Fighting For Peace - An Exploratory Study of the Potential of Cross- Community Boxing in Conflict Transformation for Working Class Youth in Belfast Alex William Hanrahan 11265779 A postgraduate research thesis submitted to the University of Amsterdam in part fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in Conflict Resolution and Governance. 30th June 2017 Graduate School of Social Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands. Program Director: Dr. David Laws Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Michelle Parlevliet Second Reader: Dr. David Laws 1 Contents Contents Acknowledgements 4 Abstract 7 Chapter 1- Introduction 8 Setting the Scene The Research Goal Aim Objective and Relevance History of Northern Ireland/ Cultural Context Research Question Outline of Thesis Chapter 2 – Theoretical Framework 14 Conflict Transformation Key Theoretical Frameworks Contact Theory Attitude Change Theory Chapter 3 -Literature review 22 Boxing Literature in Northern Ireland Conflict Transformation Literature in Northern Ireland Sport for Development and Peace Community Relations in Northern Ireland Reports on Boxing in Northern Ireland Chapter 4 – Research Design & Methodology 31 Overall Goal Methods and Data Ethical issues Reflexivity & Limitations Duration and Timing of Research Chapter 5 - Findings 40 (1) Identity 41 Identity Imagery Suspicion Integration as a Ploy? Representative Rights or Sectarian Manoeuvring? A Welcome Coming Together 2 Urban versus Rural Intra-Community Divisions (2) Geographical Structure 49 Peace Walls Working Class Origins OPBC as a ‘safe place’ CBBA as a ‘safe place’ Us versus Them Mentality Psychological Barriers (3) Boxing Structure on island of Ireland 55 Representation Breakaway Clubs Relationship between Clubs and the IABA Chapter 6 – Discussion 62 (1) Identity 62 Identity Imagery Suspicion (2) Geographical Structure 65 Safe Place Us versus Them Mentality (3)Boxing Structures on the island of Ireland 68 Representation Breakaway Clubs Relationship between the clubs and the IABA Chapter 7 - Conclusion 72 Summary of Findings and Conclusions Drawn Why the Research is Important? Recommendations for Improving Situation Recommendations for Future Research Bibliography 79 Appendix Appendix A: Independent Report Recommendations 87 Appendix B: Interview 1.Joe Campbell (Mediator) 89 Appendix C: Interview 2.Terry McCorran (CBBA) 107 Appendix D: Interview 3.Patsy McAllister + Jimmy McGrath (OPBC) 138 Word Count – 26,587 3 Acknowledgements There have been many individuals over the course of this study that have contributed and provided assistance in methodology, planning, research, interviewing, hospitality, supervision and general advice. Without these individuals, none of this could have been possible over the past year. Firstly, I want to acknowledge those in Northern Ireland who were particularly welcoming over the month of field research. I want to thank Patsy McAllister and Jimmy McGrath from Oliver Plunkett ABC, who even during their time off made the effort to come down and open up the club for me. They had the capacity to speak in length about the history of their club, the sport of boxing, and the inner workings of the sport on the island of Ireland. I will also be forever grateful for them allowing me to witness their training sessions, introducing me to their boxers, and inviting me down to the Boys Championships in the National Stadium in Dublin. Over the month they spoke with honesty and integrity and the hospitality shown will be something that will live long in the memory. I’m also equally indebted to Terry McCorran of the City of Belfast Boxing Academy who welcomed me into his club and spoke candidly in all of our interactions. I was made to feel at ease in a neighbourhood that, traditionally, I would not have had much experience of and was naturally apprehensive entering at first. Terry made time to speak to me and air his grievances around boxing in Northern Ireland which has left his club out in the cold. His boxers were open and willing to speak informally on multiple occasions. The insights gained from these conversations with Terry and his boxers were invaluable over the course of the research. I should also like to thank all other boxers and coaches I spoke to over the month in Belfast and the Championships in Dublin. While none spoke in an official capacity, the information provided built a solid comparative base that put my research within a wider boxing context on the island. The final person I want to thank for his time during my field research is Joe Campbell. On the first day in the field Joe met me in the famous Europa Hotel in Belfast, welcoming me in the most bombed hotel in the world. Joe provided me with his unique historical and contextual 4 analysis of Belfast over the past fifty years, and helped explain the intricacies that permeate Northern Irish society to this very day. Over the course of the past year there have been many people in the University of Amsterdam who have been instrumental in making this thesis happen. At the start of my time in UvA I was given a strong methodological grounding and understanding by Alex Voicu. While at the time he was fully aware it wasn’t the most exciting course in the world, it has indeed stood me in good stead during the research. