Sectarianism, segregation schooling and educational policy in Northern Ireland

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

No words can express my appreciation and gratitude to my research advisor _______ through the course of this research, Professor _____has taught me numerous values that extend well beyond the realm of _________ (Your Subject Nam). His emphasis on dedication to work and his valuable and practical insights of life are some of the major highlights of my education at The University _________. To Professor _____, I say with great respect, thank you very much.

It is a great honor for me to have Professor _______ on my dissertation committee. His insightful suggestions and comments are a major asset to this research. I learned so much from Professor ______, and I will always remember him as a truly superb teacher.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for the academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

:

Table of contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Research1

Aims and Objectives of the Research1

Significance of the Research2

Methodology2

CHAPTER 01: THEORIZING SECTARIANISM4

CHAPTER 02: EDUCATIONAL SEGREGATION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE10

Comparing Societies in Conflict10

Coexistence of Different Approaches11

Historical Prospective12

The Northern Irish Troubles13

Northern Ireland and Protestant15

CHAPTER 03: POLICY CONTEXT OF SEGREGATION18

CHAPTER 04: CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF POLICIES.24

The Differences between the Regions24

The Educational System in Northern Ireland25

The Educational System in Israel28

CONCLUSION31

The Integrated Schools31

Assimilation and Separation33

REFERENCES35

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Research

Education in regions of conflict has a dual function: to bestow students with essential tools necessary to reach their full potential in an increasingly complex and changing world, and to equip them with the means to cope with the challenges generated by the reality of conflict. Integrated schools suggest an alternative educational model for societies in which communities divided by conflict are usually segregated and isolated from one another. They bring together into one school and into the same classrooms students, teachers and parents from the communities in conflict for a shared educational experience.

Aims and Objectives of the Research

The main arguments of this work focus on the distinct approaches found to be characteristic of each region's integration practices, labeled the integrated 3Rs. I argue that in Northern Ireland, emphasis is placed on the value of respect and a broad understanding of this value is transmitted to the students. In Israel, in contrast, the emphasis is on the value of recognition of each of the conflicting communities and of their narratives and claims. In tandem, I argue that the comparative study is both relevant and important in identifying and better understanding integration, in particularly, as a tool for peace education. One common aspect of the schools in both regions was found to be an emerging multicultural approach to education, and this is tied to the larger questions of peace education and societal change as well. The following chapters explain these ideas in detail in order to illuminate the integrated schooling model, and explore its relevance in divided ...