How far was religion a cause of the troubles in Northern Ireland from the 1960s to the 1980s?

Essay from the year 2007 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Western Europe, grade: 1.0 / A / 1st mark, King`s College London, course: Themes & Issues in British Politics since 1945, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: To many the term 'Northern Ireland' is a synonym for violence and hatred, reminding us of the bloody 'Troubles' that dominated the country for over 30 years and of the 3700 people who lost their life during this time. The fact that the communities are divided by their confession suggests that the 'Troubles' were animated by religious frictions, and indeed, religion is generally put forward as a reason. However, on closer inspection, it appears that this stereo-typical view pushes other explanations into the background although these are essential to grasp the origins of the conflict as a whole. This essay will examine the historical, political, economic and religious aspects as well as the relation of the two communities and will attempt to demonstrate that a range of social and economic seemingly insuperable divisions between the two groups, combined with the deprivation of the country might have been a perfect 'breeding ground' for prejudice and fear of the other group, factors which were then expressed by severe violence during the 'Troubles'.