Escaping the Cage of Ethno-National Conflict in Northern Ireland: The Importance of Transnational Networks

co-author; Cathal McCall

Demonstrating the merits of the peer research process: A Northern Ireland case study

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of involving peer researchers in social research projects. A research project on pupil participation in policy making on school bullying in Northern Ireland’s schools was commissioned by the Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and undertaken by the National Children’s Bureau in conjunction with researchers from Queen’s University Belfast in fourteen schools across Northern Ireland, utilizing a mixed methods approach. We trained and employed nine 15–18-year-old peer researchers to support them in this project. After the project’s completion, we conducted interviews with six of the peer researchers to investigate how they experienced their involvement in the research. We discuss the findings from these interviews and contextualize in a review
of literature on research involving children and young people.

Reconfiguring spaces of conflict: Northern Ireland and the impact of European integration

The Irish border has historically been one of the most contested borders in Europe. In the context of the peace process and EU membership, co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been encouraged, supported and normalised, although internal borders of segregation stubbornly remain. This paper offers a conceptualisation of borders in conflict cases and a theoretical account of how European integration can affect their transformation. Analysis of the Northern Ireland case shows there are ambiguities within integration that allow for a ‘rebordering’ of identities at the same time as the state border diminishes in significance.