How can scholars develop better co-operation between competing theoretical approaches to conflict management? This study analyses real peacemaking strategies in Northern Ireland from 1969 to the present, including case-studies of the Brooke Initiative political talks and the Community Relations Council. In the light of this wealth of practical evidence, the theoretical debate is re-examined in order to develop a flexible and more inductive model of complementarity which can enable the best elements of all theoretical approaches to conflict management.