Women on the Peace Line. Challenging Divisions through the Space of Friendship

Abstract

This chapter argues for the need to bring ethnographic detail of the everyday to reconciliation studies. It examines the concept and practice of friendship in a 'post-conflict' scenario through the analysis of the group 'Women of the Peace Line', formed by women from Catholic/Nationalist and Protestant/Unionist backgrounds in Belfast. This social space problematizes divisions in Northern Ireland, challenging fixed conceptualisations of communal and gender identities. Elements such as enjoyment, support and trust are highlighted in this exploration as significant aspects in the diverse paths towards positive peace and social transformation.