Northern Ireland offers a rich and compelling opportunity to learn from a society that has experienced policy-driven ethnic exclusion, a civil rights movement that mutated into a violent conflict, and an ongoing peace process that directly reckons with long-standing harms from punitive policing.
The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy offers a capstone course, which includes field study in Ireland over the spring break. The course examines the development of conflict in Northern Ireland, the institutional reforms embedded in the peace process culminating in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the stability of the peace in the ensuing years, and the strains placed on the peace by the Brexit vote in 2016. Students learn how elites re-crafted political institutions for power-sharing, how economic opportunities for employment are critical to the peace process, and how the ongoing historical meaning of “the Troubles” is contested.
Launched in 2014, the program has become a favorite highlight of student participants, who are based in Dublin, and travel to Derry and Belfast during their week abroad. The course is taught by Paul Martin, associate professor of public policy who has received multiple recognitions for his work focused on political representation, elections and policy, mass media, social capital, and peace and conflict. It is offered in the spring to fourth-year Batten undergraduate students and significant financial support is available to ensure that any Batten student interested in the course can participate.
“Teaching in another country deepens planned learning and offers unexpected opportunities for growth,” said Martin. “There’s a difference between reading about the ‘interfaces’ or ‘peace walls’ that separate neighborhoods in Belfast and having a visceral response to their stunning size, scale, and ubiquity. The day we toured the peace walls, a new mural the length of a city block was unveiled. It visually connected the war in Gaza to Ireland under British rule. Students witnessed how many Irish people see the war in Gaza differently than many Americans see that conflict.”
Students have a great appreciation for the opportunity for many reasons. Describing her experience as “transformative,” Emily Pasquinelli says that her class participated in extensive research and discussion regarding the deep-rooted ideological conflict and subsequent peacemaking process in Northern Ireland. Covering major issues, she said this preparatory work formed a strong foundation for the trip ahead.
“When Spring break finally arrived and we made our journey to Dublin, we were all so excited,” said Pasquinelli. “It was my first time ever in Europe, and I was blown away by the beauty of the spaces around us. My favorite place that we visited was Derry, which was extremely rich in history from the Troubles. It was there that we toured the Free Derry Museum and heard firsthand stories from survivors of Bloody Sunday who walked us through the city and explained the significance of historic locations where conflict and protests took place. These tours and conversations were extremely emotional, and allowed our class to understand how recent and life-altering this period of conflict was for the existing community in Derry. Almost everyone we spoke with had a personal connection to the Troubles, either living through it themselves or hearing stories through family and friends. I was struck by how vulnerable and open everyone was — always offering to answer our questions and share their experiences, even if the stories were extremely painful to recount. I am so grateful to have learned from the resilient communities in Northern Ireland and I am inspired by the work being done to promote peacemaking across the region.”
Pasquinelli added that the educational experience was just one aspect of this unforgettable trip and course.
“The capstone was such a wonderful opportunity to get closer to my Batten peers. Whether we were exploring the Queens student Union in Belfast, hiking up the stunning Giants Causeway, learning how to properly sip a Guinness, or just hanging out in the hotel trying different flavors of “crisps” (prawn cocktail was the best one!) we had such a great time experiencing the Irish culture as a group. I am forever grateful for this experience, and I strongly recommend the class to any rising fourth-years who are considering it.”
