Symbolic landscapes: Exploring what markings, murals and memorials reflect about interculturism on Belfast’s Ormeau Road

This article explores what the symbolic landscapes in an area of Belfast reflect about the development of interculturism in the post-conflict city. It builds on previous research, focusing on the particular characteristics of South Belfast’s Ormeau Road, containing communities defined as ‘Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist’, ‘Catholic/Nationalist/Republican’ and ‘Mixed’. Secondary statistical data, montages of visual images, photo-elicitation and interview data are integrated to present an in-depth perspective on the current development of pluralism and interculturism in this one part of Northern Ireland. While the findings support the orthodox narrative about oppositional and contested identity in Northern Ireland, it is also concluded that many other meanings are silenced, hiding levels of unaddressed complexity