The dual institutional work of Lyra's Walk: partisan violence and peace protest in Northern Ireland

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore peace protest as a form of institutional work aimed at supporting one institution and disrupting another.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilized walking ethnography (28 miles in 18 h while conducting 25 walking interviews) and digital media analysis (news reports, social media and electronic communication).FindingsWalking participants engaged in multiple types of institutional work aimed at maintaining the Good Friday Agreement and disrupting partisan violence. The institutional work left no lasting impact on either institution.Originality/valueThe paper conceptualizes two competing institutions and situates the dual institutional work of Lyra's Walk in the post-conflict context of Northern Ireland. The study contributes to understanding formality and multiplicity in institutional work research.