Conflict and Curriculum: Findings from an Evaluation of the ‘From Prison to Peace’ Educational Programme

Author(s):

Lesley Emerson(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

07 SES 04 A, Transition and Intercultural Learning

Paper Session

Time:

2017-08-23

09:00-10:30

Room:

W3.09

Chair:

Sofia Santos

Contribution

The aim of this paper is to discuss the findings from an impact evaluation of a curriculum programme (located in history and citizenship curricula) designed to engage young people directly with conflict, its legacy and transition to peace in a conflict-affected society (Northern Ireland).

The choice of knowledge transmitted in the curriculum in societies emerging from conflict can have consequences for how education is positioned as either a factor in creating or exacerbating conflict or as a transformative component of peace-building (Author 1, 2013). Education should seek therefore to address the impact of conflict on children, and develop understanding of the nature of conflict in order to assist in its resolution (Tawil and Harley, 2004). Arguably, this requires a repositioning of the concept of ‘conflict’ in the school curriculum. As Davies (2004: 25) observes, conflict is often presented in peace education initiatives as a ‘contextual issue rather than one which needs to be addressed head on’. Whilst citizenship education provides one vehicle through which conflict could be understood, in transitional contexts, where processes which seek to misrepresent the past can result in conflict reappearing in future generations (Cohen, 2001), history education has a crucial role to play in ‘narrowing the space for permissible lies’ (Ignatieff, 2003: 78) and ensuring that past grievances are addressed (Author 1, 2007). Thus an enhanced relationship between history and citizenship education has the potential to contribute to young people’s understanding of conflict and conflict transformation (Author 1, 2012).

Context and conceptual underpinning of the programme

The conflict known colloquially as ‘The Troubles’ had a significant impact on Northern Ireland’s small population, creating a challenging societal milieu for a prolonged peace process in a transitional context which is characterised by segregation and disrupted by residual violence. Thus, young people in Northern Ireland are ‘growing up in a politically complex society where the peace, though relatively stable, is not altogether secure and where the effects of violence and the factors which generated, exacerbated and sustained the conflict are not altogether in the past’ (Author 1, 2013: 23).

Unsurprisingly the Northern Ireland curriculum seeks to address issues associated with the divided nature of this society. This is achieved largely through a statutory citizenship curriculum, in which addressing sectarianism and conflict resolution is mandated, and a statutory history curriculum, which has at its core the antecedents of the more recent phase of conflict in Ireland. Young people however report only superficial engagement in school with the more complex and contentious aspects of citizenship in a divided society, such as community conflict (University of Ulster, 2010).

It is within this context that the programme, ‘From Prison to Peace: learning from the experience of political ex-prisoners’ was developed: a twelve week programme designed for use in post-primary schools within the citizenship and history curricula. Based on the narratives of fifteen ex-prisoners, who were involved in the conflict as members of loyalist and republican ‘paramilitary’ combatant groups, the programme explores: reasons why people became involved in conflict; the impact of prison; and the contribution of former combatants to conflict transformation. Young people are also provided with opportunities to engage directly in dialogue with former combatants in order to explore further the issues related to their narratives. The programme thus seeks to develop within young people an understanding of the nature, reality and complexity of conflict and transition to peace. In particular it seeks to engender a sense of ‘political generosity’, that is a confidence in young people in their own political/cultural identity alongside a respect for the rights of others to hold alternative political views (Author 1, 2012).

Method

The primary method employed for determining the impact of the programme was a cluster randomised controlled trial (CRCT), alongside in-depth qualitative case studies of the programme’s implementation in a range of schools. The trial entailed recruiting schools to deliver the programme and allocating them randomly to either a ‘control’ or ‘intervention’ group. The intervention schools delivered the programme; the control schools did not. Young people completed a ‘pre-test’ survey before the programme was delivered and then the same survey ‘post-test’ when the programme was finished. Results from the pre and post-test surveys in the intervention schools could then be compared to see if the programme had an impact on young people; comparison with the control school results meant that any effect could be deemed to be as a result of the ‘Prison to Peace’ programme. The survey was designed primarily to measure specific outcomes (addressing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours) that reflected the core aims and objectives of the ‘Prison to Peace’ programme, using a number of established scales and newly developed scales for outcomes for which no established measure existed. The trial involved 864 young people (with 497 young people matched across pre- and post- test) aged 14-17 years, from 14 post-primary school settings (7 intervention schools, 7 control schools). Demographic data were collected from participants (n=864 in total; with 497 matched pre- and post-test). Data were analysed using a series of multilevel models (with the statistical software STATA) with participants clustered within schools. In each case, the post-test score was the dependent variable; the independent variables were associated pre-test score and group variable, i.e. intervention or control. Case studies (conducted in intervention schools) involved classroom observations, teacher interviews and focus groups with young people. This in depth exploration allowed for a deeper understanding of the context in which the programme was implemented. Throughout the study, the researchers work with a Young Person’s Research Advisory group who assisted in the development of the research strategy and analysis and interpretation of findings.

Expected Outcomes

The analysis of findings demonstrates that there is a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups (controlling for any pre-test differences) across several of the outcomes (with sizeable effects ranging from .17-.42). That is, the intervention group, compared to the control group, reported that they: knew more about the conflict, processes of transition and conflict transformation; talked to others more about politics; showed more interest in participating in school related activities; sought more information related to politics (via newspapers, the internet etc.); demonstrated more support for using non-violent means to deal with conflict; and demonstrated less blatant and subtle prejudice. Qualitative findings suggest that crucial to the success of the programme is the 'readiness' of schools to engage with controversial issues. This is dependent upon schools being committed to social learning, connected to the communities they serve and on an ethos infused with trust and support. This research suggests that foregrounding the nature of conflict and the processes of conflict transformation in the curriculum, through the narratives of those who were directly involved in conflict (arguably the most contentious ‘voices’), has a positive impact on young people. Notably in the analysis of the qualitative data from the study (see Author 1, Author 2 and Author 3, 2014) young people suggested that addressing the nature of conflict through first-hand accounts helped them to make sense of their current socio-political context, thereby challenging their previous stereotypical and prejudiced views of the ‘other’ community. Overall, it appears through engaging with the narratives in the programme young people were provided with a broad framework of perspectives in which they could locate, and understand, the often biased perspectives they encountered in their own communities.

References

Author 1. 2007 Author 1. 2012 Author 1. 2013 Author 1, . 2014 Cohen, S. 2001. States of denial. Cambridge: Polity Press. Davies, L. 2004. Conflict and education: complexity and chaos. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Ignatieff, M. 2003. The warrior’s honor: ethnic war and the modern conscience. London: Vintage. McGarry, J., and B. O’Leary. 1995. Explaining Northern Ireland. Oxford: Blackwell. Tawil, S., and A. Harley. 2004. Education, conflict and social cohesion. Geneva: International Bureau of Education. University of Ulster. 2010. Evaluation of local and global citizenship: Final report. Coleraine: University of Ulster.

Author Information

Lesley Emerson (presenting / submitting)

Queen's University Belfast

Social Science, Education and Social Work

Belfast

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