Community Action in a Contested Society : The Story of Northern Ireland

Kilmurray, Avila

ISBN 10: 3034322577 / ISBN 13: 9783034322577

Published by Peter Lang AG, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, 2016

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 28705282-n

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Community Action in a Contested Society : The Story of Northern Ireland
• Publisher: Peter Lang AG, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften
• Publication Date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3034322577
• ISBN 13: 9783034322577
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Much has been written about the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, but one story remains untold: that of the grassroots activism that maintained local communities in the face of violence. This book speaks through the voices of the activists themselves, drawn from both sides of a divided society. It records their memories of community organising and work on social issues, as well as their insights into surviving the politics of the period and contributing to peacebuilding. Providing a vivid account of how politics touched people’s lives, the book celebrates the energy, imagination and determination of community activism. It also examines the challenges faced by policymakers struggling to make sense of conflicting community narratives and official government positions.

There are vital lessons here for organisers, activists and policymakers working in any contested society, particularly those operating at the interface between social need and peacebuilding. Informed by an oral history approach, this book argues that conflict transformation is possible and that community activism has a major contribution to make in creating alternatives to violence.

About the Author

Avila Kilmurray is Visiting Professor in the Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University and works as a consultant with the Social Change Initiative (Northern Ireland). She has worked extensively in the community and voluntary sectors and was Director of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland for twenty years. She was also a founder member of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and a member of its negotiating team during the 1996–1998 peace talks.