Women in Belfast

In this study a group of working-class women narrate their own stories lives and place in Belfast showing how the geography community andperhaps most of allconflict becomes deeply intertwined with identity. These women who have been socially excluded and economically disadvantaged describe their lives during war and a now precarious peace. Challenging traditional methods of conducting research in the social sciences McIntyre enlists Participatory action research to understand how these women see themselves their world and their place in it. Participatory action research includes creative and interactive projectscollages painting poetry and photographyto enable free expression. We see in this volume how the Belfast women negotiate and struggle with the intersections of violence politics gender parenting community work religion fear humor friendship and their deeply held views of what it means to be an Irish woman.