Unheard Voices: Stories from the Troubles

Produced in association with WAVE Trauma Centre, this short film records the experiences of six victims and survivors of the Northern Irish Troubles. Filmed and edited collaboratively, UV addresses issues of trauma, loss, justice and recovery. The story-tellers range from a police widow, to the brother of a sectarian victim, to a youth worker who lost is legs in an explosion. This film has been screened, with public discussions, between 2010 and 2012 by the Good Relations Departments of the following Borough and City Councils - Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Lisburn, Ballymena, Coleraine, Moyle and Newtownabbey. It has also been screened at the Hallwells Contemporary Arts Centre, Buffalo, and at St Bonaventure University, NY (2012)

http://www.wavetraumacentre.org.uk/about-us/wave-projects/unheard-voices

Further Information:

This 30 minute documentary film was produced in collaboration with WAVE Trauma Centre, Belfast. Working closely with six survivors of the Troubles violence in Northern Ireland through all stages of production and exhibition, the film contributes to on-going discussions about dealing with the conflicted past in a contested present. The role of storytelling, identified by two government reports – the Bloomfield Report and the Eames-Bradley Report - as an important method of addressing the violent past, is one of the key research questions involved in the research. Public screenings and discussions have been organised by the Good Relations Departments of seven borough councils (Belfast, Lisburn, Derry, Ballymena, Newtownabbey, Coleraine and Moyle). The film has also been screened in New York State and London. One of the recurring themes brought up in these public discussions in the role and limits of storytelling alongside the legal issues of justice, prosecutions and reparations. An accompanying co-written article with PhD student, Jolene Mairs, 'Unheard Voices' in Mc Keogh, C. and O'Connel, D. (eds) (2012) Documentary in a Changing State,Cork University Press, is part of the portfolio presented for REF.

Social work education and political conflict: preparing students to address the needs of victims and survivors of the Troubles in Northern Ireland

This paper reports on the evaluation of a European PEACE III sponsored teaching and learning project that was designed to enable social work students to better understand the needs of victims and survivors of the conflict in Northern Ireland. The paper begins with an introduction to policy, practice and educational contexts before reviewing the literature on social work, conflict and trauma. It also summarises key, innovative pedagogical approaches used in the teaching, including the use of ground rules, teaching teams consisting of lecturer and service user dyads, learning exercises and case studies. The paper then explains the evaluation methodology. This involved two surveys which returned 144 student and 34 practice teacher questionnaires. The findings revealed that
students were generally committed to this form of teaching and engagement with victims and survivors of the conflict, although some students reported that their attitudes towards this subject had were not changed. Some students also discussed how the conflict had affected their lives and the lives of families and friends; it is argued that such biographical details are crucial in developing new pedagogical approaches in this area.
Practice teachers who supervised some of these students on placement reported general levels of satisfaction with preparedness to work with conflict related situations but were less convinced that organisations were so committed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the study limitations and a recommendation for more robust methods of teaching and evaluation in this area of social work education and practice.

Northern Ireland and ‘The Troubles’, outlining an innovative approach to nursing/midwifery student teaching and module evaluation

This discussion paper outlines an approach to developing and evaluating an educative programme primarily delivered by lay `citizen trainers’ in educating student nurses, and student midwives to the impact of and experience of extended and extensive civil unrest within their communities (`the Troubles’ ). This is drawn from experience within the Northern Ireland `Troubles’ and all of the citizen trainers were directly affected physically/psychologically. The programme was intended to both educate but primarily to help facilitate student nurses and student midwives to better understanding to experience and context and to more effective care delivery to those affected by/damaged by `the Troubles’. Evaluation of the teaching and learning by the students was significantly positive.

A Pension for Injured Victims of the Troubles: Reparations or Reifying Victim Hierarchy?

Reparations have been often used victim-centred measures to redress both private harm and gross violations of human rights. However, with the increasing occurrence of internal armed conflict and political violence, identities of victims and perpetrators in protracted conflicts can become blurred for some individuals. In countries like Peru and Northern Ireland that have suffered protracted violence, victimhood has been contested around which individuals are seen as innocent and deserving to exclude any members of non-state armed groups from claiming reparations. This article explores the issue of a proposed bill on a pension for injured victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It identifies that there is no consistent state practice or human rights jurisprudence in this area, but instead offers a more complex approach through four models that can grapple with the seeming diametrically opposed victimhood and responsibility, by including victimised-perpetrators in reparations programmes such as that proposed for a pension of seriously injured victims in Northern Ireland.

Queering Memories of the Troubles: Performing LGBTQ testimonies in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, decades of religious and political unrest led to the marginalization not only of rights but also the experiences and voices of those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and/or Queer (LGBTQ). The peace process has arguably created space in which sexual minorities can voice their experiences and articulate counter-memories to those that tend to dominate ethno-nationalist commemorations of the conflict. This essay explores two productions of Northern Ireland’s first publicly funded gay theatre company, TheatreofplucK, led by artistic director Niall Rea: D.R.A.G (Divided, Radical and Gorgeous) was first performed in 2011 and explores the personal experiences of a Belfast drag queen in the form of personal testimonial monologue. The forthcoming (November 2015) performed archive installation, Tr<uble, by Shannon Yee, assembles true-life testimonies of the LGBTQ community in Northern Ireland during and after the Troubles. I will explore how performed and performative memories have the potential to ‘queer’ remembrance of the Troubles.

