Captive Geographies: Places, Identities and the ‘Time-Geography’ of Sectarian Segregation in Belfast

Desegregation is a process through which members of formerly separated groups are brought together, often through the removal of institutional barriers to interaction. Two recurring arguments have been presented in favour of desegregation. The first holds that it promotes intergroup harmony and the reduction of prejudice; the second that it promotes social justice and equality.…

Stitches and stories: a different kind of research impact

Academic researchers want their research findings to have an effect on the social world: this is referred to as 'impact'. A short film records an example from the work of academics in the School of Psychology and Counselling, and the School of Arts and Humanities. In 2018 Prof. John Dixon led the Belfast Mobility Project,…

When the walls come tumbling down? OU psychologists are exploring how to dismantle interface barriers between Protestant and Catholic communities in Belfast

In a recent article, Professor John Dixon of the School of Psychology and Counselling at the Open University, and collaborators, have addressed the issue of the removal of interface barriers in Northern Ireland. They have sought to evidence some of the social and psychological factors that may predict resistance to interface barrier removal and thus…

OU Workshop Considers Segregation in Belfast

Bree Hocking reports on a recent workshop in Belfast featuring our Prof. John Dixon. Why do people go where they go? How do inter- and intra-group relationships shape how people use space? What role do symbolic threats play in influencing mobility practices? Nearly 20 years after the Good Friday peace agreement, a new Open University-led…