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Polly Pallister- Wilkins, Dr. Anja van Heelsum, Dr. Jana Krause, and Dr. Martijn Dekker for their support and advice over the past few months, both in class and through outside conversation. Often when inspiration or clarity was needed, it was provided. I am especially indebted to both Dr. David Laws and Dr. Michelle Parlevliet who have worked closely with me over my time in UvA. Since September, David has reinvigorated my love for academic study. He has challenged me constantly and opened my mind up to new ideas, and different approaches to research. Michelle, my supervisor, has had to deal with my somewhat erratic style of research which comes together slowly and is not without its miniature heart attacks along the way. I would like to apologise in this case for any high blood pressure I may have caused over the four or five months. All the times I drifted my focus, or became too engrossed in the practical results and needed to be redirected, she provided that direction. When confusion arose and it created a feeling of being overwhelmed, Michelle often overwhelmed herself in order to help my process, all of this while in the process of planning her wedding. I would like to wish Michelle and her husband the very best in the future and her to know that I really appreciate all that she has done over a busy few months. I would like to also thank my friends for all the support that I have received throughout the year. From my classmates in the Methodology course, to the members of the Mediation Workshop, to my group in the Conflict Resolution class, and to my friends from all walks of life in and around Amsterdam, it was you who helped make my first year living in a foreign country an absolute pleasure. Finally, my greatest depth of gratitude goes to my family who have been by my side along the way. To my grandfather, Capt. Bill Hanrahan, who has instilled a value for time, education, and money into me that I will never lose. To my aunt, Elaine, for enabling me to rant on American politics at length over the phone, thank you for not hanging up. To my late 5 grandmother, Nora, for continuing to light those candles for me. To my sister, Claire, who has kept me positive in times of stress and helped to me keep focused when distractions started to creep in. To my mother, Louise, for being the tough but fair voice in my life, and who knows me and my personality better than anyone I know. Lastly, I would like to thank my father, Des, whose academic brain became particularly invaluable in the concluding weeks when I needed proof reading, opinions and guidance. You’ve been an “extremely massive” help whenever I’ve needed you most. Ar scáth a chéile a mhairmid. We all exist in each other’s shadow. 6 Abstract Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland, is a city divided along political, religious and cultural lines having emerged from decades of violent conflict. While sport is often used to express these divisions, boxing has been an exception, having been a unifying sport in Northern Ireland and possibly the only working class sport which has, until the violence of the late 20th Century, managed to avoided major sectarian division (Sugden 1995: 2010). The study sets out to build on this rich unifying history by attempting to explore the potential of cross-community boxing for ‘conflict transformation’ for working-class youth from segregated Unionist and Nationalist communities in Belfast. It identifies the conditions needed to support conflict transformation and examines whether these conditions are present to support cross-community boxing in Northern Ireland. A mixed-method research approach, was employed comprising of semi-structured interviews, participant observation (with informal verbal contact) as well as desk research, in order to explore the subject from a number of angles over the course of the study. This draws on conflict theory and on attitude theory to help understand how cross-community boxing may help bring about conflict transformation by bringing together people from different identities, in order to change their behaviour and attitudes towards one another. The study found that, while cross community boxing does have the potential for conflict transformation, realisation is largely confined to within-club cross cultural contact, where conditions such as equal status, common goals, intergroup cooperation and strong leadership from coaches are present.