'Northern Ireland's Continuing Quest for Peace'

The Global Studies Seminar welcomes Melanie Finney presenting “Northern Ireland’s Continuing Quest for Peace.” In 1998, citizens on both sides of the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland ratified the Good Friday Belfast Agreement. Brokered in part by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, the agreement was considered an end of violence during the period known as the Troubles, and the beginning of a joint, government and community. However, many issues remain unresolved in the 16 years since the agreement was made. This paper examines some of these issues and argues that the ongoing peace process is still tenuous. Several issues are still contested in Northern Ireland, including observation of various cultural traditions such as display of flags and parading, memorialization and commemoration of specific sites related to the Troubles, and the concerns with the process of truth and reconciliation. Finney will also discuss the Boston College interviews that prompted international debate and led to the arrest of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams in Spring 2014 and how these events have further jeopardized the peace process. Finney teaches in the departments of communication and theatre at DePauw University.