In this podcast Russell is joined by East Belfast-based community development practitioner Jonny Currie.

Jonny talks about how the political sclerosis that has seen the suspension of Northern Ireland’s devolved assembly and government executive has affected policy and strategic direction of community development there.

Jonny also provides a fascinating insight to how Northern Ireland’s sectarian conflict shapes how community development activity is perceived. Intriguingly, he explains how where our community development practice requires us to challenge aspects and apparatus of the state, this can be problematic in communities where identity is tightly, passionately wrapped-up and defined in relation to constitutional allegiances.

Featured image credit: cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Dean Molyneaux – geograph.org.uk/p/1459964