ABSTRACT
Affirmative action is an essential element in tackling structural inequality. It must be placed on a continuum, as part of a range of egalitarian strategies. The unequal society must be tackled in the round, with affirmative action and equality-mainstreaming focussed on a range of policies and practices simultaneously.2 The Northern Ireland experience highlights how crucial affirmative action is to achieving fairness in a divided society so that peace and stability can be maintained. We should remember, however, that an unequal society is a divided society, even if those divisions do not spill over into the sort of conflict that Northern Ireland has seen. Addressing inequality is fundamental to overcoming division.
