IR3080 The Northern Ireland Conflict

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 9

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

Tues 11am - 1pm Tues 2-4pm

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr K J McConaghy

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Kieran McConaghy

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will give students an in-depth understanding of the recent conflict in Northern Ireland. Students will be introduced to a range of theoretical perspectives and concepts from across IR (such as nationalism, identity, peacebuilding, consociationalism, political violence and memory) to explain and understand aspects of the conflict era and postconflict Northern Ireland. Students will gain an understanding of the social and political factors which gave rise to violence in the 1960s. They will study the trajectory of the conflict, examining the main protagonists in the violence as well as the key actors and processes that achieved the fragile peace of the 1990s. Students will discuss the aftermath of that conflict and contemporary efforts to deal with legacy issues. They will examine challenges to the current precarious peace. Crucially the module equips students with analytical skills and conceptual tools that they can apply to other cases and contexts in their wider studies.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Written Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1x2 hr seminar (11 weeks), 2 optional consultation hours with Coordinator (x12 weeks).

Scheduled learning hours

46

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

264

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • By the end of the module, students will be able to understand and explain the onset of the conflict in Northern Ireland from a range of theoretical perspectives
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to understand and explain the perspectives of various elite and community level stakeholders on the conflict in Northern Ireland
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to critically assess the effectiveness of formal and informal efforts to establish and maintain peace in Northern Ireland
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to elucidate the persistent challenges to peace and security in contemporary Northern Ireland