ARK has an exciting line-up of events and publications planned for 2019, and we hope will you join us for these. Until then, we hope you have a very happy Christmas season.


 

CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) is the world-leading source of information and material focusing on the conflict in Northern Ireland. Of particular note is access to the original text of documents relating to pivotal legislation and agreements in Northern Ireland's history.

One such agreement is the 'Joint Declaration on Peace', which is also known as 'The Downing Street Declaration'. This declaration was issued on 15 December 1993 by John Major, then British Prime Minister, and Albert Reynolds, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), on behalf of the British and Irish Governments. The full text of this agreement is available on the CAIN site.

Find out more  

2018 marked 20 years since ARK began recording public attitudes via the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey. 2018 also marked 15 years since the beginning of the Young Life and Times survey, and 10 years since the first Kids' Life and Times survey was run.

Since they began, the data from these annual surveys have provided important evidence on how people of all ages think about key issues affecting their lives.

These important anniversaries were celebrated at an event on 29 November. We were very pleased to host three key speakers: Professor Paddy Nixon (Vice Chancellor, Ulster University), Professor Adrienne Scullion (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Queen's University Belfast), and Koulla Yiasouma (Commissioner for Children and Young People).

The event also marked the launch of a book Recording Social Attitudes and Informing Social Policy in Northern Ireland: Key Findings from 20 Years of ARK's Life and Times Surveys highlighting the major contribution that the surveys have provided to policy making in Northern Ireland.

Find out more  

ARK publishes its research findings in a range of formats, including Research Updates, books, and online articles. Our latest publications include:

• Volunteering Matters: Young People's Perspectives by Martina McKnight and Dirk Schubotz. This Research Update (number 125) explores data from the 2017 Young Life and Times survey.
• Recording Social Attitudes and Informing Social Policy in Northern Ireland: Key Findings from 20 Years of ARK's Life and Times Surveys. This book highlights key findings from ARK's three public attitudes surveys, and how the data contribute to social policy debates in Northern Ireland
• Welcome home? Attitudes towards asylum seekers and refugees, by Paula Devine and Lucy Michael. This online article uses data from the 2017 Northern Ireland Life and Times survey, and was published by Queen's University Policy and Engagement

Find out more  

As part of our ethos of making information accessible to everyone, ARK runs different types of events, including research seminars, policy round tables, and workshops. Where possible, we record the presentations at these events, and make them available online.

Our most recent seminar 'A welcoming Northern Ireland? Understanding sentiment towards asylum seekers and refugees', by Lucy Michael (Ulster University) was held on 22 November. A video of Lucy's presentation, and the accompanying slides, are now available.

Find out more