Harris Students Explore Northern Ireland with Pearson Institute Program

The Pearson Institute International Conflict Seminars (PICS) are programs designed for students to focus on critical issues of global conflict through immersive international experiences. By engaging with government officials, NGOs, community leaders and more, students can gain a holistic understanding of global conflicts. Previous PICS programs have included Jordan, Berlin, and Israel and Palestine.

Read more below to hear from Lacy Coligan, MPP’21, along with 2nd year Pearson Fellows Andrea Mariño-Varela, MPP’23; Hisham Yousif, MPP’23; and Alejandro Roemer, MPP’23; about their experiences in Northern Ireland.

Why did you want to visit Northern Ireland?

Lacy

I saw an opportunity to learn more about a region in which I'll be developing a technology team for my full-time employment. It's really important to me to understand the people and culture in order to build a successful team. I've also always been curious to learn more about the conflict in the area.

Andrea

Having been born and raised in Colombia, I witnessed the consequences of the longest conflict in the northern hemisphere. This made me interested in the study of the dynamics that cause and result from conflict. As such, I wanted to visit Northern Ireland, to get a better understanding of the social, economic, and political dynamics of this country, taking into consideration the vestiges left by its 30-year internal conflict. This is especially considering that the Northern Ireland conflict is one of the most studied disputes among academics and politicians, given that it involves aspects belonging to all spheres of society and it was deeply analyzed during the Peace Building negotiations between the Colombian Government and former FARC- EP guerrilla.

Hisham

I've studied conflict in the Middle East and many 20th century colonial struggles had solidarities and affinities with each other. Many Middle Eastern armed groups referred to the IRA often and I was always interested in how human resistance can have universal elements that transcend region, religion, or political circumstance.

Another added interest in this struggle is that it occurred in a western country like the United Kingdom which shows these types of fissures to be dynamic and can erupt even in affluent, democratic societies. Finally, it's a conflict that was resolved (for the most part) and we can learn a lot from studying a hotspot that has undergone the whole cycle of conflict from eruption to resolution.   

Alejandro

I always had an interest in the conflict in Northern Ireland but only had vague notions about it. I knew that the PICS trip was the perfect opportunity to visit a new place while learning about the political history of the country.

What surprised you most about the trip?

Lacy

I was most surprised by the very real divide that still inflicts many community members, even amongst all the discussion of reconciliation.

Andrea

The trip was an incredible experience. I was surprised at how the Northern Irish society has developed since the establishment of the Good Friday Agreement. Yet, it was also interesting to see how the peacebuilding accords mixed with the Brexit plebiscite and the changes in the country's demographics impose new challenges that the NI society must embrace though political representation and avoiding returning to the use of violence.

Hisham

I was surprised at how much can be learned in 10 days. One thinks of 10 days in a classroom and knows only the surface can be scratched. On the other hand, 10 days in an immersive, on-site exploration of a topic is completely different, and the educational impact and resultant insights are deeper. Deeper than I'd anticipated. 

Alejandro

I was very shocked to see how ubiquitous and alive the past is in Belfast. Everywhere you look there are reminders of a more violent past and of the still present divisions. The murals, the flags, the colors people wear; they are all vestiges of the violence of previous decades.

Do the Troubles and Good Friday Agreement inform your view of resolving conflict? How?

Lacy

Absolutely. The reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland that have transpired over the last 25 years, and that will continue to drive change in the next 25 years is an example of collaboration across multiple facets of community, government, and private sector. Although it's not perfect, I consider it a model for scaling reconciliation efforts in regions of conflict across the globe. Additionally, I see where my focus in technology ethics will be best invested in this region because of the opportunity for effective scaling, and widespread adoption.

Andrea

For sure. Having worked in the implementation of the peace process in Colombia, I learned a lot about the importance of reconciliation as a pillar to achieve sustainable peace. However, while talking with representatives of the Sinn Fein party and of the Unionist parties, I realized that reconciliation wasn't one of the aspects for solving the conflict in NI.

