Ulster’s British Protestants and Constitutional Flux: Civil Society Perspectives on Irish Unity

ABSTRACT: This article investigates the evolving identity narratives articulated by Ulster British Protestant civil society actors in the context of ongoing constitutional uncertainty and debates around Irish unity. It situates these narratives within the broader framework of post-Brexit political realignment and the increasing salience of constitutional change across the island of Ireland. Drawing on qualitative data gleaned through a semi-structured interview approach with civil society actors, it explores how questions of belonging, sovereignty and constitutional fluctuation are being mediated, and argues that Ulster British Protestants are engaged in processes of rearticulation and boundary-making as they confront the prospect—real or perceived—of a constitutional referendum. By centring on the perspectives of non-state actors, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of constitutional flux. It underscores the importance of identity construction in periods of political transition and enriches debates on the democratic legitimacy of constitutional change processes in deeply divided societies.