Abstract
Smith’s chapter explores identity in young Catholic’s who are part of the first generation to have grown up during the Northern Irish peace process. While recent survey data shows that young Catholics still see themselves as predominantly Irish, rather than British or Northern Irish, the traditional political identity of nationalism and support for a united Ireland are not as strong. Nevertheless, the chapter suggests a degree of ambivalence surrounding identity and social relations in Northern Ireland. Additionally, it shows that progress made in certain areas has not necessarily led to a social reconciliation between Catholic and Protestant young people who have grown up in the absence of inter-communal violence.
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Notes
- 1.
Hereafter referred to as ‘Derry’. This was the term used by the Catholic participants in the research.
- 2.
‘Life and Times’ data sets are available from www.ark.ac.uk.
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Smith, A. (2018). Ambivalence in a Post-conflict Society: Young Catholics Growing Up in Northern Ireland. In: Burgess, T. (eds) The Contested Identities of Ulster Catholics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78804-3_15
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