Global Research

Work Package 1 aims to identify the predictors of youth peacebuilding. To investigate peacebuilding behaviour and motivations in a comprehensive manner, our studies cover varying contexts and target two distinct age groups: adolescents (ages 14-17) and young adults (ages 18-24).

Four contexts have been chosen as the focus of this work package for their similarities and differences: Northern Ireland, Colombia, Israel, and Switzerland. These locations vary in a number of characteristics related to peace and conflict: for example, the history and current state of intergroup conflict (e.g., phase of peace, severity of conflict, direction of current peace or conflict), the characteristics of the groups involved (e.g., ethnic identities, group status, level of contact), and other cultural differences (e.g., state economic development).

• Northern Ireland is now roughly one generation since the signing of their peace agreement in 1998. The conflict is lower intensity compared to others, yet lingering effects of sectarian violence remain, with intergroup tensions along ethnic (Protestant vs Catholic) and political (Nationalist vs Unionist) lines still felt by its citizens across all levels from local communities, civil society, and major government parties. Northern Ireland also presents an especially interesting case to study for intergroup contact, as many youths are involved in government-funded peacebuilding projects like cross community-work.

• Colombia provides a more recent case of the transition from conflict into peace. Unlike Northern Ireland, the nature of the divide here is strictly political, between left and right wing paramilitary groups and the Colombian government. Despite the signing of their peace agreement in 2016, conflict is still ongoing and intergroup tensions and divisions remain strong with civilians at a high risk of experiencing violence.

• Israel provides a case for examining peacebuilding in the context of ongoing high-intensity conflict that continues to escalate. The conflict rivalry is along both ethnic and political lines, with group status and power being highly differentiated and hierarchical. 

• Switzerland was chosen as a null case: a non-conflict, economically stable, and democratic country that has experienced neither sectarian nor political conflict. Switzerland provides an especially compelling case for comparison against the three other contexts because it is still highly divided by linguistic identities (i.e., French and German), despite the lack of conflict. This type of “separate but equal” structure allows us to examine a unique case of intergroup harmony.

Examining varying levels of conflict-affected countries and stable democracies allows us to investigate peacebuilding across a wide range of cultures and contexts. Work package one is also divided into three main phases, each with a different study design.

Study 1 involves focus groups with adolescents and young adults in Northern Ireland, Columbia, Israel and Switzerland. They are interviewed about the role that they play in peacebuilding in their respective societies at both the individual and group level. Through these focus groups we aim to identify the types and motivations that underlie youth peacebuilding behaviour.

Study 2 consists of a longitudinal survey that measures the participation of young people in peacebuilding at two time points. This survey will use scales developed from both the focus groups in Study 1, along with previous literature, to measure peacebuilding on both a cross-cultural and context-specific level.

Study 3 aims to utilise field experiments to examine how peacebuilding behaviour may be different in the context of real-world conflict rivals versus novel groups in the two cases of intergroup conflict: Northern Ireland and Israel. This will allow us to tease apart the context-specific effects. 

In conclusion, Work Package 1 will contribute to the development and validation of a youth peacebuilding scale by identifying predictors of youth peacebuilding behaviour and employing cross-cultural analysis to reveal patterns in youth peacebuilding across different social contexts and groups.