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. By focusing specifically on one of the leading cases under the global spotlight: the Northern Ireland conflict, the volume brings together the leading proponents and opponents of consociational theory and conflict resolution. The move from war to peace in Northern Ireland, underpinned by the forging and implementation of the historic Belfast Agreement (1998), has increasingly been seen to represent a strong consociational case -- and to therefore represent best practice for engineering democratic stability. 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 and Irish politics