Study the legacy of violent conflict and engage efforts to build a sustainable peace. Examine the role of citizens as agents of transformation in this International Conflict Research Institute-affiliated program.

Description

Throughout this program students wrestle with challenging questions: What does it mean to be a victim/survivor? A perpetrator? How can we heal after hurt? How do we reckon with the full weight of the past? Students critically examine the work of justice, reconciliation, and repair.

Northern Ireland has grappled for centuries with an ongoing identity-based conflict that divides neighbors, communities, and the country itself. This history is physically present in the form of imposing walls (some 400 years old, others much more recent), and a border that has divided the island of Ireland for 100 years. Deeply segregated communities are byproducts of the trauma caused by years of violence. The conflict and its legacy ripples out into the language, governance, and everyday life of Northern Irish citizens.

Students live, work, and learn in the city of Derry-Londonderry. There and in Belfast, Dublin, and border areas, students meet with community members directly impacted by violence, who now work to share stories and foster healing dialogue. Individual internships allow students to be actively involved in the ongoing work of peace-building and community development. Past internship sites include Children in Crossfire, The Rainbow Project, and The Playhouse Theatre. Read more about Conflict, Peace, and Transition in Northern Ireland here!

Courses

• Understanding the Politics of the Northern Ireland Conflict (4 credits)
• Building a Sustainable Democracy (4 credits)
• Northern Ireland Internship Placement and Seminar (two linked courses, 8 credits total)

Internship and Highlights

A seven-week internship in Derry/ Londonderry allows students to be directly involved in efforts of social change toward a peaceful future. The diverse perspectives gained at the internship will help students explore how society is progressing and analyze the cultural traditions and resources available for building a sustainable and inclusive democracy. Internship sites ultimately provide an opportunity to do meaningful work that makes a difference. Some organizations are grassroots with a local focus while others are international in scope.

Field seminars focus on human rights, equality, conflict transformation and education for democracy and help you see in action the tools used to transform conflict. Each student also carries out an independent study project on a topic of personal choice, which includes field research.

Health and Safety

HECUA has been vigilantly and constantly monitoring the evolving conditions of COVID-19, including tracking updates from the Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, the US Department of State and other credible sources. Click here to view HECUA's most recent COVID-19 updates.?

 

Program Fees

Click here to view current fees on our website. Fees vary by institution. group transportation to field sites, planned group excursions, lodging, meals, local transportation, medical insurance, and administrative costs. During the course of the program students are placed in student housing on the University of Ulster campus, and receive a food stipend.

Experience Required

none

Eligibility

This program is open to any undergraduate students currently enrolled in a US college or university who have completed their first year of college and maintain a 2.5 GPA. Prospective students are encouraged to contact hecua@hecua.org with any other eligibility questions. 

Housing

• Apartment/Flat
• Group living

Scholarships are Available

HECUA offers multiple scholarships to students each term. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) students, first-generation students, and students from low-income backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Visit our website to learn more.

To Apply

If you're ready to apply or just want more information, we suggest that you connect with your HECUA Campus Representative. Click here to view the HECUA staff page and contact the Campus Representative who works with your institution.
 

1. Connect with a HECUA Campus Representative
2. Submit an application to your home institution
3. Submit an application to HECUA

Click here to apply.