The "shared workplace' agenda in Northern Ireland: lessons from local government

Brown, Gary and Cole, Michael ORCID: 0000-0003-1312-5059 (2016) The "shared workplace' agenda in Northern Ireland: lessons from local government. LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES, 42 (4). pp. 557-578.

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Abstract

The study considers the ‘Shared’ Workplace agenda in Northern Ireland, which is a significant aspect of the reconciliation process. Our emphasis is on the capacity of a wide group of work-based social identifications to affect, limit, and frustrate this policy. Specifically, we address the impact of spatial and functional factors as well as occupational and professional characteristics through fieldwork in three local authorities. Interviews were held with a cross section of 65 subjects, each of whom had either been employed by or worked in partnership with one of these authorities. Our study thus contrasts with much of the literature on Northern Ireland, which is concerned with the impact of Protestant/Catholic or Unionist/Nationalist identities on such reconciliation processes in the workplace and more widely. This approach enables us to develop insights about implementation of such agendas, specifically concerning Northern Ireland and other deeply divided societies. In the conclusion, connections are also made between our findings and consociational forms of governance.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Northern Ireland, local government, workplace, identity
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	19 Apr 2016 09:39
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2022 16:06
DOI:	10.1080/03003930.2016.1167043
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3000626