Book review: politics in deeply divided societies

This book provides an authoritative and systematic analysis of the politics of so-called ‘deeply divided societies’ in the post Cold War era. From Bosnia to South Africa, Northern Ireland to Iraq, it explains why such places are so prone to political violence, and demonstrates why – even in times of peace – the fear of violence continues to shape attitudes, entrenching divisions in societies that already lack consensus on their political institutions. Stacy Edgar believes for students of comparative politics, Adrian Guelke’s volume provides a valuable starting point in understanding political institutions in conflict-societies.