Contesting the State: Lessons From the Irish Case

This is the first comprehensive survey of the Irish state. This book draws on different theoretical approaches to analyze the Irish state's origins, evolution, nature and role in Ireland’s recent economic success. The book begins by outlining the fragmentary way in which the Irish state has been treated to date in the social sciences. Contributors from a range of disciplines then explore the history of the Irish state from 1922 to 1973, the developmental nature of the Irish state since the 1980s, the Irish state as a partnership state, the gendered nature of the state, the changing nature of the state’s autonomy and capacity since independence, and the activities and policies of the Irish state as a welfare state. The editors draw out the lessons learned from this analysis before positing a challenging agenda for further research. The book will be of major interest to students of Irish politics, economics and social development. It will also appeal to scholars of globalization and comparative politics and makes a significant contribution to analysis of the role of the state in this context.

The first critical survey of the evolution, nature and role of the Irish state, which is widely recognized to have played a central role in Ireland's economic boom.

Maura Adshead is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Public Administration at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick. Peadar Kirby is Professor of International Politics and Public Policy at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick. Michelle Millar is College Lecturer at the Department of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway.