Peace and Conflict Studies - Spring 2014

Peace and Conflict Studies Volume 21, Number 1 32 centralised, closed and regulated economy was costly and in the long run meant a decrease in public revenue and less rewards from public services. This further entrenched the status of rulers as “predators”. Eventually, citizens react to this behaviour of their rulers by taking up arms. Bates (2008) documents the ways in which rational (self-interested), political decision-making by elites can lead to the demise of the social contract. The past decade’s emphasis on liberal peacebuilding, with a focus on early electoral and market reform, has received criticism on the grounds that it serves the interests of elites and does little to address the underlying causes of conflict. This is certainly one of the criticisms of the peace process in Northern Ireland where, despite a halt in overt conflict, tensions between communities are still apparent (Knox, 2010; Leonard & McKnight, 2012). In particular, a number of authors have noted a sense of alienation among young people and frustration that peace has not delivered on its promises of a better life. The implication is that there is a need for programmes that promote wider political engagement of youth in understanding and participating in the political systems that operate within their communities. There is a well-established body of evidence that shows that greater levels of schooling increase political participation (Bénabou, 2000; Dee, 2004; Glaeser, Ponzetto, & Shleifer, 2007; Rosenstone & Hansen, 1993). Civic education has been shown to increase young people’s understanding of their political systems and environment, although effort must be made to ensure that this translates into action and political participation. Research also indicates that it is important to engage young people early as they are unlikely to become more interested in politics with age (Institute for Conflict Research, 2005). In the case of Northern Ireland it is especially important to engage this section of society as they will be tasked with managing the decision on the sovereignty of their country. Education and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland On 10 th April 1998, the negotiations that resulted in the Good Friday Agreement were finally concluded. Thirty years of violence had resulted in 3,600 people being killed, more than half of whom were civilians, and 30,000 injured. Fifty-three percent of those killed were under 30 years old (Fay, Morrissey, & Smyth, 1999). The agreement involved the establishment of cross-border bodies with executive powers set up by the Irish and British governments, a Northern Irish Assembly based on power-sharing, support for victims of the ‘Troubles’ and the early release of paramilitary prisoners. The British and Irish governments