Political Leadership and the Northern Ireland Peace Process

Examining the phenomenon of political leadership in the particular context of the Northern Ireland peace process, Cathy Gormley-Heenan argues that much of the literature on political leadership in general has made little meaningful connection with the issues of peace, conflict and divided societies. In this critical interpretation of the Northern Ireland peace process she shows how the 'leadership lens' offers insights not offered by conventional analyses of peacemaking processes. She suggests that political leadership was often necessarily contradictory in style and substance, and argues that such political leadership can best be described as 'chameleonic leadership'; an inconsistent leadership which shifts according to the opinion of others and the climate in which it exists.