INCORE – International Conflict Research – is
an international center of excellence for Peace and Conflict study
affiliated to the United Nations University in Tokyo. INCORE also serves
as the co-ordinating body for peace and conflict related work across
the University of Ulster.
Our work is interdisciplinary
in nature and often comparative in focus. We draw on INCORE’s unique location in Derry and Northern Ireland
and seek to offer shared learning and best practice based on our experiences
in Northern Ireland as a means to promote peace and conflict research
and practice elsewhere. 
Recently this was attested to by the visit of
a group of Nepalese MP’s to study the peace process here and draw
on shared learning to hopefully impact on the savage civil war ongoing
in their own country.
INCORE has developed
intricate and mutually-productive links with political and civil society
across Northern Ireland. We seek to promote best practice and quality
research into diversity and conflict management (DCM) in Northern Ireland – and to develop peace-building in Northern Ireland
generally – via the combination of our in-house expertise and the
sterling efforts of our partners in political and civil society.
Local International Learning Project - LILP
Our Local International
Learning Project (LILP) works on peace-building, DCM and interface
issues in Northern Ireland. Two major recent conferences attest to
the development of our links with local organizations. A conference
on Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland was held in association
with the WAVE Trauma Centre – examining the potential for this alternative
form of justice as a means to reconciliation and peace-building. Since
then, a conference examining Interface Issues in Northern Ireland was
staged in association with the North-West Social Forum – and involved
a variety of interface groups.
Last September, a
high-profile conference entitled ‘Breaking
the Log-Jam’ was held at Stormont. Many of Northern Ireland’s
political leaders participated, along with business leaders, academia,
the media and civil society. The conference addressed the political stalemate
dominating domestic politics and the peace process at that time. Though
no causal link can be directly attributed – elections for the Legislative
Assembly were successfully-held little more than two months later.
Politicians and Community Relations
Our new Politicians
and Community Relations (PCR) project is designed to examine and assess
the views of Northern Ireland politicians on community relations work
in Northern Ireland. The research will be conducted via a questionnaire
sent all Northern Ireland’s local and district
councilors and MLA’s as well as a series of interviews with leading
politicians. Indicative findings will be presented at a seminar in June – to
be attended by community groups and politicians involved in the research.
In turn, an international conference on the theme of Politicians and
Community Relations will be held in September, and a final report on
the research project findings will be published in 2004.
Northern Ireland Centre for European Collaboration
The Northern Ireland
Center for European Collaboration (NICEC) was established in January
2004 and has begun its work with the appointment of a core team of
4 full-time staff based at INCORE Headquarters. NICEC will work on
DCM and social and economic regeneration (SEC) issues in Northern Ireland – but
in a pan-EU context.
ARK – Northern
Ireland Social and Political Archive
ARK- the Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive - is a joint
resource of the University of Ulster and Queens University Belfast. ARK
provides comprehensive and detailed information on social and political
issues in Northern Ireland. ARK provides a variety of different kinds
of information including background facts and figures, survey results,
research reports, research summaries, audio-visual material and election
results.
CAIN – Conflict
Archive on the Internet
The award-winning
CAIN website continues to build on its peerless local and global reputation
as a resource and guide to the Northern Ireland conflict. In February
2004 the CAIN website received its 22nd millionth hit – a milestone attesting to its relevance and worth in terms
of disseminating information on Northern Ireland’s conflict and
peace process.
INCORE and UU – Peace
and Conflict in Northern Ireland
INCORE Associates
continue to provide a multidisciplinary and varied cutting-edge research
and writing output on peace and conflict issues in Northern Ireland.
The past year has seen a variety of publications on various issues
and reflecting diverse approaches to the peace process in Northern
Ireland in all its facets. Issues such as community
relations, methods of researching Northern Ireland’s conflict,
a reflection on the major personalities involved in Northern Ireland’s
troubles and current politics, a breakdown of political attitudes in
Northern Ireland toward a variety of issues such as the EU and to the
peace process were all prominent INCORE publications over the past year.
INCORE specialist
units such as the Centre for Voluntary Action Studies (CVAS) continue
to work with voluntary groups in Northern Ireland – and
assess the role these groups play and can offer in peace-building here
in Northern Ireland. The Future Ways Program seeks to find practical
ways that people can live, learn & work together in a society emerging
from conflict. Support is given to people and organizations –from
rural communities, public organizations, voluntary and community agencies
and elected representatives - to meet and to share dilemmas. The aim
is to open new doors to addressing the legacy of division & mistrust
that has characterised relationships and institutions in Northern Ireland.
Teaching
- Northern Ireland Conflict Resolution – An
Introductory Programme
Held in June, this three-day annual Programme aims to provide an introduction
to conflict resolution practices in Northern Ireland. Participants will
have the opportunity to engage in interactive dialogues with representatives
from community organisations, ex-combatants, political parties and governmental
agencies. Through exposure to these key actors, participants can acquire
unique insights and understanding of the intricacies and nuances of this
post-conflict transitional society, beyond what is usually contained
in academic literature.
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Given
INCORE’s international outlook – our intention is
to utilise our links to the outside world to boost peace and conflict
research and best practice within Northern Ireland. Shared learning is
logically a two-way mutually-beneficial endeavour. The many prominent
and dedicated visitors we have hosted recently – from Romano Prodi
to Bertie Ahern to Nepalese MPs to Lebanese businessmen (to name but
a few) – have sought to enrich peace-building in Northern Ireland
via the learning they have acquired elsewhere. INCORE sees as at the
core of its work in Northern Ireland the idea that peace is to be cherished – and
if we in Northern Ireland can share what we have learned and teach others
to see the benefits of peace – then the value of this will
be returned to Northern Ireland via the experiences and practice
of peace-builders elsewhere.
