Ireland and the Politics of ChangeIreland and the Politics of Change provides a timely assessment of the fundamental changes that have occurred in Irish society over the last several decades from the standpoint of their political significance. There is a particular concern with the leadership role of government and other political institutions in stimulating, managing and responding to the changes taking place that are of fundamental importance to understanding contemporary politics and today's Ireland in the world community. Considerable social, economic, demographic and international change has taken place within Ireland (and Northern Ireland) and without in relation to the rest of the world, and particularly in response to the association with the European Union. Ireland and the Politics of Change examines institutional developments, economic forces, demographic and attitudinal profiles and group-based (religious, gender, class) concerns as they have evolved and assesses their significance for policy enactment and political representation. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 The dynamics of economic change | 27 |
3 Progress or decline? Demographic change in political context | 51 |
4 Changing values | 66 |
5 Religion ethnic identity and the Protestant minority in the Republic | 86 |
6 The changing role of women | 107 |
7 Inequality and the representation of interests | 122 |
an Irish evolution | 144 |
9 Ireland and the growth of international governance | 156 |
10 Peace processes and communalism in Northern Ireland | 178 |
international and northsouth issues | 195 |
continuity change and challenge | 210 |
| 223 | |
| 241 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abortion agreement Anglo-Irish Agreement areas attitudes Britain British government Catholic Church cent Chapter church attendance commitment conflict constitutional context countries cultural Dáil decades decline democratic demographic Dublin economic growth election electoral emerged employment European Union Fahey favour Fianna Fáil Fine Gael foreign Gael Galligan groups identity impact important income increase independence industrial inequalities influence institutions interests internationalisation involved Irish economy Irish government Irish political Irish Republic Irish society Irish-American issues labour force less long-term loyalist major membership ment minority modernisation nationalist negotiations NESC NORAID Northern Ireland OECD organisations participation partnership patterns peace process political parties population position poverty problems programmes Protestant Provisional IRA reform religious representation representatives Republic of Ireland republicans role SDLP sector secularisation significant Sinn Féin social partnership South strong structure Taoiseach tion traditional unemployed Unionist vote Whelan women