Young people and PEACE

: a conflict transformation positioned analysis of EU PEACE Programme youth programming in Northern Ireland and the Irish Border Region

Abstract

This thesis undertakes a conflict transformation positioned analysis of EU PEACE Programme youth programming in Northern Ireland and the Irish Border region. In doing this, the thesis responds to a paucity of existing academic output on youthwork as a peace development methodology and EU PEACE Programme youth programming.

Focusing on the case study of the PEACE 4 Programme’s Peace4Youth initiative, the research asks three research questions: does the Peace4Youth initiative design indicate that the PEACE 4 Programme could have facilitated young people’s engagement in conflict transformation? Did engagement in PEACE 4 Programme youth programming influence young people’s personal conflict transformation abilities and appetites? Did the inclusion of a youth priority in the PEACE 4 Programme contribute to a wider process of conflict transformation in the region? To respond to these questions the research employs a qualitative methodology, incorporating both in-depth, semi-structured interviews with actors involved in the management and delivery PEACE Programme programming, analysed thematically, and qualitative content analysis.

The research identifies that EU PEACE Programme youth programming had capacity to contribute to conflict transformation outcomes. The realisation of such outcomes, however, was obstructed by factors pertaining to programming’s delivery and forces within the wider programming region. The Peace4Youth initiative was not able to achieve as significant and sustained a conflict transformation outcome as its capacity should allow. This finding contributes both important insight into the experience of EU PEACE Programme youth programming specifically, and more general observations regarding youth and peace focused programming in societies emerging from conflict.

Date of Award	Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Northern Ireland Department for the Economy
Supervisor	Cathal McCall (Supervisor) & Dirk Schubotz (Supervisor)