In Troubles and Darkness:Black Red Gold

This is an essay including annotated critical editions documenting the history of reception of this song since 1848. Published in the Liederlexikon for the AHRC and DFG funded project 'The History of Reception of the Songs of the 1848 Revolution' (2009-2013).

Affections dermatologiques et troubles dépressifs : leur association chez les personnes âgées du Québec

Résumé : Les liens entre les maladies dermatologiques et les troubles de santé mentale, dont la dépression, sont reconnus depuis longtemps. Cependant, peu d’études de population ont examiné cette problématique et aucune n’a été faite auprès des aînés. Le but de ce mémoire est d’explorer l’association entre les affections dermatologiques et les troubles dépressifs chez les personnes âgées vivant à domicile. Pour ce faire, deux études ont été réalisées. La première visait à décrire les caractéristiques dermatologiques de la population à l’étude et la deuxième avait pour but de tester l’hypothèse d’une association bidirectionnelle entre les problèmes mentionnés. Il s’agit d’une analyse secondaire des données de l’Enquête sur la Santé des Aînés (ESA) qui a été menée auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population âgée (≥ 65 ans) vivant à domicile au Québec. Des mesures répétées à un an d’intervalle (T1 et T2) ont été obtenues auprès de 2 cohortes successives fixes. Les données de l’enquête ESA ont été appariées à celles des registres de la Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). Les troubles dépressifs ont été définis en se basant sur les critères du DSM-IV et les affections dermatologiques ont été mesurées à partir de deux sources de données (enquête et registres administratifs de la RAMQ). Des modèles autorégressifs bivariés ont été utilisés pour tester l’hypothèse d’association bidirectionnelle entre les affections dermatologiques et les troubles dépressifs. Nos résultats ont montré que près de 13% et 21% des répondants ont rapporté des affections dermatologiques auto-rapportées ou avaient été diagnostiqués selon les registres de la RAMQ. En plus, près de 6% des participants rapportaient un trouble dépressif probable au T1 et au T2. Nos résultats suggèrent la présence d’une association synchronique (transversale) entre les affections dermatologiques et les troubles dépressifs. Ce projet souligne l’importance d’évaluer et d’explorer la cooccurrence de ces deux pathologies afin d’améliorer la prise en charge des individus atteints simultanément par ces deux problèmes. Nous suggérons l'inclusion des affections dermatologiques dans les futures études épidémiologiques visant à explorer les liens entre les troubles de santé mentale et de santé physique chez les personnes âgées.//Abstract : The relationship between skin conditions and mental health disorders, which includes depression, has long been recognized. However, few population - based studies have examined this issue and none were carried out in older - adults. The aim of this project was to explore the associations between skin conditions and depressive disorders affecting the elderly living at home. To do this, two studies were conducted; the first aimed to describe the dermatological features of the study population. The second was designed to test the hypothesis of a bidirectional association between the conditions mentioned above. We carried out secondary data analyses from data collected in the Study on the Health of Seniors (ESA ) survey, which consisted of a representative sample of the elderly population (≥ 65 years) living at home in Quebec. Two repeated measurements one year apart (T1 and T2) were obtained from two fixed successive cohorts. Participants in both phases of the investigation and with available health service information from Quebec’s health insurance plan agency (Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec - RAMQ) were selected for this project. Depressive disorders were defined based on DSM - IV criteria and dermatological conditions were measured from two data sources (survey and administrative records). Cross - lagged panel models were used to test the hypothesis of association between the two mentioned conditions. Our results showed that nearly 13% and 21% of respondents have self - reported and diagnosed skin conditions, respectively. In addition, about 6% of participants reported symptoms that were consistent with a probable depressive disorder on T1 and T2. Our results suggested the presence of synchronous (cross - sectional) associations between skin conditions and depressive disorders in the elderly. This research highlights the importance of assessing and exploring the co - occurrence of these two conditions to improve the management of individuals who are affected. We suggest the inclusion of dermatological conditions in future/further studies exploring the comorbidity between mental and physical health in the older adults.

Troubles of one neophyte researcher in getting qualitative research on parthneships in a daycare setting with disadvantaged toddlers

This study is about the troubles encountered by one researcher in getting qualitative research on partnerships between families, in disadvantaged situations and educators in toddler day care settings and how they affect the quality of care as perceived by parents and educators. The study focuses on the conflicts and tensions as perceived by families and educators. A secondary goal of the study is to develop a greater understanding of how day care training programs might incorporate the findings to prepare day care educators to work with families in disadvantaged circumstances. The study is done through a qualitative lens using an ecological framework. The study spans a three month period and is set up in a non-profit, parent-controlled day care center. Detailed 'narratives of experience' are constructed from the participants' reflections on the events. Three main barriers or conflicts have emerged from the study. They are time, fear and a difference in perceptions between the families and the educators. The thesis concludes with advice to researchers who may be contemplating setting up a similar study and some suggestions are proposed for day care training programs. These suggestions include reflections of the researcher and how she implemented changes in her own teaching.