Beyond the meeting: How community activists construe idea transfer from intercommunity encounters - The cases of Northern Ireland and Kosovo

Abstract

Intercommunity dialogue encounters are a crucial tool for constructive conflict resolution. This research examines grassroots dialogue encounters with regard to the societal position of the participants, as well the situation 'on the ground' as influential to the transfer process. Interviews in Northern Ireland and Kosovo with community activists stressed the effectiveness of personal characteristics of dialogue participants when it came to transfer. Moreover, the readiness - affected by socio-economic conditions as well as external/secondary conflict parties - of the peer group to listen to its participant seemed fundamental. © 2011 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.