Communicating Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding: How does storytelling challenge the meta-conflict in Northern Ireland?
Jamie Pickering
A thesis submitted for the degree of PhD
Department of Sociology
University of Essex
October 2020
Abstract
Research into the way that peacebuilding and transitional justice contribute to or challenge existing discourses in affected regions demonstrates a fragile relationship, whereby interventions may exacerbate existing cleavages in divided societies. Storytelling includes a range of approaches that allow people to express and listen to stories related to the conflict in and about Northern Ireland. This can take various forms; it may involve community led oral history projects, intergroup talking circles, or exhibitions where
artwork or objects are used to tell the story of the conflict’s victims. Building on theoretical
frameworks presented in both transitional justice and peacebuilding literature, this thesis is primarily concerned with issues related to post-conflict narratives. In Northern Ireland this is most notable in what is referred to as the meta-conflict; the conflict about the conflict itself, which persists today. In global peacebuilding and transitional justice efforts, the existence of this tension can result in initiatives that pointedly avoid questions around the causes and conduct of the conflict itself. I addressed this uneasy relationship through semistructured interviews with storytelling experts and facilitators, to present a rich account of the methods of grassroots peace work in Northern Ireland. In addition to an account of local experts from across the spectrum of storytelling projects this thesis presents an alternative analytical framework, by considering the extent to which the meta-conflict is challenged by these projects. It is argued that storytelling projects challenge the meta-conflict in the process of story-gathering due to a commitment to core principles shared by storytelling facilitators, but that there is a far more varied approach to story-sharing, due to the difficulties of contextualisation and political or economic barriers.
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank the participants in this research, and anyone who helped contribute to the fieldwork. I am enormously grateful for the time you took to speak to me. I hope that, in return, this research is of some use or interest to peacebuilders in Northern Ireland.
This thesis would not exist without the support of my supervisors. Thank you to Carlos Gigoux Gramegna – I am grateful for the relaxed but ever-present support, reassurance and constructive feedback. Thank you also to Colin Samson for his wise suggestions and ensuring I will never use the word ‘whilst’ ever again - quite right too.
I would also like to thank the following for their academic support: Ulrike Theuerkauf and Martin Scott at UEA - for giving me the inspiration, guidance and confidence to apply for a PhD in the first place.
Clara Sandoval-Villalba for some important first year pointers around transitional justice literature, and Johanna Römer for her encouragement and feedback.
Aoife Duffy for some essential input regarding my initial research design – which is partly owed to a lightbulb moment in one of her classes.
I would also like to thank my family and friends for their support – thanks to anyone who has asked about the thesis and not glazed over when I started to explain, or offered respite of some kind. You know who you are – the inane chat on Whatsapp, coffee in Bury St Edmunds, installing a bathroom in Rougham or singing in the Barclay End. Thank you to my Grandad for backing me during my MA – and giving peace of mind and approval during a time of uncertainty.
Chris, Sal and the wider Garforth clan – thank you not only for the support, but perhaps more importantly the values that you and your family stand for. It certainly made the
decision to embark on an MA and PhD, and in this particular field, seem like the ‘right’ thing
to do. Thanks must go to my parents – for bestowing upon me stubbornness, argumentativeness and a healthy respect for learning. All have proved vital during this research and come directly and indirectly from you both. Thank you also to my sister for nourishing these traits over the years, and commenting on the introduction.
Finally, my wife Rachel and daughter Zoë for the love, unwavering belief and daily inspiration to keep plugging away.
Contents
Table of Contents
Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................... Contents ...................................................................................................................................... List of abbreviations..................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1 – Introduction................................................................................................ 2
1.1 - Thesis Outline ....................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2 – Literature Review .......................................................................................12
2.1 - Transitional Justice – theoretical insights...................................................................... 12
2.1.1 - Historical and theoretical foundations ............................................................. 13 2.1.2 - Interdisciplinary tensions .................................................................................. 17 2.1.3 - Contemporary interests in Transitional Justice research ................................ 19 2.1.4 – Transitional Justice and Grassroots Initiatives ................................................ 21
2.2 - Peacebuilding .................................................................................................................. 25 2.3 - Civil Society, Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding ................................................... 30 2.4 - Between Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding: the theoretical position of this research ................................................................................................................................... 34
2.5 – Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice in Northern Ireland – Past ............................. 35 2.6 – Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice in Northern Ireland – Present and Future..... 40 2.7 - Storytelling in Northern Ireland...................................................................................... 45
3.1 - The challenges of measuring reconciliation................................................................... 54 3.2 - Locally centred peacebuilding measurement................................................................ 58 3.3 - Meta-conflict and contested narratives.......................................................................... 61 3.4 - Meta-conflict as a thematic focus ................................................................................... 62 3.5- The significance of the meta-conflict as a thematic focus ............................................. 68
4.1 - Epistemological Position................................................................................................. 71 4.2 - Law, Ethical Approval and Risk Assessment................................................................... 74 4.3 - Addressing the research questions................................................................................. 78 4.4 - Sampling.......................................................................................................................... 82 4.5 - Who was interviewed?..................................................................................................... 85 4.6 - How were interviews conducted?................................................................................... 91 4.7 - Questioning...................................................................................................................... 93 4.8 - Expert interviews............................................................................................................. 99 4.9 - Outcome of fieldwork and analytical approach........................................................... 102
5.1 - The goal(s) of storytelling.............................................................................................. 108
