Malta and northern Ireland : a study into political divisions and their consequences

Abstract

Have you ever looked around and observed societies at large, wondering at the events that have shaped each one and why people think and behave so differently in each case? This research into political divisions has been inspired by my own experience and observation of Malta and Northern Ireland, and by my lack of complete understanding about the cause and effects of political differences in both of these societies. At a glance, it is clear that both the people in Malta as well as those of Northern Ireland are strongly and stubbornly divided about politics. With a little investigation, one comes to realise that although political divisions are present in both cases, they did not develop in the same way, and they certainly did not have similar effects on society. While political divisions in Northern Ireland have developed through a history of violence and brought violent consequences, in Malta they developed differently and did not have such extreme effects as the previous case. The aim of this research is twofold. The first is to investigate the historical development of political divisions in Malta and Northern Ireland, in order to bring out the differences through a comparison of the two. The second is to identify the consequences of these political divisions and to try to find out why these effects have been so extreme in one situation and not in the other. In two complex societies such as Malta and Northern Ireland, it is often difficult to understand what people want and why things happen the way they do.

This research is intended to further the understanding of those who, like myself, are interested in the dynamics and development of political divisions in society.