15
Mental Health as a Marker for Conflict
Transformation:
a
Study
of
Social
and
Economic Factors within the Context of
Northern Ireland
CHIARA MAGLIACANE1
The aim of this paper is to analyse the perception of mental disorders in
post-conflict Northern Ireland. It is argued that mental health in Northern
Ireland is related to social and economic factors. Paying particular
attention to the phenomenon of residential segregation, the paper
suggests a new perspective of conflict analysis considering mental illness
as a marker for conflict transformation.
Introduction
The relationship between conflict and mental disorders has been analysed in detail in
recent literature (Tomlinson 2007; Dimitry 2011), where the specific case of postconflict Northern Ireland represents a complex framework which needs further
analysis. Influenced by economic and social factors, mental health can be conceived
as a legacy of conflict. This article underlines the peculiarities of the prevalence of
mental illness in post-conflict Northern Ireland, its relationship with the conflict itself
and residential segregation. The prevalence of mental illness is considered in order to
influence the changing nature of the Northern Ireland conflict. In fact, insufficient
emphasis has been given to mental health as a possible marker for conflict
transformation.
This paper will show that Northern Ireland has the highest prevalence of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in comparison with other countries in the world.
1
Chiara Magliacane is an MA candidate in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice. Any errors are
the author’s own. The author can be contacted at: [email protected].