Discussion with Ramin Jahanbegloo on Nonviolence

On 28th November 2024, Conflict Textiles, INNATE, and the Hume O’Neill Chair in Peace at Ulster University hosted an insightful discussion with Iranian political philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo at the Ulster Museum.

Ramin, known for his extensive writings on nonviolence, including his latest book Thinking Nonviolence: Struggle and Resistance, explored the connection between nonviolence and empowerment. 

The event coincided with the Ulster Museum’s Conflict Textiles exhibition Threads of Empowerment, showcasing textiles that serve as testimonies to empowerment through nonviolent resistance. Ramin's insights were particularly relevant in today’s challenging environment, highlighting the importance of nonviolence in social movements.

Thank you to everyone who attended!

Response to Draft Programme for Government

Myself and Eliz McArdle from Ulster University and on behalf of the Peace Summit Partnership submitted a responses to the Draft Programme for Government for Northern Ireland 2024. Our response focused on contemporary peacebuilding issues for young people in Northern Ireland. It can be downloaded here.

The response was launched with the Peace Summit Partnership response at Stormont on 4 November 2024.

Inaugural John Hume and Thomas P. O’Neill Chair Peace Lecture

The inaugural John Hume and Thomas P. O’Neill Chair Peace Lecture took place on 20 September 2024 at the Derry-Londonderry Campus of Ulster University, in partnership with the Hume O’Neill Chair and the John and Pat Hume Foundation.

The lecture was delivered by Taoiseach Simon Harris TD, who paid tribute to the peacebuilding efforts of John Hume and Tip O’Neill while reaffirming the Irish Government's commitment to deepening peace on the island.

In his address, Taoiseach Harris stated:

"We are also witnessing a new era in British-Irish relations. My recent meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer have set in motion a much-needed reset of relations between our two Governments. I have always believed – and this remains unshakable – that the peace process thrives when the British and Irish Governments act in full partnership as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. Unilateralism failed in the past... Today, we are restoring a genuine sense of partnership, ensuring we address the critical issues that underpin lasting peace, progress, and reconciliation."

The lecture highlighted the importance of collaboration in fostering peace and rebuilding trust across political traditions on the island.

Beyond Intragroup Betrayal: New Article

Continuing our work on the issue of betrayal in peacebuilding Wilhem Verwoerd, Alistair Little and Brandon Hamber have published a new article.

The article was published in the Peacebuilding journal entitled "Beyond intragroup betrayal during intergroup relational peacebuilding". 

You can download the article here, open access.

This article addresses a neglected human cost of relational peacebuilding, identified in an earlier article on ‘peace as betrayal’. The focus here is how relational peacebuilders can respond to painful accusations of betrayal by family-type group members evoked by working with the ‘other side’. Continuing to draw on the reflections of experienced peace practitioners from South Africa, the Israel-Palestine region and the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, a contrasting distinction is made between two routes: a ‘clarification’ route that explains why working with ‘them’ is not a betrayal of ‘us’ vs a ‘counter-critique’ response that attempts to turn the traitor tables on the accusers. An evaluative discussion of the counter-critique route explores the pitfalls of political abuse, avoidance of shared responsibility and underestimating ‘thin’ relations (Margalit), as well as the complementary potential of the clarification and the counter-critique routes beyond peace as betrayal.

Higher Education Today - Peace and Conflict Studies

In February 2024, Professor Hamber and MSc student Catherine Ferrin at Ulster University participated in a US television show entitled "Higher Education Today - Peace and Conflict Studies". The programme focused on the MSc Peace and Conflict Studies and how learning from it can be applied to different contexts. It recently garnered two prestigious awards, highlighting its impact and quality. Firstly, it received a Bronze Telly Award in the Political & Commentary category, a significant recognition in the industry. Additionally, the segment was honoured by the Society of Professional Journalists Washington D.C. Chapter in the Television, Commentary & Criticism category, further emphasising its excellence. The show was filmed by Ulster film students, so a significant achievement for all concerned. 

If you want to watch the show visit:  

Difficult Conversations

In April 2023, I participated in a Panel Discussion entitled “Difficult Conversations”, discussing textiles as a “language”, drawing on the work of Conflict Textiles. 

The panel included Professor Paul Seawright and Dr Sandra Johnston from Ulster University, as well as poet Dr Paul Collis and Dr Jen Crawford from the University of Canberra. 

The difficult conversations project was co-developed, co-curated and co-produced by a team representing the British Council, the University of Canberra and Ulster University.  

Coming out of the event Roberta Bacic I published.

Hamber, B., & Bacic, R. (2023). Textile Language for Difficult Conversations: Reflecting on the Conflict Textiles Collection. In Ursula K Frederick, Ashley Harrison, Tracy Ireland and Justin Magee (Eds). Difficult Conversations. British Council: London [Download].