I would like to express deep gratitude to the faculty and students in the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews (St. Andrews, Scotland) for their hospitality and their interest in conflict transformation in Northern Ireland. Dr. Jeffrey Murer (a former colleague of mine in Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore College) and Dr. Andrew Williams served as my generous hosts. I had the invigorating opportunity to meet with undergraduate and graduate students in a master class to discuss research methodology in conflict and post-conflict situations. I learned a lot and very much appreciated the students' input and engagement. We had a difficult time stopping in the end. Later in the day, I spoke on the topic of "Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation: An Exploration in Changing Expressions of Identity in Northern Ireland," and again, we enjoyed some incisive and rich discussion before retiring to a local pub for even more discussion. The whole experience makes me look forward to my next opportunity to visit the University of St. Andrews. Let me also offer special thanks to Ms. Wendy Boyter for her kind administrative support of the trip. |
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