From rebel songs to orange marches, music has long been integral to the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. However, since the mid-1970s, punk has rejected the loyalist-nationalist divide, advocating instead a radical agenda of anti-sectarianism. This month, MPod speaks with Dr. Jim Donaghey and Kira Topalian to explore the meanings and messages of punk in Northern Ireland.

In this episode of MPod, featuring Kieran McEvoy, the team examines Transitional Justice: the definition, approaches, apologies and more. We consider the ways in which Transitional Justice has been and is used globally.

From 25 November to 4 December 2019 faculty and staff at Universities across the UK participated in a strike to protest pay and conditions in higher education. In this month’s episode, MPod visited the picket line at Queen’s University Belfast and explored the issues at the heart of this strike.

Introducing a new cohort of Mitchell Master students in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice while connecting with our predecessor, Jan King. This episode explores Jan’s dissertation “Civil Society Creating Common Ground at the Interface“, which focused on civil society organizations that connect people across dividing lines in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Nicosia, Cyprus.

In this episode, Jan King speaks to current students about their experiences and perspectives whilst studying Conflict Transformation at the Mitchell Institute

MPod engages with the experiences of visually impaired students on the Queen’s, Belfast campus in this episode produced by Adam Hoolahan, sharing knowledge and advice for those interested and/or currently attending.

In our third episode, MA student Elizabeth Charash, conducting research on US gun violence, explores the progression of women's leadership in the gun violence prevention movement, speaking with the Co-founder Chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance and Newtown Foundation, Po Murray.

Senator George Mitchell, who chaired Northern Ireland's negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement, speaks with students in the MA programme in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice.

In this pilot episode, MA student Eilish Cox, an intern with Mind Your Mood, discusses student mental health, wellbeing and consent with John Finnigan, QUB's Safe & Healthy Relationships Wellbeing Adviser.