We know very little about how The Troubles have impacted on the values and belief systems of people in Northern Ireland – including those who have directly engaged in violent conflict.  Trauma theory tends to focus on the impact of the conflict in terms of psychological trauma of those identified as ‘victims’.  There has been less attention to the communal and spiritual impact of violence, or how these are managed in a conflict where religion and its theological underpinnings have been co-opted as justification.  In NI, the loss of meaning frameworks derived from religious belief and the conflict through community paramilitary structures is likely to be significant for the individuals, their sense of identity and their relationships.  Thus, for some, religion and spirituality provide a source of meaning for suffering, supporting individuals through times of illness, crisis, conflict and trauma.  However, for others, violence and loss also provokes disturbing existential and ontological anxieties.  While some people are comforted by faith and faith organisations, others experience a major, often destabilising, estrangement from long cherished beliefs and the institutions that have nourished such beliefs.  While the relationship between the churches and the conflict is complex, we can at least posit that many ex-combatants have undergone some degree of change in their religious and spiritual identity which may have an impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing.  In turn, these are likely to influence attitudes and behaviours in a labile transition period. 

Dr David Mitchell has been appointed as researcher on this 12-month study, which is led by Prof. Gerard Leavey (University of Ulster) and Prof. John Brewer (University of Aberdeen)  - put a link to John Brewer’s webpages by clicking on this Link (http://www.abdn.ac.uk/socsci/staff/details.php?id=j.brewer)