Germany and Ireland Transitions, Transformations, Legacies, Learnings

A conference to mark German Unity Day which commemorates the unification of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic into a single federal Germany 1990.

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Overall themes to be explored:

• What can we learn from the east-German experience in the process of transformation?
• What learnings can be shared from Germany to Ireland and from Ireland to Germany?
• The practical politics of transition: What are the (institutional, legal, and legislative) challenges involved in uniting two jurisdictions?
• In particular, what are the challenges for local government in transformation processes? How do polities prepare for transition and ponder transformation? How can conflict be avoided? How might we address the challenges of constituencies and citizens disaffected by developments and avoid winner and loser mentalities?
• How does society address the historical experience of violence and injustice?
• How can we navigate the legacies of division to promote inclusion (community cohesion)? What are the practical challenges when creating engagement? (How) can we prevent commemoration becoming a ritual?
• Is there room for counter-histories?
• With extremist parties on the rise, to what extent did the German reunification process have an impact on the polarisation of society?
• Can we witness similar developments in (Northern) Ireland? (How) can polarisation of society be countered/avoided?

Listen to our #ARINScast on Irish Unity Lessons from Germany

Read Professor Tobias Lock on Irish Unity: Lessons from Germany

Programme

9:30-10:00 Tea/Coffee

10:00-10:30 Welcome

• Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt
• Introduction: Prof Mary Daly, MRIA

10.30-11.30: Panel 1: Politics

The practical politics of transition: What are the (institutional, legal, and legislative) challenges involved in uniting two jurisdictions?

In particular, what are the challenges for local government in transformation processes? How do polities prepare for transition and ponder transformation?

How can conflict be avoided? How might we address the challenges of constituencies and citizens disaffected by developments and avoid winner and loser mentalities?

11:30-12:00 coffee and tea break

12:00-13:00 Panel 2: legacies, histories and polarisation

How does society address the historical experience of violence and injustice? How can we navigate the legacies of division to promote inclusion (community cohesion)? What are the practical challenges when creating engagement? (How) can we prevent commemoration becoming a ritual? Is there room for counter-histories? With extremist parties on the rise, to what extent did the German reunification process have an impact on the polarisation of society? Can we witness similar developments in (Northern) Ireland? (How) can polarisation of society be countered/avoided?

13:00 Lunch