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Published
2019-03-28
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Analytical Essays
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Copyright (c) 2019 Jessie Austin
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The "Ceasefire Babies"
Intergenerational trauma and mental health in post-conflict Northern Ireland
Jessie Austin
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Abstract
This paper details the history of the thirty-year conflict commonly known as “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, the acute impact of political violence exposure on communities’ mental health, and the possible intergenerational transmission of this trauma. Although armed conflict ended in 1998, post-conflict Northern Ireland remains a divided society characterized by lingering tension, fear, anger and sectarianism. While the majority of research literature has focused on the mental health consequences of acute trauma experienced during the Troubles, future research should explore potential impacts associated with the chronic stress of living in a divided society, and possible sources of resiliency. Through such impacts, the Troubles may continue to damage the mental health and wellbeing of future generations.
