Brendan O'Leary is Lauder Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and a Visiting Professor of Political Science at Queen's University, Belfast. He is an American citizen but both Irish (born in Cork) and Northern Irish in origin. He has been deeply engaged in conflict resolution in Ireland for nearly four decades (including over a decade advising the British Labour Party in the run-up to the Good Friday Agreement; advising an influential group of Irish-Americans led by Congressman Bruce Morrison through the 1990s; and writing advisory memoranda for the Irish government). Brendan has written, co-authored and edited many books. Making Sense of a United Ireland is his 30th book.