Social Capital and Community Relations in Northern Ireland

Muir J¹*

1. Institute of Governance, Public Policy and Social Research, Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland

Northern Ireland is currently experiencing an uneasy peace after over thirty years of violent conflict. Despite official paramilitary ceasefires, low-level conflict between Protestant and Catholic communities continues, especially in working-class areas in Belfast, Derry and Portadown. Recently, there has been an increase in attacks on minority ethnic families living in traditionally Protestant areas, bringing a new dimension to community conflict in the region.
This paper will examine how the literature on social capital may be used to interpret community dynamics in Northern Ireland. The balance between ‘bonding’ and ‘bridging’ social capital is discussed, especially in the light of some of the negative elements of ‘bonding’ social capital in Northern Ireland which can act to exclude outsiders. The possibility that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s community participation structure may be able to contribute to the development of ‘bridging’ social capital is put forward, as the Housing Executive’s focus is on bringing local communities together to discuss and collaborate on practical housing issues rather than the more abstract and elite concept of ‘community relations’.

Click here to view the full paper