The Politics of Northern Ireland: Beyond the Belfast Agreement

The Politics of Northern Irelandis by one of the leading authorities on contemporary Northern Ireland politics and provides an original, sophisticated and innovative examination of the post-Belfast agreement political landscape. The Agreement was a model of democratic ingenuity and political inclusion, and intimated the emergence of a new style of politics based on the principles of consent and mutual responsibility. It had the potential to transform Northern Ireland from a political culture of conflict to a potential culture of accommodation. However, the implementation of the Agreement has been plagued by the mistrust of people in Northern Ireland and the imaginative institutions of government have had a fitful existence, penetrating in a permanent atmosphere of crisis. This book explains the experience of hope and frustration through a systematic analysis of the ambiguous political legacy of the peace process. Written in a fluid, witty and accessible style, the book explores: * How theBelfast Agreement has changed the politics of Northern Ireland * Whether the peace process is still valid * The problems caused by the language of politics in Northern Ireland * That conditions are necessary to secure political stability * The inability of Unionists & Republicans to share the same political discourse * The insights that political theory can offer to Northern Irish politics * The future of key political parties and institutions. This text is an outstanding contribution to the literature on contemporary Northern Irish politics and history and is essential reading for students and scholars in these areas.

Arthur Aughey is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown.