Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of Images -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- List of Boxes -- Notes on Contributors -- Preface to the Seventh Edition -- Glossary -- List of Acronyms -- Part 1 The Context of Irish Politics -- 1 The Foundations of Statehood -- British Rule and Its Impact -- The Transition to Independence -- The Consolidation of Statehood -- Conclusion -- 2 Society and Political Culture -- Political Culture and Its Importance -- Stability and Change in Irish Society -- Ireland's Changing Political Culture -- Conclusion -- 3 Politics, the Constitution and the Judiciary -- The Background: The Irish Free State Constitution -- The Main Features of the Constitution -- Amendment of the Constitution -- Judicial Development of the Constitution -- The Debate on Constitutional Change -- Conclusion -- Part 2 Representative Democracy at Work -- 4 The Electoral System and its Political Consequences -- The Mechanics of PR-STV -- The Electoral System and the Constitution -- The Political Impact of the Electoral System -- A New Electoral System? The Options -- Possible Reforms to PR-STV -- Conclusion -- 5 Parties and the Party System -- Why Parties? -- The Irish Party System -- The New-ish Party System? -- Party Organisation -- Party Structure -- Conclusion -- 6 Voting Behaviour -- Analysing Voting Behaviour -- Explanations of Voting Choice -- Governments, Leaders and Candidates -- Other Aspects of Voting -- Conclusion -- 7 Direct and Deliberative Democracy -- Forms of Direct and Deliberative Democracy -- The Irish Referendum Experience -- The Deliberative Turn: Citizens' Assemblies -- Connecting Deliberation and Referendums -- Conclusion -- 8 Parliament -- The Oireachtas in International Context -- Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann as Representative Chambers.