Article Version of Record

Intergroup contact and peacebuilding: Promoting youth civic engagement in Northern Ireland

Author(s) / Creator(s)

McKeown, Shelley
Taylor, Laura K.

Abstract / Description

Focusing on the post-accord generation in Northern Ireland, this study aimed to examine the role of intergroup contact in promoting support for peacebuilding and youth civic engagement. The sample comprised 466 youth (aged 14-15; 51% Catholic, 49% Protestant) who were born after the 1998 Good Friday/Belfast Agreement and therefore represent a ‘post-accord’ generation. Recruited through their schools, youth completed scales on intergroup contact (quality and quantity), support for peacebuilding, and civic engagement. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling and bootstrapped mediation in MPlus. Results found that support for peacebuilding partially mediated the association between higher quality and higher quantity contact and greater civic engagement (volunteering and political participation). Findings demonstrate that youth who are living with the legacy of protracted intergroup conflict can support peacebuilding and engage in constructive behaviours such as civic engagement. By recognising the peacebuilding potential of youth, especially in a post-accord generation, the findings may inform how to promote youth civic engagement and social reconstruction after conflict.

Keyword(s)

intergroup contact youth peacebuilding civic engagement volunteering political participation Northern Ireland post-conflict setting

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-10-20

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

5

Issue

2

Page numbers

415–434

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

McKeown, S., & Taylor, L. K. (2017). Intergroup contact and peacebuilding: Promoting youth civic engagement in Northern Ireland. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 415–434. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.769
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    McKeown, Shelley
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Taylor, Laura K.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:44:47Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:44:47Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-10-20
  • Abstract / Description
    Focusing on the post-accord generation in Northern Ireland, this study aimed to examine the role of intergroup contact in promoting support for peacebuilding and youth civic engagement. The sample comprised 466 youth (aged 14-15; 51% Catholic, 49% Protestant) who were born after the 1998 Good Friday/Belfast Agreement and therefore represent a ‘post-accord’ generation. Recruited through their schools, youth completed scales on intergroup contact (quality and quantity), support for peacebuilding, and civic engagement. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling and bootstrapped mediation in MPlus. Results found that support for peacebuilding partially mediated the association between higher quality and higher quantity contact and greater civic engagement (volunteering and political participation). Findings demonstrate that youth who are living with the legacy of protracted intergroup conflict can support peacebuilding and engage in constructive behaviours such as civic engagement. By recognising the peacebuilding potential of youth, especially in a post-accord generation, the findings may inform how to promote youth civic engagement and social reconstruction after conflict.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    McKeown, S., & Taylor, L. K. (2017). Intergroup contact and peacebuilding: Promoting youth civic engagement in Northern Ireland. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 415–434. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.769
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1454
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1710
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.769
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup contact
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    youth
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    peacebuilding
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    civic engagement
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    volunteering
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    political participation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Northern Ireland
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    post-conflict setting
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Intergroup contact and peacebuilding: Promoting youth civic engagement in Northern Ireland
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    415–434
  • Volume
    5
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record