ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the theoretical background of the book. Consociationalism has been promoted by scholars as a means of governing deeply divided societies. There are two types of consociationalism: liberal and corporate. Empirical evidence shows that elites play a critical role in such political systems as they have the ability to preserve consociational provisions or to hinder them. External elements also play an important role in promoting or hindering power sharing. The chapter then considers the role of mobilization in hampering power sharing, and introduces the concept of ethnurgy, and how ethnic identification feeds on mobilization, memory and trauma in deeply divided societies, putting power sharing arrangements under severe stress.
