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The efficacy of community reconciliation projects for identity redefinition in young people in Northern Ireland
Fiona Bloomer
The current study explores the identity redefinition of young Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, as a
result of their participation in a reconciliation programme.
Identity Structure Analysis (ISA) is used in this study to conceptualise and empirically investigate the identity
processes of the respondents. ISA is an open-ended theoretical framework that draws upon several orientations
including psychology, sociology, and social anthropology. Its approach to identity development is thus interdisciplinary
by nature. Analysis of the data from this study is carried out using Identity Exploration (IDEX) and SPSS software.
The study investigates, on a before/after basis, how reconciliation programmes in Northern Ireland influence the
identity development of young Catholics and Protestants. A control group of young people not involved in a
reconciliation programme also took part in the study to provide comparative results.
The findings indicate that whilst respondents tend to become more positive about general community relations issues,
participation in a reconciliation project had little or no impact upon how they viewed the other community.
Respondents' previous contact with the other community was found to have little positive impact upon their
identification patterns with that other community.
The most significant finding from the investigation is related to the extent of cross-ethnic identification and
alienation observed amongst respondents. The results indicate that 19.7% of Protestants cross-ethnically
identified with Catholics, compared to 10.4% of Catholics who cross-ethnically identified with Protestants.
Almost a third of Protestant respondents (31.9%) and 15.6% of Catholics were either alienated from,
or had high levels of identification conflict with both the Catholic and Protestant communities.
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