Politically motivated violence in Northern Ireland was discussed by Psychology Professor Neil Ferguson at an invited talk at the University of Plymouth. The presentation ‘Leaving violence behind: Disengaging from terrorism in Northern Ireland’ built on Dr Ferguson’s recent publications in Political Psychology and the Journal of Strategic Security.
It focused on the processes involved in leaving social movements or disengaging from violent activities, by providing an analysis of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando (RHC) transformation away from politically motivated violence towards a civilian non-military role. The findings were also discussed in relation to the events taking place in Syria and Iraq.
Professor Ferguson has been the Director of the Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies, a visiting lecturer to Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania and the University of York, a Research Fellow at University of St Andrews, and previously lectured at the University of Ulster.
His research and writings deal with moral development and a number of topics located within political psychology. Professor Ferguson is currently serving on the Governing Council of the International Society of Political Psychology, as the President of the MOSAIC – Moral and Social Action Interdisciplinary Colloquium and is a trustee of the Journal of Moral Education Trust.
