ND: Keith Fitzgerald

Photo by
*Stan Grossfeld

Winter 1999, v.15-1

Keith Fitzgerald participated in three EPIIC classes from 1989-1991. In his senior year, he traveled to Belfast to research human rights and the security forces. Following graduation, he went on to work for Conflict Management Group and the Harvard Negotiation Project. He is now pursuing a Master's in Public Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government.

"I have been directing our 'Project on Police: Community Relations in Northern Ireland' for a little over a year now. It was my EPIIC paper on civil liberties and counter-terrorism that led me to develop this project, and--in fact--one of the participants in our work is someone I interviewed in Belfast during my trip with EPIIC.

"Specifically, it was my EPIIC experience that taught me to look beyond the easy explanations of complex international security problems and to question the conventional wisdom that often lacks serious intellectual rigor. While most scholars on civil liberties in Northern Ireland took a standard human rights approach to the security situation there, EPIIC taught me to accept certain contradictions and to appreciate the many complexities in such divided societies. I've learned that this goes far beyond simply seeing both sides of a complicated issue. Instead of approaching a study of the security situation in Northern Ireland with a standard human rights criticism of the authorities or a standard security policy criticism of separatism and terrorist violence, I took an interest in the unique predicament of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. That force has the difficult task of trying to maintain law, order, and civil liberties in a divided society while combating a constant threat from politically-motivated paramilitary organizations."

Footnote

*We gratefully acknowledge Mr. Grossfeld for allowing New Designs to reprint this photo, as well as the photo on the back cover of the print publication.

NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1999



		Photo by *Stan Grossfeld
Winter 1999, v.15-1
	Keith Fitzgerald participated in three EPIIC classes from 1989-1991. In his senior year, he traveled to Belfast to research human rights and the security forces. Following graduation, he went on to work for Conflict Management Group and the Harvard Negotiation Project. He is now pursuing a Master's in Public Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government. "I have been directing our 'Project on Police: Community Relations in Northern Ireland' for a little over a year now. It was my EPIIC paper on civil liberties and counter-terrorism that led me to develop this project, and--in fact--one of the participants in our work is someone I interviewed in Belfast during my trip with EPIIC. "Specifically, it was my EPIIC experience that taught me to look beyond the easy explanations of complex international security problems and to question the conventional wisdom that often lacks serious intellectual rigor. While most scholars on civil liberties in Northern Ireland took a standard human rights approach to the security situation there, EPIIC taught me to accept certain contradictions and to appreciate the many complexities in such divided societies. I've learned that this goes far beyond simply seeing both sides of a complicated issue. Instead of approaching a study of the security situation in Northern Ireland with a standard human rights criticism of the authorities or a standard security policy criticism of separatism and terrorist violence, I took an interest in the unique predicament of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. That force has the difficult task of trying to maintain law, order, and civil liberties in a divided society while combating a constant threat from politically-motivated paramilitary organizations." Footnote We gratefully acknowledge Mr. Grossfeld for allowing New Designs* to reprint this photo, as well as the photo on the back cover of the print publication.
	NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1999