Contention, competition and crime : newspapers' portrayal of borders in the north-west of Ireland

This paper analyses three local newspapers in the Derry-Donegal region for their presentation of cross-border issues in a two year period (2004-5). The border is portrayed in all three papers as a locus of political contention, competition for trade, and even of criminal activity. This paper highlights four important points for understanding the perception of partition in a border region. The first is the vast differences between the papers in the way they present the border and the “other side” of it. The second is that cross-border issues are rarely featured, and the work of north-south bodies is barely mentioned at all. The third point is that the EU is linked to virtually all stories of cross-border cooperation. Finally, local territorial divides appear to be far more important for identification of community and difference than the actual state border. Overall, the results of this brief study implies that increased cross-border mobility in and of itself does not necessarily give rise to a shared discourse around the border—and can indeed have
contrary effects.