Teaching for democracy in the absence of transitional justice:The case of Northern Ireland

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Abstract

In Northern Ireland, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended thirty years of civil conflict—known as ‘the Troubles’—by achieving nominal peace between the opposing factions. It did so, however, through a political power-sharing formula that had no provisions for state-sponsored transitional justice mechanisms. We ask to what extent education can promote the goals of transitional justice in the absence of a formal process. Drawing from qualitative data and using a new citizenship education programme in Northern Ireland as our case study, we argue that organizational constraints within the education system limit the potential of the programme. We also identify missed opportunities, such as the de-emphasis on the importance of teaching political literacy. Our findings have implications for other societies undergoing transition from violent conflict by highlighting the potential opportunities for citizenship education to aid in transitional justice efforts.

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• Teaching for democracy in the absence of transitional justice:The case of Northern Ireland. (deposited 09 May 2017 15:54)
  • Teaching for democracy in the absence of transitional justice:The case of Northern Ireland. (deposited 18 Sep 2017 14:34) [Currently Displayed]