Beyond Belfast

Offbeat, charming, and filled with humour and insight, Beyond Belfast is the story of one man’s misguided attempt at walking the Ulster Way, “the longest waymarked trail in the British Isles.” It’s a journey that takes Will Ferguson through the small towns and half-forgotten villages of Northern Ireland, along rugged coastlines and across barren moorland heights, past crumbling castles and patchwork farms. From IRA pubs to Protestant marches, from bandits and bad weather to banshees and blood sausage, he wades into the thick of things, providing an affectionate and heartfelt look at one of the most misunderstood corners of the world. As the grandson of a Belfast orphan, Will also peels back the myths and realities of his own family history—a mysterious photograph, rumours of a lost inheritance. The truth, when it comes, is both surprising and funny …

Offbeat, charming, and filled with humour and insight, Beyond Belfast is the story of one man’s misguided attempt at walking the Ulster Way, “the longest waymarked trail in the British Isles.” It’s a journey that takes Will Ferguson through the small towns and half-forgotten villages of Northern Ireland, along rugged coastlines and across barren moorland heights, past crumbling castles and patchwork farms.From IRA pubs to Protestant marches, from bandits and bad weather to banshees and blood sausage, he wades into the thick of things, providing an affectionate and heartfelt look at one of the most misunderstood corners of the world. As the grandson of a Belfast orphan, Will also peels back the myths and realities of his own family history—a mysterious photograph, rumours of a lost inheritance. The truth, when it comes, is both surprising and funny …

In this book, one of the leading authorities on contemporary Northern Ireland politics provides an original, sophisticated and innovative examination of the post-Belfast agreement political landscape. Written in a fluid, witty and accessible style, this book explores: how the Belfast Agreement has changed the politics of Northern Ireland whether the peace process is still valid the problems caused by the language of politics in Northern Ireland the conditions necessary to secure political stability the inability of unionists and republicans to share the same political discourse the insights that political theory can offer to Northern Irish politics the future of key political parties and institutions.

Drawing on lessons from civil society in Northern Ireland, Beyond Social Capital examines the limitations of social capital theory in deeply divided societies. It draws on an ethnographic study of victim support groups and evidence from policymakers in Northern Ireland to reconceptualize the traditional bonding-bridging distinction in social capital theory. The role of leadership is particularly significant, as the book highlights the complex and compelling ways in which leadership supports and shapes the activities, practices and motivations of the victim self-help industry in Northern Ireland. Multiple dimensions of this industry are explored, including: social and victim policy; private, statutory, and voluntary sector collaboration; the political motivations of victim support groups; and the types of social capital being built in victim groups and the impact that this social capital has on victims and wider elements of the peace process. Importantly, Laura K. Graham challenges the prevailing notion that all forms of social capital are inherently good for civic organizations and associational life. Instead, a new form of social capital existing in divided and post-conflict societies is advanced. This form of social capital, called 'dysfunctional bonding', may have negative impacts, causing distrust within and outside a group and can be particularly problematic for those traumatized by political conflict. With international relevance, this book will be of great interest to those working in post-conflict studies as well as victim studies.

2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. When it was signed few would have imagined Brexit. This book examines the impact of the Good Friday Agreement on internal and cross-border political and economic cooperation between Northern Ireland, Ireland and Britain, in the context of Brexit. It also examines the impact of Brexit to date and concludes with some scenarios about the longer-term impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement itself and on Northern Ireland’s constitutional status. The volume comprises chapters from leading academics in the fields of Northern Irish and comparative politics who deal with economic and political aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, making an original contribution to the current debates on conflict resolution. It provides a theoretical framework by renowned expert on consociationalism, Brendan O’Leary, as well as a chapter on the British-Irish Relationship in the 21st Century by renowned Northern Ireland specialist John Coakley. This book was originally published as a special issue of Ethnopolitics.

Unique behind-the-scenes account of the Camp David peace talks.

An American in the sunset of his time, who through interaction with relatives and other people in the land of his mother's birth learned a great deal of the struggles encountered. More important, the affirmation of the old saying, "that fact is stranger than fiction." The human conflicts in life are reflected as they occur between a few people or groups of people including countries. A major theme of the story as written signifies that we are all truly victims of our environment. Also, the common bond that can exist between persons witnessing the horrors of war and the feelings they express of their opposing it if at all possible. One theme to be challenged by the reader in conclusion is the experience of life and the purpose of it for each person.

This book brings together the viewpoints of leading scholars and policy makers on the topic of exceptional courts and military commissions with a series of unique contributions setting out the current "state of the field." The book assesses the relationship between such courts and other intersecting and overlapping legal arenas including constitutional law, international law, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law.