In Lieu of a Conclusion

Rather than offering a definitive conclusion, this chapter presents a final vignette from the fieldwork that takes place at Frankfurt Airport, where the author, facing technical difficulties at the electronic passport machines, has an unexpected interaction with a police officer. Prompted by this spontaneous exchange and the officer’s reaction to the Irish passport, the author reflects on the role of their Irishness and the presumptions and involuntary representation that often come with it. The encounter prompts broader reflections on the commodification of Irishness, the dynamics of diaspora engagement, and the dangers of identity politics built on monolithic understandings of Irishness. The economization of diasporic relationships and the reassertion of national identity amidst global crises are thematized again. The author proposes strategies for reimagining diaspora engagement, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of Irishness and a shift towards empowering individuals to define their own connections to Ireland, free from instrumentalization and commodification. Conventional narratives of diaspora engagement are challenged and an appeal for a more human-centred approach to imagining the diaspora is made.