Conflict analysis – Resolution – Public diplomacy
This site has been constructed as an on line resource for the book: The People’s Peace Process in Northern Ireland: Many important lessons have come out of the negotiations for the Belfast Agreement. This book explains how public opinion polls were used in support of the Northern Ireland peace process. Significantly, it was the politicians who decided the questions so that they could map out areas of compromise and common ground that their supporters would accept. This book explains how the work was done so that others can apply the benefits of this experience to their own peace building activities. – The book is available to provide up to date information on the latest peace polls and copies of questionnaires and statistical reports as downloads. (Homepage and About).
Conflicts; Publications; Colin Irwin; Travel log; The Global Revue of Ethnopolitics;
Polls used in the Northern Ireland peace process, 12 pdf-pages, Sept. 2001;
Address: Dr Colin Irwin, Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool, 1 Abercromby Square, Liverpool
L69 7WY, United Kingdom;
Contact online.
Research methods: Eight surveys of public opinion were conducted in support of the Northern Ireland peace process between April 1996 and May 2000.
Critically the questions for seven of these polls were drafted and agreed with the co-operation of party negotiators to enhance the peace process by increasing party inclusiveness, developing issues and language, testing party policies, helping to set deadlines and increase the overall transparency of negotiations through the publication of technical analysis and media reports.
This paper briefly reviews the principle findings of these polls and their role in the political development and implementation of the Belfast Agreement; some practical observations from the Northern Ireland experience; the qualitative and quantitative methods used and finally how the lessons from this work might now be applied to the resolution of conflicts elsewhere … (full text).