Northern Ireland: Consociation or Social Transformation?*

Abstract

Taylor delivers a sustained critique of the consociational institutions in Northern Ireland's Agreement from an integrationist (social transformationist) perspective. He argues that a stable peace requires the rejection of the top‐down approach taken in the Agreement and, instead, the construction from the bottom‐up of a common society through integrated schools, residences, and workplaces, and through the organization of groups in civil society that are dedicated to eroding ethno‐national divisions. He favours a ‘non‐sectarian democratic society in a united ‘New Ireland’.

Dealing with the Legacy of Ethnic Conflict: Confronting ‘Othering’ through Transformative Adult Education—A Northern Ireland Case Study

“…In the first instance there is a view that the ethnic aspect of the conflict is not as deep as is often assumed and can, over time, be transformed (Taylor, 2001). It is argued that there is a need to develop a strong centre ground capable of challenging current ethno-national identities and marginalising the extremes.…”

Recognition Theory as Social Research

“…Academic observers who have criticized, from an individualist liberal perspective, the arrangements that were agreed in 1998 argue that bi-national consociationalism has taken us in the wrong direction altogether (Taylor 2001(Taylor , 2006. The institutional arrangements are said to 'entrench' (Wilford and Wilson 2003, pp.…”

Intra‐group Competition and Inter‐group Conflict: An Application to Northern Ireland

“…It takes group identity as given and (2006) and Tilley, Evans and Mitchell (forthcoming). For a more guarded perspective see Taylor (2001), Horowitz (2001 and Lutz and Farrington (2006).…”