ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains how the British, Irish and US governments achieved Sinn Fein-DUP deal. It focuses on the Belfast Agreement's exogenous actors and demonstrates that the Belfast Agreement's consociational institutions are neither inherently centrifugal or centripetal; rather, such outcomes are heavily dependent upon the incentives and disincentives provided by exogenous actors to share power. The book argues that the operation of consociationalism in Northern Ireland can not be understood without reference to the way in which external actors facilitate, uphold and/or enervate power-sharing settlements. It examines the 'high politics' of the Sunningdale the Anglo-Irish Agreements. The book presents the peace and political processes that preceded the Belfast Agreement. The peace process involves facilitating paramilitaries - primarily the Irish Republican Army (IRA)-transition from violence to peaceful means.