5.1.1 - Centrality of the storyteller: Catharsis, Therapy and Acknowledgement...... 109 5.1.2 - Reconciliation................................................................................................... 113 5.1.3 - Diverse accounts and complicating the narrative .......................................... 116 5.1.4 - The content of stories and the meta-conflict.................................................. 120 5.1.5 - Conclusion........................................................................................................ 125
5.2 - Storytelling – a champion for marginalised voices...................................................... 126
5.2.1 - Storytelling as a platform largely free of sectarian bias ................................. 127 5.2.2 - The choices of storytellers ............................................................................... 135 5.2.3 - Conclusion........................................................................................................ 139
6.1 - Storytelling’s historical significance............................................................................. 142
6.1.1 - Time .................................................................................................................. 142 6.1.2 - Intrinsically valuable stories ............................................................................ 144 6.1.3 - Storytelling, history and challenging the meta-conflict................................. 146
6.2 – Storytelling gives a voice to the marginalised............................................................. 152 6.3 - Contact hypothesis and the meta-conflict ................................................................... 162 6.4 - Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 172
Chapter 7 – The challenges of using storytelling to promote peace and challenge the meta- conflict ..................................................................................................................... 174
7.1 – Storytelling – an exploitable platform? ....................................................................... 175
7.1.1 – The exploitation of storytelling....................................................................... 176 7.1.2 - How storytellers may be exploited.................................................................. 180 7.1.3 – Conclusion: the challenge of preventing exploitation and challenging the meta-conflict............................................................................................................... 185
7.2 – Protecting storytellers .................................................................................................. 187
7.2.1 - Ethical Guidelines and Ownership................................................................... 188 7.2.2 - Taking care not to oversell therapeutic benefits ............................................ 190 7.2.3 - Retraumatisation of storytellers...................................................................... 192 7.2.4 - Implication and legal issues............................................................................. 199 7.2.5 - Conclusion – Protected storytellers are free to tell their story....................... 202
8.1 - The significance of story-sharing.................................................................................. 205
8.1.1 - Aims of story-sharing ....................................................................................... 206 8.1.2 - Story-sharing as victim-centred ...................................................................... 208 8.1.3 - Practicalities of story-sharing.......................................................................... 210 8.1.4 - The benefits of story-sharing........................................................................... 213
8.2 – Context, story-sharing and the meta-conflict.............................................................. 215
8.2.1 - Trust.................................................................................................................. 216 8.2.2 - Audience Engagement ..................................................................................... 221 8.2.3 - Challenge of contextualisation........................................................................ 225 8.2.4 - Framing, Othering and Challenging Perceptions............................................ 228 8.2.5 - Knowing your audience ................................................................................... 231 8.2.6 - Knowing when an audience is ready ............................................................... 236
8.3 - Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 241
9.1 - Brexit.............................................................................................................................. 244 9.2 - Political stalemate and absence of devolved government.......................................... 251 9.3 - The cost of storytelling.................................................................................................. 254 9.4 - SHA on the brink............................................................................................................ 261 9.5 - The challenge of centralised archives .......................................................................... 263 9.6 - Justice, storytelling and the SHA .................................................................................. 271 9.7 – Conclusion..................................................................................................................... 276
10.1 – How does storytelling challenge the meta-conflict in Northern Ireland? ................ 278 10.2 – Key contributions of this research ............................................................................. 282 10.3 – Future areas of research in storytelling ..................................................................... 287
References ................................................................................................................ 291 Appendices ............................................................................................................... 309 Appendix One – Interview Structure............................................................................. 309 Appendix Two – Participant Information Sheet ............................................................. 311 Appendix Three – Participant Consent Form ................................................................. 315
1
List of abbreviations
- Abbreviation
- Meaning
BFA CGP CNR DUP ECHR HIU
The Belfast Agreement/Good Friday Agreement 1998 Consultative Group on the Past Catholic, Nationalist, Republican Democratic Unionist Party European Convention on Human Rights Historical Investigations Unit (within Stormont House Agreement)
- Healing Through Remembering
- HTR
- ICIR
- Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (within Stormont
House Agreement)
ICTJ ICTR ICTY IRA
International Centre for Transitional Justice International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Irish Republican Army
- IRG
- Implementation and Reconciliation Group (within Stormont House
Agreement)
- NIO
- Northern Ireland Office
OHA PMA RUC
Oral History Archive (within Stormont House Agreement) Prisons Memory Archive Royal Ulster Constabulary
- PUL
- Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist
PSNI RECOM
Police Service of Northern Ireland Regional Commission Tasked with Establishing the Facts about All Victims of War Crimes and Other Serious Human Rights Violations Committed on the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 2001
RoLMA SHA TUH
Recovery of Living Memory Archive Stormont House Agreement Towards Understanding and Healing
- UDR
- Ulster Defence Regiment
2
Chapter 1 – Introduction
This thesis is about the power of stories. In any context, a story is incredibly powerful:
All of these stories make me who I am. But to insist on only these negative stories is to flatten my experience and to overlook the many other stories that formed me. The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story. (Adichie, 2009)
While Adichie’s speech relates to negative representations of Africa and of stereotyping more generally, it captures the essence of the area of enquiry explored in this thesis. The power of a single story resonates with questions of the place and power of story in a postconflict landscape. It resonates with questions of who gets to tell their story, which story is
