The state of Northern Ireland and the democratic deficit: between sectarianism and neo-liberalism

Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the image projected of Northern Ireland in the mainstream media is frequently that of a newly prosperous, modern, post-conflict society - a rare example of a successful peace process.

Promoted as a great place to live and work, the garden seemed to be getting rosier by the day, that is, until the Stormont Assembly collapsed in 2017.

Written to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the GFA, this book argues that the seeds of recent problems were sown in the 1998 agreement.

The fiasco of a Renewable Heating Incentive that overpaid participants, the lingering whiff of corruption, communities in crisis and growing poverty are all symptoms of the inherent failings of the supposed settlement