Interesting event in Lisburn recently which had Robert Putnam as a keynote speaker. Most of the speakers quoted assert that working class protestant areas are feeling isolated and vulnerable. According to Putnam this indicates a weakness in social capital – something of a norm for most de industrialised societies in the west.It’s interesting also to note that the Life and Times survey of 2002 noted significantly different levels of social engagement between protestant middle classes who have higher levels of membership of clubs and involvement in church activities than those in working class loyalist areas.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty