Dear Colleagues Dublin City University and the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with the James Madison Charitable Trust, are pleased to announce a workshop titled 'Structuring Representation in a United Ireland: Federal models'. Building on a previous event at the University of Liverpool, this workshop will critically examine how federal and sub-national structures might offer effective representation - substantive, symbolic, and formal - for the British/Unionist minority. It draws on research suggesting that dismantling devolved power-sharing arrangements, such as those under the Good Friday Agreement, can alienate minorities and increase the risk of conflict. This workshop examines whether federal and devolved governance could help maintain democratic stability, foster reconciliation, and protect minority rights in the event of Irish reunification. The debate is shaped by what scholars call the paradox of federalism: while decentralization is often intended to accommodate marginalized groups, it can also encourage further demands for autonomy or even secession. In the Irish context, a drive to unify the island could paradoxically undermine one of Europe's most enduring democracies. Importantly, this workshop does not assume that Irish unification is inevitable. Northern Ireland may remain within the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future. However, the experience of Brexit underscores how abrupt constitutional change can generate significant political instability. In this context, both policymakers and scholars need to anticipate the legal, institutional, and fiscal questions that would arise if reunification were pursued. The workshop will consider comparative lessons from other European states - particularly Belgium, Italy, and Spain - that have adopted federal or devolved structures to manage diversity and sustain democratic governance. It will also explore whether strengthened local government could provide an alternative to formal federalism. The workshop is methodologically inclusive, welcoming qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, and theoretical analyses to critically assess the effectiveness of federal and devolutionary arrangements in addressing minority interests. Further information and registration details can be found here<https://drive.google.com/file/d/10YJd5nSlaqYeKH8nr9k9crrjqsMZhYH2/view>. Queries to: j.arlow@liverpool.ac.uk<mailto:j.arlow@liverpool.ac.uk> or harikrishnan.sasikumar@dcu.ie<mailto:harikrishnan.sasikumar@dcu.ie> When: Monday 1st September 2025 Time: 10am - 5.00pm Where: National University of Ireland, 49 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Kind regards Jonathan Dr Jonathan Arlow Marie Curie Research Fellow Department of Politics University of Liverpool 8-14 Abercromby Square Liverpool L69 7WZ