler yakın tarihli bir referandumda Avrupa projesinden uzak durmayı seçmişlerdir. Ortaya çıkan bu sonuç ise belirsizliğini korumaktadır. Ancak, referandumdan hemen sonra, Birleşik Krallık içindeki bölgelerin (İskoçya, Galler, Kuzey İrlanda) referandum neticesine nasıl tepki vereceği hususu önem kazanmış ve iç tartışmalar başlamıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Londra'nın bölgeleriyle ilişkilerini nasıl çözeceğini ve dahası Brexit sonrası alevlenen milliyetçi söylemin gelişmeleri nasıl şekillendireceğini analiz etmektir. Brexit ile başlayan güç mücadelesi ve gücün Londra merkezli geri alınması, kimlik siyaseti ile beslenen halk hareketlerini tetiklediği görülmektedir. Brexit’in esasen bir yönüyle var olan bir kimlik meselesinin sonucu olduğu da açıktır. Bu süreçte bölgesel kimliklerin nasıl konumlandırılabileceğini sorgulama ihtiyacını ortaya çıkarmakta ve halihazırda kimlik tabanlı sert bir siyasal söylemim Birleşik Krallık siyasetine egemen olduğu görülmektedir. Bu çalışma, İngiltere'de siyasetin merkezinde yer alan milliyetçi söylemin yeniden canlanmasına neden olan İngiliz siyasetinde kimlik meselesinin önem kazanacağını savunmakta, bu argümanı ise İskoç Ulusal Partisi, Sinn Fein ve Plaid Cyrmru partilerinin söylemleri üzerinden irdelemeye çalışmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brexit, Birleşik Krallık, Kuzey İrlanda, İskoçya, Galler

Kaynakça

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