Speakers:  Professor Kimberly Cowell-Meyers, American University, Washington DC

                    Professor Carolyn Gallaher, American University, Washington DC

Chair:         Professor Kieran McEvoy, QUB

Discussant: Professor Katy Hayward, QUB

In the aftermath of Britain’s 2016 decision to leave the EU, the Irish-American lobby remobilized to defend the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement from the threats posed by Brexit.  Drawing on interviews in Washington, Belfast, Dublin and London, the authors explore how the lobby shaped US policy towards Brexit in their latest book Building a Green Wall: Irish America’s Resurgence Post-Brexit (Bristol University Press, 2025).  The authors also consider the lobby’s approach to other contentious issues, including Troubles-related investigations.

This seminar is an opportunity to hear directly from the authors about the findings from their research and their analysis of post-Brexit dynamics in Irish America.

This event is co-hosted with the Institute of Irish Studies.

Biographies

Kimberly Cowell-Meyers is an Associate Professor of Government and affiliated faculty with the Women & Politics Institute at American University, Washington DC.

Carolyn Gallaher is a political geographer and Professor at the School of International Service at the American University, Washington DC.

Katy Hayward is Professor of Political Sociology in the School of Social Sciences, Education & Social Work and a member of the Institute of Irish Studies' steering group at QUB.

Kieran McEvoy is the Chair in Peace, Security and Justice at the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice and a Professor of Law and Transitional Justice in the School of Law, QUB.