Over the past 3 years, my study of war and conflict has focused on the so-called “bigger picture.” Grand strategy and foreign policy made by politicians and diplomats from mahogany-paneled rooms and lecterns. There is a lot to be learned from how these high-level “leaders” decide the fate of millions, how they influence public opinion and the course of conflicts through their words and actions. It was a desire to further understand this dynamic that spurred my Laidlaw research into Germany’s changing strategic discourse last summer. But as valuable as my insights on accountability and credibility were, there was something crucial missing. In all of my analysis of speeches and strategic documents, the voices of impacted populations and communities were barely audible. 

Surely policy can be reconciled with those it impacts most? This question spurred me to work with the Centre for Cross-Border Studies (CCBS) in Northern Ireland (NI) this summer. For 25 years, the border between the North and South of Ireland has been invisible, fostering cooperation and peace between people and businesses on both sides. Brexit threatens to upend this status quo. Facing increasingly divergent legal systems and political deadlock over NI’s place in the EU customs union, communities along the Irish border have been left in the lurch, with mechanisms for civic engagement either partially or entirely dysfunctional. This has contributed to rising tensions not only on the border, but across Northern Ireland, threatening to re-open the old wounds of the Troubles. Ever since 2016, CCBS has worked with community groups in both NI and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) to foster continued cooperation, overcome these obstacles, and represent their concerns to UK and EU policymakers.

Over the summer, my fellow Georgetown Laidlaw scholar Sophia and I supported CCBS in three key ways. The first was conducting research on the cross-border impacts of the Windsor Framework (the updated UK-EU agreement on post-Brexit Northern Ireland) in areas such as environmental cooperation. The second was facilitating events and interviews bringing this conversation to public and scholarly audiences, specifically through the Sir George Quigley memorial lecture and the upcoming 2023 Journal and Conference of Cross-Border Studies. The third involved directly supporting civic society groups in NI and ROI in dedicated cross-border projects (CBenACT), ensuring that accountability mechanisms and grant adherence were incorporated consistently in their work. 

Throughout my 5 weeks in Northern Ireland, I grew more and more conscious of the missing link in my understanding of leadership. The organizations we worked with faced (and continue to face) brutal funding cuts from Westminster, a local government which has not functioned in 18 months, and a policy process that fails to incorporate their voices until after critical decisions - including the Windsor Framework itself - have already been made. Yet they continue working undeterred to prevent the bridges of cooperation and peace between their communities from being severed. They consistently connect with civil servants and policymakers to share concerns and perspectives. They have not and will not give up in their attempts to preserve Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace. 

This is the patient, determined, courageous leadership that translates high-level policy into long-term reality. Peacebuilding work can be agonizingly slow, largely invisible, often unlauded and unnoticed by practitioners and scholars of broader strategy. It therefore requires leaders committed to representing their communities, persevering through policy obstacles and indifference, and capable of marshaling support for their cause. Without them - and sometimes even despite their best efforts - entrenched and dormant conflicts can re-emerge, tensions can re-ignite, and violence can once again rear its ugly head. 

How will I incorporate this within my own leadership as I move forward? On one hand, I can enter the realm of high-level policymaking with the mission of better incorporating community perspectives into policymaking. This involves, however, attempting to change entrenched institutions and systems from the inside. On the other hand, I can commit to directly working with communities in ensuring their voices are heard in peace processes. This, for its part, risks inserting my own biases and motivations into situations where leaders from within affected communities are best positioned to make an impact. I do not know which path is right for me, or whether there is another way forward I have yet to find. But regardless of what the future holds, I will never forget the inspirational example of Northern Ireland’s community leaders, and I am grateful for the work that CCBS and its partners will continue to do over the coming years.