Did “Good Friday” ensure a lasting peace?

Abstract

This case study seeks to understand the various methods to promote peace during ethnic conflicts and how constitutional design influences peace duration. I theorize countries that adopt centripetal electoral design following an ethnic conflict will experience a longer duration of peace and countries that adopt power sharing following an ethnic conflict will experience a longer duration of peace. Looking at Northern Ireland as a typical case study, I will analyze the countries historical unresolved conflict between the Protestants (Unionist) and Catholics (Nationalist). Using this method, I seek to test established theories addressing peace promotion post ethnic conflict and determine if these theories apply to Northern Ireland after “the Troubles” during the peace negotiations known as the “Good Friday” agreement. I found numerous methods meant to promote peace duration, specifically: 1) political solutions 2) economic solutions 3) social solutions 4) international intervention. I found the largest contributors to peace promotion being 1) constitutional design. Looking at centripetal and consociation constitutional design to promote peace after ethnic conflict; however, these designs together in practice seem to weaken peace in Northern Ireland.