Discrimination and Public Policy in Northern Ireland Book

The pursuit of greater equality for women and ethnic minorities is a major component of social policy in many countries. Policy debate characteristically focuses on which form of affirmative action is appropriate. In this book, the authors analyze the forces that shaped the 1989 Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act, documenting the key differences between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland and offering an assessment of what the new measures for affirmative action hold for the pursuit of equality. As the new Europe emerges, with its already apparent ethnic cleavages and divisions, the example of Northern Ireland can be seen as an enlightened source of experience and information for countries developing ways of dealing with minority issues.