Parity of Esteem Re-visited & Re-imagined

The concept of “parity of esteem” is central to diverse constitutional, political, legal and socio-economic narratives of Northern Ireland and of these islands. In 1994, Professor Simon Lee analysed the history and philosophical underpinning of “parity of esteem” in a collection of essays in honour of Reverend Eric Gallagher, tracing the history of its use… Continue Reading Parity of Esteem Re-visited & Re-imagined

The Northern Ireland Bill of Rights in the Context of Brexit

This presentation focuses on an independent funded project (Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust) that seeks to address the issue of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland in the context of Brexit. A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland remains part of the unfinished work of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. In response to its mandate under… Continue Reading The Northern Ireland Bill of Rights in the Context of Brexit

Brexit and Northern Ireland: The Constitutional, Conflict Transformation, Human Rights and Equality Consequences

The BrexitLawNI project is a collaborative project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.  It seeks to examine the constitutional, conflict transformation, human rights and equality consequences of Brexit.  It particularly focuses on six key issues: the Northern Ireland peace process; North-South relations; border controls and free movement in and between Northern Ireland, the… Continue Reading Brexit and Northern Ireland: The Constitutional, Conflict Transformation, Human Rights and Equality Consequences

Making sense of Brexit’s challenges to Economic Citizenship

Managing the process of the United Kingdom (UK) exiting from the European Union (EU) for Northern Ireland (NI) is the most complex and challenging one of all the UK territories. It is the only part of the UK with a contiguous border with another EU Member State that is also a member of the Eurozone.… Continue Reading Making sense of Brexit’s challenges to Economic Citizenship

The role of oral history in societies emerging from conflict

Prof Cahal McLaughlin (QUB) Three official reports in Northern Ireland have each recommended storytelling as one of the methods to address the legacy of the past – Bloomfield (1998), Eames-Bradley (2007) and Hass (2014) reports. The proposal of an Oral History Archive in the Stormont House Agreement raises the possibility of similar benefits. The Executive… Continue Reading The role of oral history in societies emerging from conflict

The role of paramilitary punishment attacks and intimidation in death by suicide in post agreement Northern Ireland

Dr Sharon Mallon (OU) The signing of the Good Friday agreement effectively brought an end to the widespread violence associated with the ‘Troubles’. However, communities within Northern Ireland continue to be blighted by an insidious form of violence in the form of punishment beatings and intimidation. Anecdotal evidence published in news media have linked cases… Continue Reading The role of paramilitary punishment attacks and intimidation in death by suicide in post agreement Northern Ireland

Promoting community well-being through partnerships and co-production

Ms Louise O’Boyle (Ulster) This presentation will discuss the findings from evidence-based research into the effectiveness of a partnership between Louise O’Boyle (Ulster University) and PIPS Charity North Belfast, over a series of collaborations between 2012-2016. The constituency of North Belfast is an area of multiple disadvantages and has the highest suicide rate in Northern… Continue Reading Promoting community well-being through partnerships and co-production

Assessing the risks of economic inequality; the impact on societal wellbeing and economic development

Dr Nat O’Connor (Ulster) Economic inequality is rising in the developed world and influential research has found major risks to economic growth and population health; including OECD reports, IMF working papers, Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century and the UK’s ‘Marmot Review’. Nobel economist Robert Shiller has called it “The most important problem that we are… Continue Reading Assessing the risks of economic inequality; the impact on societal wellbeing and economic development

Environmental methods of surface transport noise reduction

Prof Keith Attenborough and Dr Shahram Taherzadeh (OU) Noise barriers are a common method of combating noise (mentioned under ‘environment’ in the KESS hot topics list) but they may be unsightly and tend to divide communities because any gaps affect their efficiency. The presentation will describe alternative methods based on the results of the Open University… Continue Reading Environmental methods of surface transport noise reduction