Integrated Education in Northern Ireland: A Chance for Peace?

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,3, University of Potsdam, 5 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The first part of this paper will give a short overview on the historical development of education, in general, in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, the structure and the current situation of the Northern Ireland school system are shortly summed up. In the second part, I will provide information about NICIE. This includes their history, work, organization, as well as their aims as a group, that wants to offer support and to encourage the peace process in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, NICIE's own definition of integrated education, as well as responses and recommendations to official bodies. Three studies will be presented in the third part of this paper. Two studies, which were set up and published by Claire McGlynn and a opinion poll, which was employed by NICIE. Northern Ireland, since its partition from Southern Ireland, had always been confronted with religious tension. The result has been conflict and for many years one was faced with the challenges of solving the problem of secular segregation. Children, who grow up in a society or community, where prejudice and intolerance are part of every day life, can never develop into mature and liberal human beings. By bringing Protestant and Catholic children together in one school, in order to learn with each other and from each other, will eventually lead Northern Ireland to peace and reconciliation.