ABSTRACT
Irish nationalism created the Irish peace process (Aughey, 1994; Bean, 1995; Mallie and McKittrick, 1996; Patterson, 1995; Rolston, 1994; Ryan, 1994). There has been significant input from other sources, most obviously in the conflict management strategies adopted by the British Government. Indeed, the process could simply not exist if it were merely an all-nationalist affair. However, it is the analyses, strategies, policies and actions adopted by a range of anti-partitionist political forces which have been the ideological and political driving force behind the initiative to break the apparently aspic statis of Northern Irish politics in recent years. The contribution of Irish republicans to the peace process has been huge. However, the role of non-republican nationalists and of the SDLP and its leader John Hume in particular, has also been highly significant (McGovern and Shirlow, 1997). The aim of this paper is to critically examine the conflict resolution strategies of the SDLP in the lead up to and during the peace process.
