Education for Diversity and Mutual Understanding: The Experience of Northern Ireland

Rethinking education has never been more important. While there are many examples of good, innovative practice in teaching and learning at all levels, the conventional education mindset has proved largely resistant to pedagogic or systemic change, remaining preoccupied with the delivery of standardised packages in a standardised fashion, relatively unresponsive to the diversity of learners’ experiences. This series re-examines perennial major issues in education and opens up new ones.

Norman Richardson gained his MA(Ed) from Queen’s University Belfast in 1992 and was formerly a teacher in primary and post-primary schools. He now lectures in teacher education programmes at Stranmillis University College, Belfast. His main areas of teaching and research are in religious and cultural diversity, inclusive religious education and intercultural education.
Tony Gallagher was awarded a PhD in psychology from Queen’s University Belfast in 1986. He is a Professor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast and former Head of the School of Education. His main research interest lies in the role of education in divided societies, and while the main focus of his work has been Northern Ireland, he has also worked in Israel/Palestine and south-east Europe.