ABSTRACT
The argument of this chapter is a simple one: context matters. The assertion here is that the usefulness of concepts such as civil society and associationalism for building healthy and peaceful democracies, is dependent upon the character and nature of the society itself. This chapter examines the case of Northern Ireland to illustrate that civil society has a dark side as well as a light side, and that to ignore the more destructive forces of civil society and associationalism can lead to an inaccurate understanding of the capabilities of civil society for promoting peace and democratic stability.
