STUDY ABROAD AT LUTHER COLLEGE

• 75%/2600• 25 January & five

semester/year programs

• 1990: 150 faculty • Global Citizenship

course developed in 2007

“Forging Paths to Peace in Northern Ireland”

Course Description: How can communities with a recent history of violence live together peacefully? This course will examine the difficult yet inspiring Northern Ireland peace process through the lives of its participants. We will explore the challenges and potential of grassroots peacebuilding, with special attention to issues of identity, culture, and memory as challenges and the principles of forgiveness, mercy, justice, and peace as potential. An integral part of the course will be meetings with representatives of the main political parties of Northern Ireland, former members of paramilitary organizations, academic experts, police officers, members of inter-community organizations, and victims of violence. Overnight destinations include Belfast, Derry, Ballycastle, Dublin and London. Lastly, we will apply the lessons of Northern Ireland to a vibrant and challenging multi-ethnic London.

Academic Framework

THEORETICAL ISSUES • Why do conflicts happen?• Why do some conflicts become violent?• How does violence impact a society for generations?• Why are some conflicts seemingly insoluble?• How can intense conflicts be constructively engaged (both

politically and at the grassroots)?• What stages do conflicts commonly move through?• What are the political “secrets” to negotiating a peace agreement?• What role can community groups play in building trust within a

divided society?

Belfast Days 1-4

• Peace Walls• Catholic/Protestant

neighborhoods/murals• Groups/Speakers– Ulster Project– Survivors of Trauma

Centre– Coiste – ex-prisoner org.– Queens University

Derry Days 5-8

• Omagh & Enniskillen• Bloody Sunday Centre &

Memorial• Walking tour of Murals,

Bogside & Walls of Derry• Ulster University Peace

and Conflict Program• Policing PSNI Station• Junction-Forum for

Peacebuilding

Ballycastle Days 9-10

• Corrymeela Reconciliation Centre

• Speakers/Programs on Peace Building

• Time for reflection

Belfast Days 11 & 12

• Tour Stormont, NI Parliament Buildings

• Good Friday/Belfast Peace Agreement

• Meetings with Nationalist & Unionist Party Leaders

Dublin Days 13 - 15

• Kilmainham Jail • 1916 Rebellion Walking

Tour• Leinster House and Irish

political leaders• Co-Operation Ireland• Trinity University

County Wicklow Days 16-17

• Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation

• Programs & Reflection

London Days 18-21

• Challenges of living in a multicultural world.

Insights about peace from this three week study abroad experience

• Two approaches to peacebuilding in NI– Elite level politics & power sharing: community divisions

intact– Grassroots & civil society: cooperation & integration of

communities• Is there peace and reconciliation in Northern

Ireland?– Persistence of sectarianism

• Paul Lederach: “peacebuilding is enormously complex.”