The Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (NISAS)
and the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT)

The work on the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (NISAS) began in 1989. In 1998 this work was continued under the title of the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT) {external_link}. The first report on 'Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland' was published in 1992 and The Ninth Report was published in 2004.

This page provides a brief introduction to the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (NISAS) and also contains links to information about, and extracts from, the first nine published reports of NISAS and NILT. The NISAS and the NILT surveys are an important source of information on the attitudes and opinions of a representative sample of the Northern Ireland population. The surveys deal with a wide range of issues and those with an interest in the Northern Ireland conflict will find a wealth of useful information.

The links below are to selected chapters from each of the reports. Each of the linked pages provides full information about the published report including details of the full contents of the book. The CAIN Bibliograph also contains a full listing of the chapters of the nine reports.

Introduction to the NISAS

Gillian Robinson has written a new introduction to the NISAS which provides background information on the survey in Northern Ireland.
[An earlier introduction was written in 1992 - 'Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey', also by Gillian Robinson.]

Information on the Contents of the NILT Reports

Gray, Ann Marie., Lloyd, Katrina., Devine, Paula., Robinson, Gillian., and Heenan, Deidre. (eds.) (2002) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Eighth Report. London: Pluto Press.
[Contents]

A Selection of Chapters from the NISAS Reports

Hughes, Joanne., and Carmichael, Paul. (1998) 'Community Relations in Northern Ireland: Attitudes to Contact and Integration', in, Robinson, Gillian., Heenan, Deirdre., Gray, Ann Marie., and Thompson, Kate. (eds.) (1998) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: the Seventh Report. Hants.: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
Press Release 9 September 1998

Duffy, Mary., and Evans, Geoffrey. (1997) 'Class, Community Polarisation and Politics', in, Dowds, Lizanne., Devine, Paula., and Breen, Richard. (eds.) (1997) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: the Sixth Report, (1996-1997). Belfast: Appletree Press.

Breen, Richard. (1996) ''Who Wants a United Ireland? Constitutional Preferences among Catholics and Protestants', in, Breen, Richard. Devine, Paula., and Dowds, Lizanne. (eds.) (1996) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Fifth Report, (1995-1996). Belfast: Appletree Press.

Gallagher, A.M. (1995) 'Equality, Contact and Pluralism: Attitudes to Community Relations', in, Breen, Richard., Devine, Paula., and Robinson, Gillian. (eds.) (1995) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Fourth Report, (1994-1995). Belfast: Appletree Press.

Gallagher, A.M. (1993) 'Community Relations', in, Stringer, Peter., and Robinson, Gillian. (eds.) (1993) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Third Report, (1992-1993). Belfast: Blackstaff Press.

Melaugh, Martin. (1992) 'Housing', in, Robinson, Gillian., and Stringer, Peter. (eds.) (1992) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Second Report, (1991-1992). Belfast: Blackstaff Press.

Brewer, John D. (1992) 'The Public and the Police', in, Robinson, Gillian., and Stringer, Peter. (eds.) (1992) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Second Report, (1991-1992). Belfast: Blackstaff Press.

Moxon-Browne, Edward. (1992) 'National Identity in Northern Ireland', in, Stringer, Peter., and Robinson, Gillian. (eds.) (1991) Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: the First Report, (1990-1991). Belfast: Blackstaff Press.