My research interests relate to the geography of ethnic groups, focusing particularly on large urban areas. Within this general field emphasis is given to those cities (such as Belfast, Jerusalem and Montreal) where issues of ethno-national conflict are to the fore. Most of my field work and publication has concentrated on Belfast. I am currently working on two books. The first - "Frontier City: Territoriality and Ethnicity" explores concepts such as ethnicity, nationalism, segregation and territoriality in a city characterised by sovereignty dispute. Comparison is also made with cities such as Jerusalem and Montreal. The second book - "Enduring City: Belfast in the Twentieth Century" is being co-edited with Dr Steve Royle. Here a wide range of topics will be explored by the contributing authors.

In 1999 I was appointed OBE "for services to regional planning and urban development in Northern Ireland" while in 1998 I was honoured with an award from the International Geographical Union "in recognition of a lifetime contribution to political geography and
reconciliation in Northern Ireland".

Recent publications
Boal, F.W. 2000. Seeking the common ground. In Kliot, N. and Newman, D. (eds)
Geopolitics at the End of the Twentieth Century. Frank Cass, London, 239-61

Boal, F.W. 1999. Seeking the common ground. Geopolitics 4:2, 239-61

Boal, F.W. 1999. From undivided cities to undivided cities: assimilation to ethnic cleansing. Housing Studies 14:5, 585-600

Boal, F.W. (ed) 1999. Ethnicity and Housing: Accommodating Differences. Avebury, Aldershot

Boal, F.W. 1999. Introduction. In Boal, F.W. (ed) Ethnicity and Housing: Accommodating Differences. Avebury, Aldershot, 3-9

Boal, F.W. 1999. Putting it all together. In Boal, F.W. (ed) Ethnicity and Housing: Accommodating Differences. Avebury, Aldershot, 275-84

Boal, F.W. and Royle, S.A. 1999. (eds) North America: A Continental Mosaic. Arnold, London

Boal, F.W. and Royle, S.A. 1999. An introduction to the continental mosaic. In Boal, F.W. and Royle, S.A. (eds) North America: A Continental Mosaic. Arnold, London, 3-9

Boal, F.W. 1999. Montreal and Toronto: changing places? In Boal, F.W. and Royle, S.A. (eds) North America: A Continental Mosaic. Arnold, London, 221-29

Livingstone, D.N., Keane, M.C. and Boal, F.W. 1998. Space for religion: A Belfast case study. Political Geography 17: 2, 145-170

Boal, F.W. and Logan, K. 1998. A shared space in a divided society: the Queen's University of Belfast. In van der Wusten, H. (ed) The Urban University and Its Identity : Roots, Locations, Roles. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 121-135

Boal, F.W. 1998. Exclusion and inclusion: segregation and deprivation in Belfast. In Musterd, S. and Ostendorf, W. (eds) Urban Segregation and the Welfare State. Routledge, London, 94-109

Boal, F.W. , Keane, M.C. and Livingstone, D.N. 1997. Them and Us?: Attitudinal Variation Among Churchgoers in Belfast. Institute of Irish Studies, Belfast

Hadden, T., Irwin, C. and Boal F. 1996. Separation or Sharing?: The People's Choice. Fortnight Educational Trust, Belfast

Boal, F.W. 1996. Integration and division: sharing and segregating in Belfast. Planning Practice and Research 11:2 1996, pp.151-158

Boal, F.W. 1996. Acting locally, planning regionally. In Moffat, C. (ed) Whose City? Visions of Belfast. Fortnight Educational Trust, Belfast, 31

Boal, F.W. 1996. Clamor at the gates: immigration and ethnicity in the urban milieu. In Roseman, C., , Laux, H.D. and Thieme, G. (eds) EthniCity. Rowman and Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland, 283-303

Boal, F.W. 1995. Shaping a City: Belfast in the Late Twentieth Century. Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University, Belfast