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In Season 3 we speak with young people about what peace means to them over a quarter of a century since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The issues faced by young people today are complex and interconnected. They include challenges with climate change and mental health, employment and inclusion. Youth work provides platforms and forums for these issues to be discussed, and we talk through some of the barriers and opportunities for all-island collaborations. In many case,s we find a need for listening and compassion, and direct actions to secure the future of the island’s youth. Young people are well informed on the issues that affect the,m and the series explores some of the innovative ways they are raising their voices to levels where they can have a meaningful impact.
Season 2 takes a deep dive into the Shifting Tides Project, connecting coastal communities and marine environments on the twin shores of Carlingford Lough, working across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Over six brand new episodes, we discuss global challenges facing our seas, from climate change and pollution, to overfishing and habitat loss; we also reflect on how scientists, artists, and communities are making sense of local issues and finding creative ways to respond, including citizen science, storytelling, music making, and nature restoration.
Producer and Host: Alexander McMaster
Sound Editor: Luke Lacey
Project Director: Suzie Cahn
Season One was a series of conversations and creative reflections about civil society and community work: their contribution to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland’s shared challenges and current and future collaboration on solutions.
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Recent Episodes
S3E5 S3 Ep5: Understanding and Humanity
Understanding one another is the basis of peacebuilding. In this episode we discuss hidden violence on the island or Ireland and the ways that services can fail to address the complex and…
S3E4 S3 Ep4: Identity and Culture
Identity is complex and evolving for young people on the island of Ireland. While there are still deeply rooted histories that influence identity, it is increasingly shaped by openness and diversity…
S3E3 S3 Ep3: Climate Change and Peace Building
Climate change is an issue that is largely being placed on the shoulders of young people who are not necessarily empowered or equipped to tackle it. This can lead to frustration around the ability of…
S3E2 S3 Ep2: Youth Voices in Decision Making
What does peace mean for young people today, over a quarter of a century since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement? This episode asks how youth voices can be raised to the level of…
S3E1 S3 Ep1: Youth Organisations Across the Island of Ireland
The series opens with a discussion about the importance of youth work in making connections between young people and empowering them to take action on the issues they face. It looks at the challenges…
S2E5 S2 Ep5: Living on the Lough
Balancing ocean conservation with sustainable livelihoods can be challenging. Healthy seas depend on meshworks of habitat. This episode looks at seagrass meadows and their part in maintaining…
S2E6 S2 Ep6: Save Our Seas
The shores of our island are thriving with life, from seagrass meadows and kelp forests to rock pools and salt marshes. In the face of global challenges for our oceans, how can a balance be found…
S2E4 S2 Ep4: Diving Deep
There are strange and otherworldly creatures at the bottom of the sea. In this episode we meet some of the intrepid divers exploring the depths of Carlingford Lough, hearing about both the wonders…
S2E2 S2 Ep2: Crossing the Lough
At the narrows between Omeath and Warrenpoint, ferry boats once carried folks across Carlingford Lough. In wartime, the passengers might have carried a piece of butter or bag of sugar up their…
S2E1 S2 Ep1: Shorelines
The undersea world often remains out of sight. In this episode, our guests take us from the forests of County Down to the rocky shores and hidden depths of Carlingford Lough. Together, we explore how…
S2E3 S2 Ep3: Soundwaves
In this episode, we sit down with composer and sound artist Karen Power to discuss her project: Hidden Life in Carlingford Lough (2024), a composed soundscape containing only sounds that were…
S2 S2: Season 2 Trailer: The Shifting Tides Project
In the new season of the Across Divides podcast, we take a deep dive into the Shifting Tides Project, which brings together coastal communities from the twin shores of Carlingford Lough, working…
S1E12 S1 Ep12: Women in the COVID Recovery
In times of crisis, women have often carried significant burdens that are not well recognised. In this episode, we look at the role of women in community and peacebuilding, and the development of…
S1E11 S1 Ep11: Global Perspectives
In this discussion of social justice and collaboration, we will look at ways in which global citizenship can help address all-island challenges. In particular, we examine development education, now…
S1E10 S1 Ep10: The Digital Divide
Digital poverty exists in both rural and urban communities across the island, reducing access to jobs, education and social interaction. This episode looks at developing skills and access to the…
S1E9 S1 Ep9: Rural Connections
Rural communities can be vibrant places but also face challenges of connectivity, access to services and resources, and higher incidence of domestic violence and out-migration to name a few. This…
S1E8 S1 Ep8: Communities Taking Climate Action
Adapting to and mitigating the effects of the climate crisis carries a need for rapid change that has the potential to disrupt livelihoods. How can communities be engaged in a fair and equitable…
S1E7 S1 Ep7: Decarbonising the Island
The need for action on climate change is urgent, and risks leaving communities behind. This episode deals with a fair and equitable transition to carbon neutrality that empowers people across the…
S1E6 S1 Ep6: Access to Nature
This episode deals with examples of grassroots and networked responses to crises of biodiversity and food production across the island. We look at democratising knowledge through citizen science,…
S1E5 S1 Ep5: Biodiversity Crisis
It is widely agreed that the nature of the biodiversity crisis necessitates an all-island response. In this episode, we look at the ways that communities can be enabled to tackle this crisis through…
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Across Divides has published 25 episodes since April 2022, covering topics in Documentary, Society & Culture.
Across Divides is currently dormant with new episodes hourly. Average episode length is 44m.
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