Few conflicts have had such a sustained and dramatic impact on public and political opinion as those in South Africa, the Middle East and Northern Ireland. The essays in this comparative analysis examine such key themes as group values, the armed struggle, the role of security forces, reform and revolution, and tackle such difficult concepts as nationalism, ethno-nationalism and the mythology of the cause. In addition to these in-depth studies, the book also suggests a number of initiatives based on acceptable compromises rather than desirable solutions.