A lecuture by Ronit Berger Hobson: Transforming Conflicts: Leading Northern Ireland 'Troubles' From Contention To Cooperation

What was the role played by the various individuals in (official and unofficial) leadership positions in transforming the Northern Ireland conflict from one of contention and violence to one of cooperation, negotiation, and peace? What was required for the violence to stop and for representatives of the republican movement to be invited to the negotiating table? And who was central to this process? In her talk, Queen's University Belfast visiting scholar Ronit Berger Hobson will discuss her recent work on the Troubles and present a three-level framework to better understand the dynamic processes of action and reaction during conflict transformation, as well as the strategic choices made by violent organizations involved. The talk will focus on the republican movement's shifting tactical and strategic choices from 1982 to 1998, and on the roles of Gerry Adams and other leaders, such as Martin McGuinness and John Hume, in effecting these shifts. Berger Hobson will also introduce the concepts of 'duel credibility' and 'legitimacy lending' to illustrate how Irish American diaspora leaders, at critical turning points, were instrumental in moving the conflict away from violence and toward peace.

Ronit Berger Hobson is a lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Queen's University Belfast. She holds a PhD and an MA in International Relations and Comparative Politics from Syracuse University, an MA in Diplomacy and Conflict Studies from Reichman University, and a Law degree (LLB) and a BA in Arts History from Tel Aviv University. Her research lies within the realm of security studies, where she bridges the fields of terrorism, conflict, and leadership studies. Specifically, she is interested in the inner workings of violent non-state actors, that is, how they are shaped by context and by their own leaders. Some of her recent publications include an edited special issue for Studies in Conflict and Terrorism focusing on the changing perceptions of threats following October 7th; an article on Hamas as a unique case of a violent non-state actors which holds exclusive territorial control; and a study of the role played by the Irish American Diasproa in the Provisional IRA tactiacal calculations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement.