Revenge and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland
2007 Exploration Seminar in Belfast

**THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AND NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS**

Program Director: George Behlmer
Dates of Instruction: August 20 - September 15

The charming stereotypes of Irish society are overturned in this region, a region where you’re as likely to see a Union Jack as a shamrock. After thirty-plus years of conflict over nationalism - commonly referred to as “The Troubles” - Northern Ireland has embarked on a peace process that is ground-breaking, optimistic, and problematic.

Students on this program will investigate the interrelationships of identity, memory, and conflict in Northern Ireland through an intimate look at the diverse modes by which people there attempt to communicate and reconcile. Professor George Behlmer of the University of Washington, instructors from Queen’s University in Belfast, and local political figures and community members will instruct the students on specific current issues as well as overarching theories about post-conflict reconciliation. Participants will tour historical sites, museums and, and of course, the extensive political murals of the different communities.  Assigned schoolwork will require students to become familiar with one of the distinct neighborhoods in Belfast, reflecting in writing upon their experience of the place and people there.   Visits to the walled city of Londonderry and to Dublin are planned as well. The scars of conflict as well as the hopes for peace are built into the landscape of Northern Ireland, offering students of the region a visceral understanding of life after the Good Friday Accords (1998).

Participants will receive 5 credits in: Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) 471 “Topics in Northern Ireland,” International Studies or European Studies (EURO) 399 “Study Abroad: European Studies”. Participants should check with their academic advisors to determine how these credits may apply to major requirements.

Professor Behlmer specializes in Anglo/Irish history, and has taught on three study abroad programs in Northern Ireland, to great acclaim.  He lectures to large History classes, including the “Modern Irish History” class that will be taught in winter of 2007.  The CHID office has already received several inquiries from students interested in participating on this Seminar, which will appeal to a wide range of undergraduates interested in European history, Irish culture, and religious and ethnic conflicts.

Student costs:  
Program Fee $2,620
$200 IPE Fee
Additional costs include: Round trip airfare to Ireland, meals, health insurance, course materials, and personal spending money.

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