The Slugger Cato Project is an inquiry hosted by Mick Fealty, and is dedicated to exploring the less-visible aspects of governance and political action in Northern Ireland. It aims to investigate the inner workings of the Stormont government, analysing how politicians navigate bureaucratic systems and fulfil their representative roles.
This series is an active investigation, shedding light on the mechanics of modern governance that often remain obscured. Our readers’ contributions have already given us much food for thought.
“Finaghy” introduced the concept of “Foucauldian governmentality,” suggesting that profiled politicians become so enmeshed in bureaucratic systems that they are, in essence, employed to manage—and perhaps even lower—public expectations, despite claiming to represent their constituents’ desires. This speaks to the systemic challenge we face.
On a lighter note, “Mancunian Deb” pointed out that constituency work acts as a powerful counterbalance: a politician who is a good local representative earns respect and goodwill, even if their broader politics are deemed “out there.” This highlights the crucial personal dimension of representative democracy.
“Michael with a hat” offered a third critical observation, questioning if the series merely allows individuals to showcase their “nice” side, potentially avoiding difficult issues. This brings us to the core of political narrative itself. The ancient Greeks defined two narrative forms: “mimesis,” which shows by enacting action, and “diegesis,” which tells a story via a narrator.
Both are vital to politics. However, the “showing” of what actual political action looks like—the hard work and compromises within the system—is often undervalued compared to the dramatic “telling.” Like the thought experiment of the tree falling in the forest, if political action goes unseen, is its impact truly felt?
The Slugger Cato Project aims to look at what makes Stormont persist despite its improbable history. We want to inspire and demand rebelliousness, independence, honesty, and courage from our backbenchers. Not as mere moral virtues, but as the essential tools needed to challenge and ultimately fix a floundering system.
As ever, the Slugger Cato Project wants to inspire, and yes, even demand, rebelliousness, independence, honesty, and courage from our backbenchers—not as a moral virtue, but as the essential tool to challenge and fix a floundering government system.
If you know of an MLA we’ve missed so far or a Councillor who fits this bill, drop me a line to Editor AT Slugger O’Toole DOT Com. Now, let’s hear from our next witness, Sinn Fein MLA for West Belfast, Pat Sheehan…
Remember the commenting rule that you must play the ball (ie, talk about what is said) rather than the man (who is doing the talking). I’m asking the moderator group to be ultra stringent on these threads to encourage the sharing of actionable insights.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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