Staff Profile

About

I have been at Newcastle University since 2004. As a political theorist, my main research interest is in deliberative democracy, though I also work on topics such as compromise, power sharing and referendums. My books include Deliberative Democracy and Divided Societies (Edinburgh University Press, 2006), Deliberative Democracy (Polity, 2021) and (with Ron Levy and Hoi Kong) Deliberative Peace Referendums (Oxford University Press, 2021). My articles have appeared in journals such as British Journal of Political Science, Political Studies and Politics, Philosophy & Economics, and I have also written quite a few book chapters and policy reports. I was an ESRC postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Essex and have also held visiting positions at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Australian National University. 

I am currently Consortium Director for the AHRC-funded Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership (http://www.northernbridge.ac.uk/).

Qualifications

PhD (2002) Queen's University, Belfast.

MA (1998) University College, Cork

BA (1996) University College, Cork

BMus (1988) University College, Cork

Research Interests

My main research interest is in the theory of deliberative democracy. I am also interested in concepts such as political authority, shared intentions, the public interest and compromise.

I also have a more applied strand to my work, focusing on the prospects for democracy in deeply divided societies, with a particular emphasis on power sharing and referendums.

I am currently on secondment to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

• Articles

  • Jones P, O'Flynn I. Judgments, Preferences, and Compromise. Journal of Social Philosophy 2023, 54(1), 77-93.
  • O'Flynn I, Setälä M. Deliberative disagreement and compromise. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 2022, 25(7), 899-919.
  • O'Flynn I, Levy R. Deliberative Referendums in Deeply Divided Societies. University of British Columbia Law Review 2020, 53(1), 205-240.
  • O'Flynn I, Sood G, Mistaffa J, Saeed N. What Future for Kirkuk? Evidence from a deliberative intervention. Democratization 2019, 26(7), 1299-1317.
  • Levy R, Simpson A, O'Flynn I, Flaherty G. Designing Referendums for Peacemaking: The Case of Bougainville. Australasian Parliamentary Review 2018, 33(1), 6-40.
  • O'Flynn I. Pulling Together: Shared Intentions, Deliberative Democracy and Deeply Divided Societies. British Journal of Political Science 2017, 47(1), 187-202.
  • O'Flynn I, Curato N. Deliberative democratization: a framework for systemic analysis. Policy Studies 2015, 36(3), 298-313.
  • O'Flynn I. Deliberative Democracy for a Great Society. Political Studies Review 2015, 13(2), 207–216.
  • Cinalli M, O'Flynn I. Public Deliberation, Network Analysis and the Political Integration of Muslims in Britain. British Journal of Politics and International Relations 2014, 16(3), 428-451.
  • Luskin R, O'Flynn I, Fishkin J, Russell D. Deliberating Across Deep Divides. Political Studies 2014, 62(1), 116-135.
  • Jones P, O'Flynn I. Can a Compromise be Fair?. Politics, Philosophy and Economics 2013, 12(2), 115-135.
  • O'Flynn I, Weale A. Introduction: The value and limits of rights: essays in honour of Peter Jones. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy (Special Issue on 'The Value and Limits of Rights: Essays in Honour of Peter Jones') 2012, 15(4), 387-394.
  • Jones P, O'Flynn I. Internal Conflict, the International Community and the Promotion of Principled Compromise. Government and Opposition 2012, 47(3), 395-413.
  • O'Flynn I, Russell D. Should Peace Agreements Recognise Women?. Ethnopolitics 2011, 10(1), 35-50.
  • O'Flynn I. Democratic Theory and Practice in Deeply Divided Societies. Representation 2010, 46(3), 281-293.
  • O'Flynn I. Deliberative Democracy, the Public Interest and the Consociational Model. Political Studies 2010, 58(3), 572-589.
  • O'Flynn I. Deliberating About the Public Interest. Res Publica 2010, 16(3), 299-315.
  • O'Flynn I. Divided Societies and Deliberative Democracy. British Journal of Political Science 2007, 37(4), 731-751.
  • O'Flynn I. Democratic Autonomy, Women's Interests and Institutional Context. Irish Political Studies 2007, 22(4), 455-471.
  • O'Flynn I. Why Justice Can't Have It All: In Reply to O'Neill. Ethnicities 2004, 4(4), 545-561.
  • O'Flynn I. The Problem of Recognising Individual and National Identities: A Liberal Critique of the Belfast Agreement. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 2003, 6(3), 129-153.

