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Seminar on “Can Divided Societies Be Brought Together? Assessing Northern Ireland’s Journey Toward a Non-Sectarian Political Culture” Held at EMU with Prof. Dr. Devashree Gupta

A seminar titled “Can Divided Societies Be Brought Together? Assessing Northern Ireland’s Journey Toward a Non-Sectarian Political Culture” was held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), jointly organized by the Cyprus Policy Center (CPC) and the Department of Political Science and International Relations. The seminar commenced with opening remarks delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Berna Numan, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at EMU, who also introduced the guest speaker, Prof. Dr. Devashree Gupta.

Prof. Gupta began her presentation by discussing the factors that have fueled sectarian divisions in Northern Ireland. She emphasized that non-sectarian political identities and cultures can be strengthened through consociational arrangements. She assessed the success of the Good Friday Agreement in this regard, which brought a resolution to the Northern Ireland conflict. Drawing on empirical data, Prof. Gupta demonstrated the extent to which political identities have transformed within the consociational framework established since 1998.

She noted that while the Good Friday Agreement ended violent conflict by establishing a power-sharing executive between Catholics and Protestants, it did not lead to a full transformation of the sectarian political culture. Gupta further explained that the Agreement affirmed Northern Ireland’s status within the United Kingdom, supported civil rights, and fostered cross-border cooperation with Ireland, thus promoting peace through mutual consent and compromise. She also highlighted the Agreement’s contributions to recognizing cultural and linguistic diversity and fostering respect for pluralism.

In concluding her talk, Prof. Gupta explained that the Brexit process has prompted renewed public support for Irish reunification. The highly interactive seminar featured numerous questions from the audience, which Gupta addressed by drawing parallels between the Northern Ireland case and other divided societies