Churches and the Governing of Schools in Northern Ireland: A Redistribution of Power?

This paper presents findings of research into the role of church nominees on school governing bodies. The data is drawn mainly from a wider study of school ethos and school governance undertaken in Northern Ireland in the period 1994 to 1997. The paper raises the question of the future roles and responsibilities of church nominees after legislative changes to the composition and responsibilities of school governing bodies. It also considers recent social and attitudinal change and explains how the combination of these factors have created a situation whereby the power of the churches in the individual school governing body is no longer guaranteed

Intimate Mixing - Bridging the Gap? Catholic-Protestant Relationships in Northern Ireland

For many years Northern Ireland has been a divided society where members of the two main religious groups, Catholics and Protestants, have limited opportunities to interact due to segregation in their social lives. Attempts have been made to encourage religious mixing through integration in schools, housing and workplaces predicated on the theory that bringing people together can improve community relations and remove prejudices – known as the ‘contact hypothesis’. However, little is known about those who enter into mixed-religion partnerships often against the wishes of their families and communities. This paper examines the characteristics and attitudes of mixed-religion couples and suggests that they differ in their socio-demographic characteristics and in their attitudes from those who marry within their own religion. These findings add to the weight of evidence from other countries in conflict suggesting that intermarriage has a role to play in contributing to less sectarian views and improved community relations.

Understanding leadership in local churches

A sociological examination of the concept of leadership and its application to understanding social interactions and power relations in local churches, based upon ethnographic investigation into London Methodist churches.