JMU SCOM 395: Conflict Resolution in Northern Ireland

A once in a lifetime opportunity has surfaced at James Madison University. Students have the opportunity to travel to Northern Ireland over Christmas break for a 3 credit hour class that only lasts 10 days. Students will have the experience of a lifetime while in Northern Ireland studying the history of the Conflict there from people who have experienced the Conflict firsthand. The study tour starts in Dublin, Ireland on 27 December 09 and includes travel to Belfast, Derry and other locations across Northern Ireland, returning to the U.S. on 8 January 10. To enroll in SCOM395 Studies Abroad or for more information about the program contact Dr. Kimsey: KimseyWD@jmu.edu.

The Breakdown


What : Spend 10 days touring Ireland; listening to experts on Ireland’s conflict with presentations from government officials, speeches by advocates, analyses with Nobel Peace Prize Winner John Hume and visiting culture centers, historic sites.

When : December 27th, 2009 - January 8th, 2010

How Much: $2,250.00 [pending] Airfare : $600.00 to $800.00 depending upon the time you make flight arrangements [East Coast airfares]

Receive: 3 credit hours + An experience of a lifetime Contact: Dr. Kimsey -- KimseyWD@jmu.edu (540) 568-6496

Inch House Irish Studies Centre



The Inch house is an Irish Studies Centre built in the late 1600’s, located at Inch, Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal. The center is located near the cities of Derry and Buncrana. The program is run by Tony Johnston with help from his family and friends. The centre accommodates up to 36 students with a total of 6 bedrooms. All bedrooms have private baths and 6 beds. There is a large kitchen which Tony keeps fully stocked, but most meals are prepared by Tony and his wife for the visiting students and faculty. The house has everything one would need including a telephone, a living room with a TV and DVD, WiFi access for all guests, as well as a computer with internet access. Inch House also contains a classroom where lectures are given by various knowledgeable people including John Hume, Jon McCourt, John Guthrie, Tony, and several others.

Inch Island itself is beautiful. When you walk out of Inch House, you are greeted by a beautiful body of water, a view that Dr. Kimsey compared to the opening scene of P.S. I Love You. Anyone who runs should take advantage of the beautiful scenery and run to the beach to watch the sunrise. As far as transportation goes, a wonderful man by the name of Frank drives the bus to all the events of the day and will also drive students out at night if available for the small charge of about 2 Euros each. Derry and Buncrana are the main cities near the island and they both offer great night life options for all. Making friends with Jon McCourt is a must because he will tell you all the good hotspots and will make sure you are enjoying your stay in Northern Ireland. Overall, the accommodations are awesome and the people involved in the program are amazing people who everyone would be lucky to meet at least once in their lifetime.

Bio: Dr. William Kimsey


William D. Kimsey Ph. D. is a Professor of Communication Studies at James Madison University.

Kimsey, aka "Boss Man", is a Virginia state certified court-referred mediator.

He has published articles on communication, conflict and mediation in Communication Monographs, Mediation Quarterly, Education, Journal of the International Listening Association, Conflict Resolution Quartlerly, and more.

He is the author of CONFLICTALK, an instrument for measuring youth and adolescent conflict styles and a co-author of Mediator Communication Competencies: Problem-Solving and Transformative Practices (5/e).

He served as a visiting professor at the Hanoi School of Business and Royal Education of Vietnam teaching Vietnamese business leaders negotiation and survey methods and has published articles in Asian Profiles.

Bill teaches courses in mediation, communication and research methods.

"Dr. Kimsey loves and is passionate about what he does. I had the opportunity to get to know him, not only as a professor, but as a friend. The experience was amazing but Dr. Kimsey really tried to open our eyes to concepts, ideas, and theories related to what we were studying. I couldn't have asked for a more qualified, intelligent, and entertaining host. I recommend this study abroad trip to anyone and will never forget the memories we made as a class and with Dr. Kimsey." -Anonymous recent Ireland study abroad participant