Civil Society, Peacebuilding, and Economic Assistance in Northern Ireland: Local Knowledge, Wisdom, and Practices (Routledge Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution)

This book examines the role of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and some of the challenges they face.The work explores the perspective and experiences of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland about their analysis and critique of liberal peacebuilding, their hopes, and concerns, and how they are aligned with external funders. It features interviews with a plethora of civil society organization workers, funding agency community development officers, and civil servants adjudicating the International Fund for Ireland and the European Union Peace and Reconciliation Fund, which highlight the participantsâ•• local wisdom, practices, and values regarding creating sustainable livelihoods, peacebuilding insights, receiving recognition for their work, dissonance with internal and external actors, conflict transformation efforts, and engagement with partners and allies. The rich empirical qualitative exploratory case study, situated in postâ••peace accord Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland, speaks to the respondentsâ•• ideas about the creation, delivery, and efficacy of peacebuilding-funded initiatives as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. In exploring this central argument, the work offers an overarching structure in which to analyze the theory and praxis of conflict and peacebuilding in Northern Ireland. More generally, it offers an important contribution to our understanding of local peacebuilders, and how economic assistance impacts on a divided society.This book will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, sociology, and British and Irish politics. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Acknowledgments Acronyms and Abbreviations 1 Local Experts’ Wisdom, and Practices Conceptualizing the Local Turn and Local Effect: Economic Aid and Neoliberal Peacebuilding The Local Turn The Local Effect A Note On Methods Structure of the Book Conclusions 2 Conflict and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland External Aid, CSOs, and Peacebuilding The British Government’s 2010 Austerity Program The 2012–2013 Flying-The-Flags Controversy The 2016 Brexit Referendum Donald Trump’s 2016 Election and America First The 2017 Collapse and Restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive The UK’s 2020 Departure From the EU The COVID-19 Pandemic Conclusions 3 Your Work Is Done, Or Your Work Is Not Done: Let the Past Wither On the Vine Peace Equals Tea and Biscuits The Safe Hands of Greenism and Orangeism Work Yourself Out of a Job Conclusions Note 4 We All Eat the Same Potatoes Water Unites, Water Doesn’t Divide Equal and Parallel But Separate Conclusions Note 5 “Apathy Is Frozen By Words” Words Rattle in Your Brain: Justice for All and Justice for the Many One Thread in the Whole Tapestry of Things “Window Into the Soul of a Community” Conclusions Notes 6 Yeast Is to Bread What Economic Aid Is to Peace: The Peace-By-Prosperity Model The Peace Industry and a Cocktail of Funding There Are Only So Many Saints Walking This Earth A Race to the Bottom, and Sleepwalking Toward Segregation Conclusions 7 Better to Have a Peace Industry Than a War Industry: You Can’t Eat a Flag Give Sectarianism the Boot Peacebuilding Is Commonsense and Grounded Street Work Play It Safe With Tea and Buns, Safe Parties, and Peace By Proxy Conclusions Note 8 We Have the Experience But Miss the Meaning and Learning The Enormous Courage of People: Taking Risks for Peace Bouts of Utopia: Transforming Conflict Find Your Feet Conclusions Note 9 Economic Aid and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland: Critical Peacebuilding Emancipated? Economic Aid, Peacebuilding, and the Northern Ireland Peace Process CSOs’ Working Relationships With the Funders CSO Projects and Local Peacebuilding Local CSOs’ Knowledge and Practices CSOs, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion COVID-19 and Brexit’s Implications for Peace in Northern Ireland Implications for Peace and Conflict Studies Conclusions Note References Index "This book examines the role of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and some of the challenges they face. The work explores the perspective and experiences of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland about their analysis and critique of liberal peacebuilding, their hopes, and concerns, and how they are aligned with external funders. It features interviews with a plethora of civil society organization workers, funding agency community development officers, and civil servants adjudicating the International Fund for Ireland and the European Union PEACE III fund, which highlight the participants' local wisdom, practices, and values regarding creating sustainable livelihoods, peacebuilding insights, receiving recognition for their work, dissonance with internal and external actors, conflict transformation efforts, and engagement with partners and allies. The rich empirical qualitative exploratory case study, situated in post-peace accord Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland, speaks to the respondents' ideas about the creation, delivery, and efficacy of peacebuilding-funded initiatives as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. In exploring this central argument, the work offers an overarching structure in which to analyze the theory and praxis of conflict and peacebuilding in Northern Ireland. More generally, it offers an important contribution to our understanding of local peacebuilders, and how economic assistance impacts on a divided society. This book will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, sociology, and British and Irish politics"-- Provided by publisher This book examines the role of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and some of the challenges they face. The work explores the perspective and experiences of local peacebuilders in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland about their analysis and critique of liberal peacebuilding, their hopes, and concerns, and how they are aligned with external funders. It features interviews with a plethora of civil society organization workers, funding agency community development officers, and civil servants adjudicating the International Fund for Ireland and the European Union Peace and Rconciliation Fund, which highlight the participants’ local wisdom, practices, and values regarding creating sustainable livelihoods, peacebuilding insights, receiving recognition for their work, dissonance with internal and external actors, conflict transformation efforts, and and engagement with partners and allies. The rich empirical qualitative exploratory case study, situated in post-peace accord Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland, speaks to the respondents’ ideas about the creation, delivery, and efficacy of peacebuilding-funded initiatives as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. In exploring this central argument, the work offers an overarching structure in which to analyze the theory and praxis of conflict and peacebuilding in Northern Ireland. More generally, it offers an important contribution to our understanding of local peacebuilders, and how economic assistance impacts on a divided society. This book will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, sociology, and British and Irish politics.