As such, nowadays, NI society struggles a lot with regards to national reconciliation and reintegration. However, the transformation of the IRA into a political party and how Sinn Fein has fulfilled its purpose through legal ways was a very interesting thing to witness and that certainly taught me a lot about conflict resolution.

Hisham

The trip showed me the universality of violence and how these sorts of internal resistance movements have a sort of logic that comes from human pride, self-respect, and a sense of needing rectitude. These qualities move oppressed peoples to assert or demand rights that are responded to by similar qualities on behalf of the oppressor. The logic takes a life of its own and perpetuates a cycle of force and counterforce where both sides engage in retaliation and despicable forms of violence and atrocity. This cycle is almost inevitable once conflict has broken out.

Resolution, I learned, requires leaders with "scars" who nonetheless make concessions, and I also learned that "nonviolence" (like the hunger strikes) opens other potent political avenues that may be stronger than violence but seeing its power is hard to discern at the time. This is both hopeful and tragic but perhaps I came away with a sense that this inevitable cycle of violence can perhaps be curtailed and shortened having learned what I learned in Ireland.

Alejandro

The importance of addressing underlying grievances: The Good Friday Agreement recognized that the conflict in Northern Ireland was rooted in deeper historical, social, and political factors. It addressed these issues through measures such as power-sharing and human rights protections.

What are some fun activities that you experienced while on the trip?

Lacy

As a group we attended a professional rugby game which was my first experience in a major league ball stadium overseas. We also tackled a lovely hike up to Napoleon's Nose. And although the walking tours from both sides of the conflict covered heavy topics — they were incredibly eye opening to hear first-hand accounts. In fact, one of our walking tour guides, Paul, was gracious enough to meet outside of our scheduled tour to share more about how music played a role in reconciliation during the Troubles.

Andrea

This trip was full of fun activities! From visiting one of the oldest pubs in the world, to going to a Rugby game and visiting Celtic landmarks, this trip was incredibly fulfilling not only academically and intellectually, but also culturally and on a personal basis.

Hisham

Bonding with the Pearson crew was really fun - the social aspect played a role in making the experience memorable. The heavy subject was shared and eased at dinners and walks across Belfast with peers. It deepened my understanding of the conflict but also deepened my relationships with peers.

Alejandro

I loved visiting local bars and listening to traditional Irish music live. People just bring their own instruments and play spontaneously. I had never seen something like that!

Are there any big picture takeaways that you got from our trip?

Lacy

As I reflect upon what I traveled to Northern Ireland to learn, and the feelings I came away with — I'm more confident than ever that regions of conflict need more community organizing, more technology ethics, and more folks committed to reconciliation mediation in order to counterbalance the immense and devastating impact of war. In short — we're not doing enough to support reconciliation globally — and therefore are not doing enough to prevent more conflicts.

Alejandro

The greatest takeaway for me is that convoluted, decade-long conflicts may reach peaceful resolutions. It is a hopeful takeaway. Despite the remaining tension, high-intensity violence has subsided. That is invaluable.

Is there anything else you would like to say about this experience?

Lacy

I would do it again in a heartbeat. I love the warmth of the people and the inviting nature of the culture in the Northern Ireland region, and in fact am heading back over for another visit in April for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement.

Andrea

I want to thank the Pearson Institute, and especially Sheila, for this amazing opportunity, not to mention my fellow trip group who became great friends!

Hisham

The Pearson Institute did a phenomenal job. First by design. The events balanced wide ranging views on the subject (neighborhood raconteurs, academic professors, activists, politicians, and historians). Second by execution. The Pearson admin team did a great job of setting the itinerary to be both full but not overcrowded. One day we were doing tours, the next in a university, the one after in the countryside.

Another cool part was that it coincided with the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II and to be in Belfast city hall square watching the funeral on large screen TVs in the UK in the Northern Irish capital with a population that has a fraught relationship with the crown was an education in itself.

Alejandro

The Pearson Institute does a fantastic job of curating a well-balanced trip. You get to hear both sides of the story from academics, politicians, and former militants. In the morning, you may believe that one side was on the right, and in the evening, you may be convinced of the opposite. This surely extrapolates to other conflicts.