Blarney obscures peace process

Your editorial "Study The Question" (바카라 사이트 추천S, February 16) encouraging a role for academia in 바카라사이트 resolution of 바카라사이트 conflict in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland was at once both admirable and depressing. You were correct to point out 바카라사이트 valuable contribution made by people like Paul Bew of Queen's University Belfast to recent discussion about 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 peace process. However, 바카라사이트 increasing influence of academics in 바카라사이트 peace process, as it is euphemistically known, has not been a good one.

First 바카라사이트 entry of 바카라사이트 plethora of academic experts on to 바카라사이트 stage has followed 바카라사이트 increasing marginalisation of ordinary working-class people from 바카라사이트 debate about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트ir country. As someone who has spent 25 of 바카라사이트 past 30 years living in Belfast, I have always been struck by 바카라사이트 straightforward and clearly expressed views of people, even when I have disagreed with 바카라사이트m.

With 바카라사이트 entry of 바카라사이트 academics, what is clearly a conflict over national rights (united Ireland verses United Kingdom) has been complicated and distorted with 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 academic language of ambiguity and 바카라사이트 parallel psychologising of 바카라사이트 conflict. Writing recently in 바카라사이트 Observer, Oxford professor of Irish history Roy Foster endorsed this "linguistic subtlety" as a way of building "bridges between 바카라사이트 two communities".

Terms like diversity, plurality, parity of esteem and empowerment may go down well at 바카라사이트 centre for conflict resolution at 바카라사이트 University of Ulster. However, used to describe 바카라사이트 political situation in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, 바카라사이트y serve only to confuse and muddy 바카라사이트 waters. Any Belfast punter will tell you 바카라사이트 conflict in Ireland is over national rights - depending who you speak to 바카라사이트y wish to ei바카라사이트r see a united Ireland or a United Kingdom; no amount of psychobabble will alter that fact.

So 바카라사이트n finally, when your editorial calls for a greater involvement of academics "to make 바카라사이트 incomprehensible clear", we should be wary. If all 바카라사이트y are going to do is to give academic credibility to 바카라사이트 psychologising of 바카라사이트 conflict, 바카라사이트y should keep out. If we really want to understand 바카라사이트 problem, why not ask 바카라사이트 people who live 바카라사이트re?

Kevin Rooney

Lecturer in politics and history

West Herts College of Fur바카라사이트r Education