Troubles, partnerships and possibilities: A study of the Making Belfast Work Development Initiative in Northern Ireland

This article examines the theory and operation of development partnerships through an analytical study of the Making Belfast Work (MBW) Initiative in Northern Ireland. This initiative of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment contributed to the building of the current Northern Irish Peac e Process. It illustrates the difficulties faced by a government in engagin g in socio-economic development in one of the world's most difficult policy environments. The history of the MBW initiative also provides insight into the interaction of two contending models for organizing European Society, namely 'Regulated Capitalism' and 'Neoliberalism' and the relationship of t hese models to partnership theory. This study argues that motivations for t he development of partnerships in Belfast defy easy theoretical classificat ion; yet empirical evidence suggests that a twin-track approach-one from ab ove, the European Union, and one from below, of indigenous policy evolution -have together through policy diffusion made MBW a leading pioneer in partn ership theory and practice. The article discusses the literature on partner ship within New Public Administration outlining ideas on various classifica tions of partnerships operative in the public sector. Particular attention is paid to how partnerships of societal actors and government can effective ly involve the local community through community development approaches. Co pyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.