The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland: Beyond unionism and nationalism

Book


Tonge, J., Braniff, M., Hennessey, T., Rice, C. and Whiting, S. A. 2024. The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland: Beyond unionism and nationalism. Oxford Oxford University Press (OUP).
AuthorsTonge, J., Braniff, M., Hennessey, T., Rice, C. and Whiting, S. A.
Abstract

Northern Ireland's political system is dominated by an Irish Catholic nationalist versus British Protestant unionist faultline, based upon the long-running argument over whether the region should remain part of the United Kingdom or form part of a United Ireland. Yet the largest category of elector in Northern Ireland says they are neither a unionist nor a nationalist and the third most popular political party is now Alliance, which is not aligned to either of the two traditional constitutional positions.

Drawing upon a unique in-depth survey of its members, this volume analyses the history and contemporary rise of Alliance and the surge of a centrist party in Northern Irish politics which is challenging the old order. How has a party which eschews ethnic bloc politics, has no constitutional preference, and contains a mix of Catholics, Protestants, and many of no religion come to prominence in a polity whose political institutions are framed upon an old binary divide?

The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland undertakes an extensive membership survey analysing the role of a non-ethnic party in an ethnic system, assessing Alliance identities, politics, and futures. Can Alliance integrate Northern Irish society through shared education and housing or will continuing polarisation thwart the Party's project? Would Alliance take a position in the event of a constitutional referendum on Northern Ireland's future - and what might that stand be? These and other key questions form part of a novel study of the party of Northern Ireland's often overlooked centre ground. The volume is essential reading for those wanting to understand how non-ethnic parties can survive and even thrive within an ethnic party system.

KeywordsAlliance Party; Northern Ireland; Politics
Year2024
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP)
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Print24 Sep 2024
Publication process dates
Deposited06 Nov 2024
Place of publicationOxford
ISBN9780192889584
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/998w2/the-alliance-party-of-northern-ireland-beyond-unionism-and-nationalism

  • 2
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Same but different? The Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party compared
Tonge, J., Braniff, M., Hennessey, T., McAuley, J. W. and Whiting, S. A. 2020. Same but different? The Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party compared. Irish Political Studies. 35 (3), pp. 399-421. https://doi.org/10.1080/07907184.2020.1816378
The Ulster Unionist Party: Country before party?
Hennessey, T., Braniff, M., McAuley, J. W., Tonge, J. and Whiting, S. A. 2019. The Ulster Unionist Party: Country before party? Oxford Oxford University Press (OUP).
Slow learners? Comparing the Sunningdale Agreement and the Belfast/Good Friday agreement
Hennessey, T. 2017. Slow learners? Comparing the Sunningdale Agreement and the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. in: McCann, D. and McGrattan, C. (ed.) Sunningdale, the uUster workers' council strike and the struggle for democracy in Northern Ireland Manchester Manchester University Press. pp. 174-190
The first Northern Ireland peace process: Power-sharing, Sunningdale and IRA ceasefires, 1972-76
Hennessey, T. 2016. The first Northern Ireland peace process: Power-sharing, Sunningdale and IRA ceasefires, 1972-76. Palgrave Macmillan.
Britain's Korean war: Cold War diplomacy, strategy and security
Hennessey, T. 2015. Britain's Korean war: Cold War diplomacy, strategy and security. Manchester Manchester University Press.
Hunger strike: Margaret Thatcher's battle with the IRA 1980-1981
Hennessey, T. 2013. Hunger strike: Margaret Thatcher's battle with the IRA 1980-1981. Irish Academic Press.
Lessons from the Troubles
Hennessey, T. 2009. Lessons from the Troubles.
The missing dimension in the Northern Ireland Peace Process: IRA containment and British counter-insurgency/terrorism strategies
Hennessey, T. 2009. The missing dimension in the Northern Ireland Peace Process: IRA containment and British counter-insurgency/terrorism strategies.
The missing dimension: British State repression and the Northern Ireland Peace Process
Hennessey, T. 2009. The missing dimension: British State repression and the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
The missing dimension in the Northern Ireland Peace Process: IRA containment and British counter-insurgency/terrorism strategies
Hennessey, T. 2009. The missing dimension in the Northern Ireland Peace Process: IRA containment and British counter-insurgency/terrorism strategies.
Did internment work?
Hennessey, T. 2009. Did internment work?
Talking to terrorists
Hennessey, T. 2010. Talking to terrorists.
The troubles: who started them? Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s
Hennessey, T. 2010. The troubles: who started them? Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s.
The troubles: who started them? Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s
Hennessey, T. 2010. The troubles: who started them? Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s.
Dividing Ireland: World War One and Partition
Hennessey, T. 1998. Dividing Ireland: World War One and Partition. London, UK Routledge.
A history of Northern Ireland 1920-1996
Hennessey, T. 1997. A history of Northern Ireland 1920-1996. Basingstoke, UK Palgrave Macmillan.
Historic loyalism: Allegiance, patriotism, Irishness and Britishness in Ireland
Hennessey, T. 2011. Historic loyalism: Allegiance, patriotism, Irishness and Britishness in Ireland. in: McAuley, J. and Spencer, G. (ed.) Ulster Loyalism after the Good Friday Agreement: History, Identity and Change Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 8-21
Commentary upon, 'Modern Irish Republicanism: the Product of British State Strategies' by Anthony McIntyre
Hennessey, T. 2007. Commentary upon, 'Modern Irish Republicanism: the Product of British State Strategies' by Anthony McIntyre. in: McGrath, C. and O'Malley, E. (ed.) Irish Political Studies Reader: Key Contributions London Routledge. pp. 168-171
The politics of Northern Ireland
Hennessey, T. 2005. The politics of Northern Ireland. in: Addison, P. and Jones, H. (ed.) A Companion to Contemporary Britain 1939-2000 Oxford Blackwell. pp. 444-463
The evolution of the Troubles, 1970-72
Hennessey, T. 2007. The evolution of the Troubles, 1970-72. Dublin Irish Academic Press.
Northern Ireland: the origins of the Troubles
Hennessey, T. 2005. Northern Ireland: the origins of the Troubles. Dublin Gill & Macmillan.
Spooks: the unofficial history of MI5
Hennessey, T. and Thomas, C. 2010. Spooks: the unofficial history of MI5. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK Amberley Publishing.
Ulster Unionism and loyalty to the Crown of the United Kingdom, 1912-1972
Hennessey, T. 1996. Ulster Unionism and loyalty to the Crown of the United Kingdom, 1912-1972. in: English, R. and Walter, G. (ed.) Unionism in Modern Ireland London, UK Macmillan. pp. 115-129