It has long been argued that the segregation of Northern Ireland's schoolchildren on the grounds of religious belief has been a major factor in the social and political divisions that have for so long characterized this society. In his latest project, Jonathan Bardon traces the emergence and evolution of a focused campaign for integrated education in the north. With access to a wide range of primary sources, and, as always, meticulous in his research and sharp in his analysis, Bardon takes us behind the scenes of the public debate to provide insight into the personalities and politics that have both helped and hindered developments in this critical area of Northern Irish life.
Peppered throughout with photos, cartoons, and other relevant illustrations, this attractive volume takes a chronological approach, opening with an outline of the failures of nineteenth-century attempts to end religious divisions in Irish education. The following chapters track various attempts to keep the issue alive against a background of sectarian violence and religious intolerance. The emergence of All Children Together (ACT) and its determined pursuit of integrated opportunities in education are traced in a narrative that takes the reader through the complex administrative and political changes of the late twentieth century in a way only possible by someone with a firm grasp of the intricacies of the period.
Contributions by Lord Mawhinney, Donald Akenson, and Mary Robinson, who in her preface describes the achievements of ACT as “a major victory for Human Rights,” reflect the optimism prompted by ACT's success to date, with over sixty integrated schools currently in operation. It is, however, too early to assess the full impact of their work and, as Akenson points out, the goals of the movement and of the churches remain incompatible (252).
This is a scholarly work, extremely thorough and rich in detail. With a total of sixteen appendices, it may be slightly challenging to the general reader, but those with an interest in how the religious, political, and social past has helped shape the present should consider it an essential addition to their library.
