Gender, Democracy and Inclusion in Northern Ireland

CYNTHIA COCKBURN Research Professor in Sociology, City University London KATE FEARON Political Aide to Northern Ireland Women's Coalition Northern Ireland Assembly members GRAINNE MCCOY Research Officer, Urban Institute, University of Ulster MONICA MCWILLIAMS Professor of Women's Studies, University of Ulster ELISABETH PORTER Lecturer in Sociology, University of Ulster EILISH ROONEY Lecturer in Community Education, University of Ulster MARGARET WHITTOCK formerly Research Officer, Centre for Research on Women, University of Ulster

Mainstream politics in Northern Ireland has not been welcoming to women, but many women have been present in community and voluntary organizations where their contribution has been outstanding. This book examines four organizations (including the recently-formed Northern Ireland Women's Coalition) where women have been active.Mainstream politics in Northern Ireland has not been welcoming to women, but many women have been present in community and voluntary organizations where their contribution has been outstanding. This book examines four organizations (including the recently-formed Northern Ireland Women's Coalition) where women have been active. It discusses the processes and structures created by these groups in order to work democratically across differences and argues that their experiences are invaluable to the development of feminist debates on democracy and difference.