Treatise on Northern Ireland, Volume II: Control

A Treatise on Northern Ireland is a landmark synthesis of political science and historical institutionalism that examines the formation of two insecure regimes, North and South, in Northern Ireland after the contested partition in 1920. It explores how the Unionist elite improvised a control regime that displayed a pathological version of the Westminster model of democracy and enforced national, ethnic, religious, and cultural discrimination. The book compares the North's trajectory with the Irish Free State's incremental decolonization and restoration of a Republic, but state-building in Ireland took place at the expense of persuading Ulster Protestants that Irish reunification was in their interests. Northern Ireland appeared locked in a stalemate of political violence punctuated by failed political initiatives until the UK and Ireland joined the European Economic Community in 1973, but hopes for peace were premature.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 304 pages
\n Publication date: 17 April 2019
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press
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This landmark synthesis of political science and historical institutionalism delves into a comprehensive study of antagonistic ethnic majoritarianism. The creation of Northern Ireland was a result of a contested partition in 1920, where Great Britain compelled Sinn Féin's leaders to rescind the declaration of an Irish Republic, remain within the British Empire, and grant the Belfast Parliament the right to secede. However, the outcome was the formation of two insecure regimes, North and South, both of which experienced civil wars, and the subversion of the boundary commission. In the North, a control system was organized that led to the dominance of a dominant party in the Belfast parliament until its abolition in 1972. The Ulster Unionist Party successfully disorganized Northern nationalists and Catholics, bolstered by the Specials, a militia created from the Ulster Volunteer Force. This system displayed a pathological version of the Westminster model of democracy, which could reproduce one-party dominance and enforce national, ethnic, religious, and cultural discrimination.

The second volume of A Treatise on Northern Ireland explores the intricate details of how the Unionist elite improvised this control regime and why it collapsed under the impact of a civil rights movement in the 1960s. The North's trajectory is paired and compared with the Irish Free State's incremental decolonization and restoration of a Republic. Irish state-building, however, took place at the expense of the limited prospect of persuading Ulster Protestants that Irish reunification was in their interests or consistent with their identities.

In 1972, Northern Ireland was placed under British direct rule, accompanied by counter-insurgency practices. This period marked a significant turning point in the region's history, as efforts were made to address the complex political, social, and economic challenges that had plagued Northern Ireland for decades. The conflict between the Unionist and Republican communities continued to shape the political landscape, leading to further negotiations and attempts to find a lasting resolution to the conflict.

The synthesis of political science and historical institutionalism in A Treatise on Northern Ireland provides a valuable insight into the complex dynamics of ethnic conflict and state-building in the region. By examining the historical and political factors that have contributed to the conflict, the book offers a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by Northern Ireland and the ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability.

\n Weight: 594g\n
Dimension: 237 x 168 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780198830573\n \n