Dr Yaser Alashqar of the Irish School of Ecumenics, gave a guest lecture ‘Political Prisoners in Peace Processes: The Case of Northern Ireland.’ At the School of Law and Government research seminar series. The presentation focused on research and interviews which explore the historical status of political prisoners and their contribution to the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The presentation also discussed key lessons and challenges concerning political prisoners and their relationship to inclusive peace processes and negotiations. It is part of a broader comparative study which examines the role of political prisoners in peace processes and negotiations in the context of Northern Ireland and Palestine.
Dr Yaser Alashqar is an adjunct Assistant Professor in the International Peace Studies MPhil Programme at Trinity College Dublin. His research and teaching areas include civil society, mediation in theory and practice, comparative political processes in Northern Ireland and Palestine, politics of the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also lectures at the School of Law and Government, DCU, on international relations and politics in the Middle East and North Africa.