• Authored Books

  • Levy R, O'Flynn I, Kong H. Deliberative Peace Referendums. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.
  • O'Flynn I. Deliberative Democracy. Cambridge: Polity, 2021.
  • O'Flynn I. Deliberative Democracy and Divided Societies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006.

• Book Chapters

  • Levy R, O'Flynn I. The Role of Deliberative Peace Referendums in the Constitutional Settlement of Conflict. In: James Gardner, ed. Comparative Election Law. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2022, pp.210-232.
  • O'Flynn I. Democratic Innovations and Theories of Democracy. In: Elstub, S; Escobar, O, ed. The Handbook of Democratic Innovation and Governance. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2019, pp.32-44.
  • O'Flynn I, Caluwearts D. Deliberation in Deeply Divided Societies. In: Bächtiger, A; Dryzek, J; Mansbridge, J; Warren, M, ed. Oxford Handbook of Deliberative Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp.742-754.
  • O'Flynn I, Russell D. Deepening Democracy: The Role of Civil Society. In: Cordell, K; Wolff, S, ed. Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict: Second edition. London: Routledge, 2016, pp.219-228.
  • O'Flynn I, Sood G. What Would Dahl Say?: An Appraisal of the Democratic Credentials of Deliberative Polls and Other Mini-Publics. In: Grönlund, K; Bächtiger, A; Setälä, M, ed. Deliberative Mini-Publics: Practices, Promises, Pitfalls. Colchester, London: ECPR Press, 2014, pp.41-58.
  • Cinalli M, O'Flynn I. Pluralism and Deliberative Democracy. In: Elstub, S; McLaverty, P, ed. Deliberative Democracy: Issues and Cases. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2014, pp.82-97.
  • O'Flynn I. Taking the Broader View: The Public Interest, Deliberative Democracy and Political Ethics. In: Brooks, T, ed. New Waves in Ethics. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave, 2011, pp.259-277.
  • O'Flynn I, Russell D. Deepening Democracy: The Role of Civil Society. In: Cordell, K; Wolff, S, ed. Routledge Handbook of Ethnic Conflict. London: Routledge, 2011, pp.225-235.
  • O'Flynn I. Progressive Integration (and Accommodation, too). In: Taylor R, ed. Consociational Theory: McGarry/O’Leary and the Northern Ireland Conflict. London: Routledge, 2009, pp.264-278.
  • O'Flynn I. Democratic Autonomy, Women’s Interests and Institutional Context. In: de Wispelaere J; McBride C; O’Neill S, ed. Recognition, Equality and Democracy: Theoretical Perspectives on Irish Politics. London: Routledge, 2008, pp.61-77.
  • O'Flynn I. Democratic Values and Power Sharing. In: O'Flynn I; Russell D, ed. Power Sharing: New Challenges for Divided Societies. London: Pluto, 2005, pp.15-29.
  • O'Flynn I. Northern Ireland. In: Gilland K; Kennedy F, ed. Irish Political Studies: Data Yearbook 2002. London: Frank Cass, 2003, pp.88-108.

• Edited Books

  • O'Flynn I, Weale A, ed. The Value and Limits of Rights: Essays in Honour of Peter Jones. London: Routledge, 2013.
  • O'Flynn I, Russell D, ed. Power Sharing: New Challenges for Divided Societies. London: Pluto, 2005.

• Reports

  • O'Flynn I, Elstub S, Luhiste M. Report on the Northern Ireland Deliberative Forum on Social Care. Newcastle: Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, 2017.
  • O'Sullivan P, O'Flynn I, Russell D. Education and A Shared Future: Options for Sharing and Collaboration in Northern Ireland Schools. Belfast: Queen's University Belfast, 2008.
  • Fishkin J, Luskin R, O'Flynn I, Russell D. A Deliberative Poll on Education: What Provision do Informed Parents in Northern Ireland Want?. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University, 2007.