Consociational Theory

<p>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.</p><p>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?</p><p>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.</p><p><em>Consociational Theory</em> is an important text for anyone with an interest in political theory, conflict resolution in divided societies, or Irish politics.</p> <p>Introduction: The Promise of Consociational Theory <em>Rupert Taylor</em> <strong>Part 1: Argument</strong> 1. Power Shared after the Death of Thousands <em>John McGarry and Brendan O’Leary</em> <strong>Part 2: Commentaries</strong> 2. Recognition, Equality, Difference: Achieving Democracy in Northern Ireland <em>Shane O’Neill </em>3. Consociationalism and the Wider Peace Process <em>Adrian Guelke </em> 4. Peace by Design? Towards "Complex Power Sharing" <em>Stefan Wolff</em> 5. Implementing Consociation in Northern Ireland<em> John Coakley </em>6. Ethnic Party Competition and the Dynamics of Power-Sharing in Northern Ireland<em> Paul Mitchell and Geoffrey Evans </em>7. Consociationalism and the Creation of a Shared Future for Northern Ireland<em> Stephen Farry</em> 8. Consociational Government: Inside the Northern Ireland Executive <em>Rick Wilford</em> 9. In Search of the Consociational "Spirit of Accommodation"<em>Jürg Steiner</em> 10. A Culture of Power-Sharing <em>Michael Kerr</em> 11. From Consociationalism to Interculturalism <em>Robin Wilson </em>12. Squaring some Vicious Circles: Transforming the Political in Northern Ireland <em>John Cash</em> 13. Sunningdale for Slow Learners? Towards a Complexity Paradigm<em> Adrian Little</em> 14. Progressive Integration (and Accommodation, too)<em>Ian O’Flynn</em> 15. Ways of Seeing? Consociationalism and Constitutional Law Theory <em>John Morison </em>16. Debating the Agreement: Beyond a Communalist Dynamic? <em>Liam O’Dowd </em> 17. The Injustice of a Consociational Solution to the Northern Ireland Problem <em>Rupert Taylor </em><strong>Part 3: Response</strong> 18. Under Friendly and Less Friendly Fire <em>John McGarry and Brendan O’Leary</em></p>