Author Description

These essays by leading scholars of Northern Irish politics and Anglo-Irish relations explore the possibility of and prospects for political consensus in Ireland. The contributions embrace a number of approaches--historical, legal, sociological, and political--and examine the context and consequences of particular political initiatives and constitutional changes over the last fifteen years in Northern Ireland. Specific topics discussed include interpretations of the Northern Ireland problem, community perceptions on the conflict and its possible resolution, the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, joint sovereignty, and how the Irish situation compares with that in Belgium and Nigeria.