This collection adds to the extensive literature on Northern Ireland and Ireland by bringing together most of the leading academic and political figures working in the field and offering a comprehensive, multidisciplinary overview of the historical process. The topics discussed include the remote and proximate causes of the conflict, recent developments within the two states on the island, the role of the Roman Catholic Church at the time of the foundation of the state of Northern Ireland, and the rise of the ecumenical movement. Particular attention is paid to the developments in Northern Ireland in the post-1969 period. The essays provide a context in which the problem may be better understood by the international scholarly community and by the interested general reader.
Reviews
'These are the ideas of the intellectual heavyweights who have shaped the thinking of a generation of governments and peoples about 25 years of conflict in Northern Ireland. Not surprisingly, it contains its share of thought-provoking gems.' The Irish Times 'This is a very interesting, well edited book containing many useful essays ... Experts such as Charles Townshend and Joe Lee are in good form; its cultural survey by Terence Brown is worth the price of admission.' Irish Studies Review
