Us and Them?

Author(s): Paula Devine and Dirk Schubotz
Document Type: Research Paper
Year: 2004
Publisher: ARK
Place of Publication: Belfast
Subject Area(s): Community Relations
Client Group(s) : Young People

Abbreviations: YLT - Young Life and Times

Background to the Research

  • Although relations between the two main communities in Northern Ireland have been precarious, efforts to improve them have remained a government priority.
  • Each year, the YLT survey offers all young people who celebrate their 16th birthday in the February of that year the opportunity to discuss a range of contemporary social issues.

Research Approach

  • This research update draws upon the responses to the community relations questions provided by 902 young people who participated in the 2003 YLT survey.

Main Findings

  • Respondents assigned themselves the following national identities: Irish (39%); British (28%); Northern Irish (25%) and Ulster (4%).
  • Respondents perceived their national and religious identities as being important to them.
  • Respondents were most positive about members of their own community.
  • Despite the fact that many of the young people did not make explicitly positive comments about the other main tradition, very few articulated overtly negative views.
  • The young person's family emerged as being the most significant influence upon their views about community relations (47%).
  • The majority of the young people continue to live highly segregated lives. Only 6% attended planned integrated schools and 89% attended schools which were mostly attended by students from one tradition. Only 29% lived in a mixed community.
  • This segregated lifestyle appears to have an impact upon the young person's social circle, as they have fewer close friends of a different religion.
  • More respondents had experienced cross-community contact as a result of inter-school initiatives (79%) than as a result of social events (52%).
  • Respondents provided mixed responses to questions about integrated environments. Whilst 71% stated that they supported the idea of mixed-religious work places, many preferred to retain segregated neighbourhoods (53%) and schools (4852%).
  • When asked to predict how well the communities would interact in 5 years time, 42% thought they would be about the same, 36% believed they would improve and 15% felt they would deteriorate.

Conclusions

  • This research shows that national and religious identity plays an important role in the lives of the young people.
  • Although many of the respondents live highly segregated lives, support emerged for greater integration with the other community.

 

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