Abandoning historical conflict?

Former political prisoners and reconciliation in Northern Ireland

Authors:
Peter Shirlow
Search for other papers by Peter Shirlow in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Jonathan Tonge
Search for other papers by Jonathan Tonge in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
James McAuley
Search for other papers by James McAuley in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Catherine McGlynn
Search for other papers by Catherine McGlynn in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close

Drawing on more than 150 interviews with former IRA, INLA, UVF and UFF prisoners, this book is a major analysis of why Northern Ireland has seen a transition from war to peace. Most accounts of the peace process are ‘top-down’, relying upon the views of political elites. This book is ‘bottom-up’, analysing the voices of those who actually ‘fought the war’. What made them fight, why did they stop and what are the lessons for other conflict zones? Using unrivalled access to members of the armed groups, the book offers a critical appraisal of one-dimensional accounts of the onset of peace, grounded in ‘mutually hurting stalemate’ and ‘ripeness’, which downgrade the political and economic aspects of conflict. Military stalemate had been evident since the early 1970s and offers little in explaining the timing of the peace process. Moreover, republicans and loyalists based their ceasefires upon very different perceptions of transformation or victory. Based on a Leverhulme Trust project, the book offers an analysis based on subtle interplays of military, political, economic and personal changes and experiences. Combined, these allowed combatants to move from violence to peace whilst retaining core ideological beliefs and maintaining long-term constitutional visions. Former prisoners now act as ambassadors for peace in Northern Ireland. Knowledge of why and how combatants switched to peaceful methodologies amid widespread skepticism over prospects for peace is essential to our understanding of the management of global peace processes.
eISBN:
9781847793430
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781847793430
Online Publication Date:
19 Jul 2013
Abstract only
Log-in for full text
Rights and Permissions
Institutional access


Winner of the PSAI (Political Studies Association Ireland) Brian Farrell best book prize winner, 2011

  • Collapse
  • Expand

All of MUP's digital content including Open Access books and journals is now available on manchesterhive.

 

Subjects:
Politics
Keywords:
Northern Ireland; armed groups; conflict; peace process; republicans; loyalists; ceasefires; former prisoners; violence; peace
Page Count:
206
Publisher:
Manchester University Press
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 1620 345 63
Full Text Views 1247 47 0
PDF Downloads 1004 49 2
Cover Populism in Europe

Populism in Europe

Lessons from Umberto Bossi’s Northern League

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
28 Sep 2021
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

This is the first book to offer a detailed and systematic analysis based on original research of the ideology, electoral and governmental performances, organisational model, type of leadership and member activism characterising the Lega Nord (Northern League) under its founder, Umberto Bossi (1991–2012). Created thirty years ago, the Northern League has now been shelved by a new leader, Matteo Salvini, who has replaced it with a brand new party that bears his own name: the Lega per Salvini Premier (League for Salvini Premier). However, as western Europe continues to witness the sustained growth of populism within its borders, “Bossi’s League” offers a case study of a populist party moving very early on from protest to government. The book identifies the Northern League’s consistent and coherent ideology, its strong leadership and its ability to create communities of loyal partisan activists as key ingredients of its success. It is shown that the League has much to teach us about how populists can achieve durability and rootedness and how parties of all kinds can still benefit from a committed and dedicated membership today.
Cover Recognition and Global Politics

Recognition and Global Politics

Critical encounters between state and world

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
01 Sep 2016
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

Recognition and Global Politics examines the potential and limitations of the discourse of recognition as a strategy for reframing justice and injustice within contemporary world affairs. Drawing on resources from social and political theory and international relations theory, as well as feminist theory, postcolonial studies and social psychology, this ambitious collection explores a range of political struggles, social movements and sites of opposition that have shaped certain practices and informed contentious debates in the language of recognition.
Cover Donors, technical assistance and public administration in Kosovo

Donors, technical assistance and public administration in Kosovo

Author:
Mary Venner

Book

Publication History:

Online Publication Date:
01 Sep 2016
Subjects:
  1. Politics
Available In:
Redeem Token

The reconstruction of Kosovo after 1999 was one of the largest and most ambitious international interventions in a post conflict country. Kosovo was seen by many international actors as a ‘green fields’ site on which to construct the government institutions and practices they considered necessary for future peace and prosperity. For a while Kosovo was close to being a laboratory for the practice of institution building and capacity development. This book looks beyond the apparently united and generally self congratulatory statements of international organisations and donors to examine what actually happened when they tried to work together in Kosovo to construct a new public administration. It considers the interests and motivations and the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major players and how these affected what they did, how they did it, and how successful they were in achieving their goals. Although in general the international exercise in Kosovo can be seen as a success, the results have been uneven. Some public administration institutions perform well while others face ongoing challenges. The book argues that to a significant extent the current day performance of the Kosovo government can be traced to the steps taken, or sometimes not taken, by various international actors in the early years of the international intervention.