Consociational Theory: McGarry and O'Leary and the Northern Ireland conflict (Routledge Research in Comparative Politics)

Consociational power sharing is increasingly gaining ground, right around the world, as a means for resolving political conflict in divided societies. In this volume, edited by Rupert Taylor, nineteen internationally-respected scholars engage in a lively debate about the merits of the theory underlying this approach. The volume focuses specifically on one of the leading cases under the global spotlight, the Northern Ireland conflict, and brings together the most prominent proponents and opponents of consociationalism. Northern Ireland’s transition from war to peace is seen by consociationalists as flowing from the historic Belfast Agreement of 1998, and specifically from the Agreement’s consociational framework. The Northern Ireland case is marketed by consociationalists as representing best practice, and as providing a template for ending conflicts in other parts of the world. However, as this volume interrogates, on what grounds, and to what extent, can such a positive reading be upheld? Taken as a whole, this volume, structured as a symposium around the highly-influential argument of John McGarry and Brendan O’Leary, offers comparative, engaging, and critical insight into how political theory can contribute to the creation of a better world. Consociational Theory is an important text for anyone with an interest in political theory, conflict resolution in divided societies, or Irish politics. Book Cover Title Copyright Contents Illustrations Abbreviations Contributors Introduction: The promise of consociational theory Part I: Argument 1 Power shared after the deaths of thousands Part II: Commentaries 2 Recognition, equality, difference: Achieving democracy in Northern Ireland 3 Consociationalism and the wider peace process 4 Peace by design?: Towards “complex power sharing” 5 Implementing consociation in Northern Ireland 6 Ethnic party competition and the dynamics of power sharing in Northern Ireland 7 Consociationalism and the creation of a shared future for Northern Ireland 8 Consociational government: Inside the devolved Northern Ireland Executive 9 In search of the consociational “spirit of accommodation” 10 A culture of power sharing 11 From consociationalism to interculturalism 12 Squaring some vicious circles: Transforming the political in Northern Ireland 13 Sunningdale for slow learners?: Towards a complexity paradigm 14 Progressive integration (and accommodation, too) 15 Ways of seeing?: Consociationalism and constitutional law theory 16 Debating the Agreement: Beyond a communalist dynamic? 17 The injustice of a consociational solution to the Northern Ireland problem Part III: Response 18 Under friendly and less-friendly fire Index