Power-Sharing Institutional and Social Reform in Divided Societies

by O'Flynn, Ian; Russell, David O.; Horowitz, Donald

• ISBN13: 9780745322933
• ISBN10: 074532293X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-20
• Publisher: Pluto Press

Summary

It is widely assumed that internal power-sharing is a viable democratic means of managing inter-communal conflict in divided societies. In principle, this form of government enables communities that have conflicting identities to remedy longstanding patterns of discrimination and to co-exist peacefully. Key arguments in support of this view can be found in the highly influential works of Arend Lijphart and Donald Horowitz.New Challenges for Power-Sharing seeks to explore the unintended consequences of power-sharing for the communities themselves, their individual members, and for others in society. More specifically, it is distinctive in questioning explicitly whether power sharing: perpetuates inter-communal conflict by institutionalising difference at the political level;inhibits conflict resolution by encouraging extremism; stifles internal diversity; and fails to leave sufficient space for individual autonomy.This book not only provides a theoretical exploration and critique of these questions, but comprehensively examines specific test cases where power-sharing institutions have been established, including in Northern Ireland, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Lebanon. It also explores such issues as the role of political leaders, human rightsinstruments, the position of women, and the prospects for reconciliation within such societies. Furthermore it provides a detailed set of policy recommendations to meet the challenges of transition in deeply-divided societies.

Author Biography

Ian O’Flynn is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Essex and Visiting Scholar at Harvard.

David Russell is currently Research Associate at the Centre for Lebanese Studies, Oxford University.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Donald L. Horowitz
Introduction: New Challenges for Power Sharing	1	(14)
Ian O'Flynn
David Russell
Part I Conceptual Issues
Democratic Values and Power Sharing	15	(15)
Ian O'Flynn
Integration and Autonomy: Minority Rights and Political Accommodation	30	(15)
Tom Hadden
Breaking Antagonism? Political Leadership in Divided Societies	45	(14)
Duncan Morrow
Electoral-Systems Design and Power-Sharing Regimes	59	(18)
Stefan Wolff
Part II Case Studies
The Failure of Moderate Politics: The Case of Northern Ireland	77	(15)
Anthony Oberschall
L. Kendall Palmer
The Unintended Consequences of Consociational Federalism: The Case of Belgium	92	(15)
Kris Deschouwer
Partial Implementation, Partial Success: The Case of Macedonia	107	(16)
Florian Bieber
The Dichotomy of International Mediation and Leader Intransigence: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina	123	(15)
Marie-Joelle Zahar
Power Sharing and National Reconciliation: The Case of Lebanon	138	(17)
David Russell
Nadim Shehadi
Part III Deepening Democracy
Overlapping Identities: Power Sharing and Women's Rights	155	(17)
Rachel Rebouche
Kate Fearon
Below and Beyond Power Sharing: Relational Structures across Institutions and Civil Society	172	(16)
Manlio Cinalli
The Challenge of Reconciliation in Post-conflict Societies: Definitions, Problems and Proposals	188	(16)
Brandon Hamber
Grainne Kelly
Towards a Civic Culture: Implications for Power-sharing Policy Makers	204	(15)
Robin Wilson
List of Contributors	219	(4)
Index	223