Conflict Transformation and the Loyalist Paramilitaries of Northern Ireland
“Taking Responsibility”: Conflict Transformation and the Loyalist Paramilitaries of Northern Ireland Britt Sloan April 2011 Senior Honors Thesis International Relations, Tufts University Advisors: Eileen Babbitt, The Fletcher School Kelly Greenhill, Tufts University ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank the leadership of the Ulster Defense Association, the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Political Research Group, and the Progressive Unionist Party for their generous time and contributions to this work. Their willingness to welcome me into their communities afforded me opportunities to acquire insights that I would otherwise have never been able to gain, and their honesty in explaining a troubled history and a hopeful future was truly enlightening. In addition, thank you to those who offered advice and analysis throughout my travels in Belfast and upon my return home. I would also like to acknowledge my advisors, Professor Eileen Babbitt for her gracious acceptance of an undergraduate advisee and for her unstinting encouragement and Professor Kelly Greenhill for her astute critiques and for making time in her busy schedule. I would like to give a special thank you to Allan Leonard of the Northern Ireland Foundation for his incredible mentorship, Quintin Oliver of Stratagem for sharing with me his endless networks, and Tony Novosel for his constant enthusiasm and guidance. Although they had no obligation to support my research, they have always made themselves available to discuss, debate, and advise. Most importantly, this research would not have been possible without the financial support of Sherman Teichman and the Tufts Institute for Global Leadership and of the Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund. Finally, thank you to all those who are “taking responsibility” for conflict transformation and working to build peaceful societies.
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