Getting involved in Political Violence: Irish Stories

Speaker: Dr Neil Ferguson, Professor of Political Psychology, Liverpool Hope University

Chair: Rajan Basra, PhD student, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR)

This presentation will explore how people were drawn towards loyalist and republican paramilitary groups during the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. While focusing on the transition from civilian to armed combatant and exploring some of the key drivers involved, the talk will explore the role of group identity in this transition and how lessons from Northern Ireland can be applied to other conflicts.

Bio:

Neil Ferguson is Professor of Political Psychology at Liverpool Hope University, a 2020/21 Fulbright Scholar working with START at the University of Maryland, and a recent Visiting Research Fellow at the Changing Character of War Programme at Pembroke College, Oxford.

His research has focused on political conflict and its psychological implications since he studied towards his PhD at the University of Ulster.

He previously served as the Director of the Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies, a Research Fellow at University of St Andrews, and lectured at the University of Ulster. Professor Ferguson recently served as a member of the Governing Council for the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP). He also serves on the editorial committees of the Journal of Moral Education, Journal of Deradicalization and the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, and is a trustee of the Journal of Moral Education Trust.

His current research focuses on processes of engagement, involvement and disengagement from politically motivated violence focusing on paramilitary groups based in Northern Ireland

He has published in both psychological and politics journals, edited and contributed to a number of edited volumes and offered critical advice to various governments, security agencies and NGOs on issues around radicalization, terrorism, counter-terrorism and conflict transformation.

Please register via Zoom, all registered attendees will receive an email with access information.

This event will be recorded.