Ireland North and South: Perspectives from Social Science

Have the two parts of Ireland been converging or diverging over time? And what implications do these patterns of change have for the future? In this first-ever systematic study of the social, economic, and political development of the two Irelands since partition, a distinguished group of scholars from Ireland (North and South), Britain, and America have worked together to provide answers that are essential for any understanding of current political events. There are chapters on economic development, political history, demography and migration, the religions of Ireland, gender differences, the family and the state of the labour market, industrial relations, education and social stratification, nationalism and political culture, and political behaviour. Some important areas of convergence are demonstrated, especially in fertility, but in other respects the two Irelands remain distinct, with the North evolving some unique characteristics of its own.