Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern IrelandIn Northern Ireland, a once seemingly intractable conflict is in a state of transformation. Lee A. Smithey offers a grassroots view of that transformation, drawing on interviews, documentary evidence, and extensive field research. He offers essential models for how ethnic and communal-based conflicts can shift from violent confrontation toward peaceful co-existence. Smithey focuses particularly on Protestant unionists and loyalists in Northern Ireland, who maintain varying degrees of commitment to the Protestant faith, the Crown, and and Ulster / British identity. He argues that antagonistic collective identities in ethnopolitical conflict can become less polarizing as partisans adopt new conflict strategies and means of expressing identity. Consequently, the close relationship between collective identity and collective action is a crucial element of conflict transformation. Smithey closely examines attempts in Protestant/unionist/loyalist communities and organizations to develop more constructive means of expressing collective identity and pursuing political agendas that can help improve community relations. Key leaders and activists have begun to reframe shared narratives and identities, making possible community support for negotiations, demilitarization, and political cooperation, while also diminishing out-group polarization. As Smithey shows, this kind of shift in strategy and collective vision is the heart of conflict transformation, and the challenges and opportunities faced by grassroots unionists and loyalists in Northern Ireland can prove instructive for other regions of intractable conflict. |
Contents
3 | |
2 Ethnic Identity Change and Conflict Transformation | 25 |
3 Protestant Unionists and Loyalists | 53 |
4 Mitigating Murals and Loyalist Cultural Innovation | 78 |
Mitigating Parades Public Relations and Identity Change | 116 |
6 Heritage Memory and Identity Work | 152 |
Other editions - View all
Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland Lee A. Smithey Limited preview - 2011 |
Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland Lee A. Smithey Limited preview - 2011 |
Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland Lee A. Smithey No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
action activities adopted Agreement areas Arts Association bands become Belfast bonfires British building capital Catholic collective identities community development community relations conflict transformation considered constitute construction continue contribute Council cultural cultural traditions described displays division East Belfast economic edited engage especially ethnic expressions feel figure flags forces funding going Grand grassroots heritage historical identify important individuals influence initiatives institution interest International intimidation involved Irish less Lodge loyalism means memory murals narratives nationalists negotiated Northern Ireland opportunities Orange Order organizations parades paramilitary participants parties peace percent persuasion political position practices present Press projects prominent Protestant question refers remains represent republican sectarian sense shared similar social Society strategies Studies symbolic themes things tion traditions Ulster Ulster-Scots unionism unionists and loyalists United University violence World