The Middle Ground Journal

Remnants, Relics and Shadows of Empires in the Gibraltar Region

Gerry O’Reilly, St. Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, Ireland

ABSTRACT
This paper focuses on continuing impacts of ‘old’ empires and newer geopolitical players on unfolding histories in the Gibraltar region, especially narratives related to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar (BOT), and Spain’s presence in Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco. Tensions remain between state-centric and evolving people-centric interpretations of international law and decolonization; populations in the respective territories do not wish ‘decolonization’ of ‘their’ territories by the states that control them, but rather greater self-determination and democratic relationships with the international community.

Key words: Strait, Gibraltar (BOT), Ceuta, Melilla, decolonization, UK, Spain, Morocco, state-centric, people-centric, UN Resolutions.

OReillyGibraltarArticlesFall2015themiddlegroundjournal.org

(c) 2015 The Middle Ground Journal, Number 11, Fall, 2015. http://TheMiddleGroundJournal.org See Submission Guidelines page for the journal’s not-for-profit educational open-access policy.