A Culture of Conflict: An Examination of Thought Processes and Subsequent Behaviors of Citizens in Post-War Belfast

Abstract

This article is an exploration into the thoughts and behaviors of the citizens of Post-War Belfast. More than twenty years have passed since the declared end of the Troubles, a three decade-long civil war taking place in Northern Ireland. While many places in Northern Ireland felt the blows of this war, it seems that none felt them quite as badly as Belfast. In this article, I examine the behaviors and actions via the thoughts and perspectives of citizens of Belfast, a city which is still torn in half, divided by forces such as religion, politics, and law among others. These forces are intimately entangled with one another, so much so that the root of the conflict proves difficult to find. After examining the history of Belfast and its peoples, I create two provisional categories, “those too close to the conflict” and “those too far removed from the conflict.”  By doing so I am able to explore what is deemed the normative thought processes of varying people groups, which helps outsiders to glean some understanding of their behavior. In the end, my goal is to give voice to varying sides of the conflict, and while not giving any solution to the conflict, I aim to offer some knowledge and insight as to why it is taking place.