Mind the Gap: Borders, Limits and Frontiers

How do borders define political, cultural and social realms, influencing identity and community? Mind the Gap: Borders, Limits and Frontiers explores such questions and comprises two parts; the first section compiles interdisciplinary essays from leading scholars to critique borders in our global yet divided world. Topics include national borders, such as the Northern Irish border, as well as conceptual and ontological borders more generally. Border issues are similarly key to the second part of the book, which publishes for the first time the imprisonment memoir of Irish politician Cahir Healy (1877–1970), who was a leading figure in the protest against the Partition of Ireland. His memoir offers a first-hand account of the conditions faced by Healy and other border objectors who were illegally imprisoned for two years on board the Argenta ship in Belfast Lough (c.1922–1924). This book therefore goes beyond mapping border theory; it addresses the real-life impact of borders on those who confront them daily and is a vital read for those interested in border studies.

Aisling Reid, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland; Valentina Surace, University of Messina, Italy.

“This book makes a significant contribution to our understanding of borders in a globalized world. It is especially relevant in light of Brexit and ongoing discussions about the Irish border. The inclusion of Cahir Healy's prison diary – written during his internment on the Argenta prison ship – adds original and timely insights. Through its unique blend of philosophical discourse, personal narratives, and case studies, this volume offers a distinctive approach that sets it apart from existing works.” – Roberto Esposito, professor of theoretical philosophy at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy.