The Northern Ireland Unrest: religious sectarianism that lurks beneath a fragile peace

Abstract EN

Northern Ireland has become the scene of civil ethno-political violence in Europe for decades.

This paper explores the conflict in Northern Ireland and the peace process it has gone through in negotiating the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The paper starts with a background on the origins of the problem in Northern Ireland putting an emphasis on religious sectarianism as a key longstanding cause that have underpinned the strife.

The paper also questions the challenging nature of the peace the Good Friday Agreement sets to implement, reflecting on what might heal a deeply society and ensure reconciliation for the long-suffering people of Northern Ireland.