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Governance and Democracy in Northern Ireland: The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector after the Agreement
Author(s) -
McCall Cathal,
Williamson Arthur
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.46
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1468-0491
pISSN - 0952-1895
DOI - 10.1111/0952-1895.00165
Subject(s) - democracy , voluntary sector , citizen journalism , public administration , politics , corporate governance , institution , political science , participatory democracy , representation (politics) , participatory budgeting , voluntary association , sociology , law , economics , management
Since 1998, Northern Ireland has been the subject of a unique experiment in governance and democracy. The experiment includes the establishment of a participatory Civic Forum in which the voluntary and community sector has an important stake. Beginning with a discussion of the merits of a participatory aspect to democracy in the contemporary age, this paper identifies factors that might help establish the Civic Forum as a successful participatory institution in Northern Ireland. Key factors include the attitude towards the Forum of political representatives and their willingness to foster a participatory dimension to the new democracy. Other important factors are inclusiveness and the balance of sectoral representation in the Forum.