This study explores images of economic assistance to explain the importance of tailoring such assistance to the distinctive social needs of the targeted communities, and how third parties must consider and include local perspectives in their attempts to build a lasting peace. The book makes an important contribution to our understanding of how economic assistance impacts a divided society with a history of protracted violence.

The stories reflect the importance of community development and cross-community contact through joint economic, peace and justice, and social development projects. Byrne's research brings to light a vision of how the impact and delivery of IFI and EU Peace I aid is assisting in building the peace dividend in Northern Ireland. One of the key unanswered questions related to economic aid and preventing future violence is what is the significance and importance of external economic aid in building the peace after violence. By examining the respondents' political imagery, this project significantly expands existing work on economic aid and peace building in other societies coming out of violence. Northern Ireland's changing social-economic and political context reflects the fact that economic aid and sustainable economic development is a cornerstone of the peace-building process.