Although violence in Northern Ireland has been "neither halted or prevented" (Tomasevski, 2003a, p. 7), few would deny that the scale of the conflict has been reduced. This paper argues that a vital purpose of education in Northern Ireland should be peacebuilding and the promotion of social cohesion. In particular, the paper looks at the…

This paper summarises some of the key characteristics of access to and participation in higher education. In particular, it focuses on the key social characteristics of participation and the interaction with migration to study outside Northern Ireland. Key policy areas relating to student finance and widening access are also considered. The paper…

The development of the concept of God was assessed among 120 children between the ages of 5 to 16 years who attended private Protestant and Catholic day schools in the San Diego area. All children participated in a semi-clinical interview. Twelve interview questions were asked as the first step of a probing technique used to initiate a dialogue…

Centering on a historical review and analysis of adult Christian education in small groups, this study was designed to identify certain conditions surrounding the formation and operation of selected small groups, to discover their distinctive educational features, and to suggest guidelines for effective use of the small group approach. The role of…

The insularity of Italian Americans is evident in their relationship with the Catholic church in America. By insisting on remaining Catholic, but only on their own terms, the Italians have won no support either from other Catholics, the church hierarchy, or the Protestants who hoped to convert them to Protestantism. (Author/MJL)

The Sixteen Personality Factor questionnaire and the California Psychological Inventory were administered to (N=42) Roman Catholic seminarians and (N=42) male Protestant divinity students. Data analysis indicated that the Catholics were significantly more dependent, more group-reliant, more feminine, less assertive, and less-accepting than the…

Offers an historical analysis of schooling patterns in the Tullylish (Ireland) parish between 1860-1900 to provide understanding of the social forces that promoted denominationalism. Concludes that terms of religious tolerance were constructed by Protestant elites perpetuating Protestant privilege and excluding Catholics from full participation in…

Using cognitive test data to simulate employment selection tests, data from 1,427 Northern Ireland students showed better science curriculum offerings in Protestant schools and differences in science provision for boys and girls. Poor science instruction adversely affects the range of career choices, especially for Catholic girls. (SK)

Using data from Derry/Londonderry English, the impact of social factors on language variation is examined. Finds that where language change is occurring, ethnicity has an effect on the adoption of innovations. Changes originating in the (predominantly Protestant) east of Northern Ireland tend to be adopted primarily by Protestants, whereas…

Although ongoing conflicts in Northern Ireland are not simply about religion, the primary social division lies between the Protestant and Catholic communities. Currently, there are parallel school systems. Contracting markets, interschool competition, and decreasing government support for an integrated education system underline educators' need…

The effects of gender and religious affiliation on adolescents' disclosure to friends and strangers were assessed with Year 11 students (N=288). Adolescents of Catholic and Protestant denominations were willing to disclose to friends and strangers. Although females were significantly higher disclosures, religion did not play a key role. Gender was…

Traces the influence of missionary views concerning African educability upon educational practices, 1879-1908. Concludes that the amount and kind of schooling missionaries provided reflected patriarchal goals and the missionaries' aversion to the production of a literary or technically oriented urban African elite. (Author/KC)

In Ontario, Canada, the 19th-century educational imperative of indoctrinating public school students in a common Christianity became intolerable, given the province's increasingly pluralistic population. Most vestiges of religious practice and instruction have been swept from public schools. Religious minorities' preference for a unitary,…

Presents findings of research into the role of church nominees on school governing bodies in Northern Ireland, based on data from a wider 3-year study of school ethos and governance. Recent legislative, societal, and attitudinal changes may erode church nominees' power on school governing boards. (Contains 30 references.) (MLH)

Sociologists have documented a convergence of Protestants and Catholics in their valuation of autonomy and obedience as desirable traits for children from 1958 through 1991. By the 1980s, Alwin (1986) found that variation in such values within Protestants and Catholics was greater than that between them. Analyzing the GSS from 1986 to 2002, we…