‘Playing Like a Girl’: Female participation in physical activity and sport in Northern Ireland

Dr Katie Liston and Prof Marie Murphy (Ulster): This presentation examines the relationship between sport and physical activity participation, and gender in Northern Ireland and globally. By drawing on the latest peer-reviewed research on physical activity, sports participation, gender ideologies and role expectations, it describes international best practice in the promotion of women’s involvement in … Read more

Religion and National Identity in Northern Ireland: A Longitudinal Perspective 2001-2011

Dr Ian Shuttleworth (QUB): Religious denomination is a key element in understanding Northern Ireland society and politics, as it is often equated with national identity and voting intentions. It is also significant in informing debates about equality and resource allocation. Usually it is understood as a two-group ‘green and orange’ issue – Protestants/Unionists and Roman … Read more

Understanding the ‘Northern Irish’ Identity

Mr John Garry (QUB) and Mr Kevin McNicholl (QUB): This presentation outlines key findings of research that used census and survey data to examine the ‘Northern Irish’ identity. The presentation first provides a demographic profile of Northern Irish identifiers: are they different from ‘Irish’ and ‘British’ identifiers in terms of gender, age, social class, educational … Read more

Experiencing Youth Justice: Process, Meaning and Legitimacy

Dr Nicola Carr and Dr Siobhán McAlister (QUB): Reform of the youth justice system, including the wide incorporation of restorative justice approaches, was a central component of the Criminal Justice Review (2000). Following the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly, the Youth Justice Review (2011) made a series of recommendations for further … Read more

Engaging young people with the conflict and its legacy: findings from an evaluation of the ‘Prison to Peace’ educational programme

Ms Lesley Emerson, Dr Karen Orr and Prof Paul Connolly (QUB): ‘Prison to Peace’ is an educational programme which assists young people in exploring the conflict and its legacy through the narratives of politically motivated former prisoners. A cluster randomised controlled trial evaluation of the initiative, funded by the Office of First Minister and deputy … Read more

Including all: Improving arts accessibility for people with varying visual and hearing ability

Dr Sarah Eardley-Weaver (QUB): Media accessibility and social inclusion are increasingly prominent issues in today’s rapidly developing technological and multicultural world, as reflected in legislation and in a growing social awareness of inclusion as a fundamental human right. However, there remains a lack of promotion and awareness of the accessibility facilities for the blind and … Read more

Social isolation and older men: meeting the need?

Dr Paula Devine (QUB) et al: In Northern Ireland, as elsewhere, there has been a growing recognition of the needs of older people within a range of policies and strategies. Within these, the prioritisation of social inclusion for older people acknowledges that social inclusion and active ageing have strong links to health and well-being. At … Read more

Landscape Planning for Sustainable Development

Mrs Emily Smyth (Ulster): The European Landscape Convention commits the Northern Ireland government since 2007 to recognising landscape as a common resource to which everyone has rights and responsibilities for culture, quality of life and individual and social wellbeing, and economic activity; that changes in the economy accelerate landscape transformation; and that cooperation in protection, … Read more

Marine planning for the blue economy: small island: big challenges

Dr Heather Ritchie and Prof Greg Lloyd (Ulster): The island of Ireland, though physically small, faces big institutional challenges for the delivery of a sustainable blue energy future. Challenges stem from separate governance regimes across the island; with several government departments controlling functions across planning and regulation. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is established as an … Read more

Shoreline management planning in Northern Ireland

Prof J. Andrew G Cooper (Ulster): Recent storms on the Northern Ireland coast have caused widespread flooding and coastal erosion. Erosion threatens buildings, roads, railways and other infrastructure, but is also a vital natural process that sustains beaches, and is essential to maintenance of a healthy coastal ecosystem. Societal responses to erosion include: (a) hard … Read more