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1. Recognition, Non-recognition, and Misrecognition of Minority Communities. What Lessons Can Be Drawn from a Comparison between European and Central Asian Approaches?

Author:
Sergiusz Bober and Aziz Berdiqulov
Publication Date:
01-2021
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Research Paper focuses on practices concerning recognition and non-recognition of minority communities in six European and Central Asian countries (Denmark, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, and Tajikistan). Additionally, it also assesses the risk of misrecognition with regard to some of the minority communities resulting from these practices. The text is structured as a dual comparative analysis, first scrutinizing approaches to recognition within two macro-regions, and afterwards confronting them in order to identify similarities and discrepancies. This results in the identification of two “cultures” of recognition: a “strong” one in Europe and a “weak” one in Central Asia, with their characteristics originating mainly from differences concerning social, political, and legal contexts. At the same time, some features are shared by both macro-regions: hierarchization of minority communities, general limited access to minority rights, and sometimes a severe risk of misrecognition. Moreover, the paper argues in favour of formal mechanisms of recognition, a wider scope of application of minority rights (especially in Europe), as well as the strengthening of minority rights frameworks in Central Asia.
Topic:
Culture, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Community
Political Geography:
Europe, Central Asia, and Asia

2. Identity and Nation-Building in Ukraine: Reconciliation of Identities from a Conflict Prevention Perspective

Author:
Nina Henke
Publication Date:
01-2021
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In less than 20 years after gaining its independence from the Soviet Union, Ukraine has faced several events, which have shaped the process of nation-building. The Euromaidan, the annexation of Crimea and the armed conflict with Russia have intensified the ‘us–them’ line of self-identification of the “Ukrainians” versus the “Others”. Ongoing “Ukrainisation” is spreading insecurity among minority groups and endangers possibilities to establish a cohesive Ukrainian society with a shared sense of belonging. In the context of a multicultural Ukrainian space and the international commitments of the State to protect and promote rights of its national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, adopting an ethnocentric approach to the nation-building of the country is a conflict-prone factor. By examining and discussing identities in the perspective of the ongoing nation-building process in Ukraine, this research paper aims to identify the potential of the State and individuals to find mechanisms and grounds for reconciliation and integration. This is approached through a series of in-depth interviews and a complex analysis of current political guidelines on education, language and decommunisation.
Topic:
Conflict Prevention, Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Conflict, State Building, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Ukraine

3. Conceptual Disputes over the Notions of Nation and National Minority in the Western Balkan Countries

Author:
Ljubica Djordjevic
Publication Date:
04-2021
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The paper analyses the texts of the constitutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia as a basis for exploring how these states deal with the (ethnic) diversity and balance between civic and ethnic concepts of nation. The four countries offer an interesting spectrum of different approaches, caused by different social contexts: the main feature of the approach in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the category of “constituent peoples”; Montenegro has opted for a civic concept; North Macedonia tries to balance between multiculturalism and a binational state; and Serbia juggles the concept of the nation-state combined with comprehensive protection for national minorities. The analysis shows that the constitutions struggle to various degrees with the balance between the civic (political) concept of a (supra-ethnic) nation and the ethnic (cultural) concept of nation(s), and, in essence, fail to contribute to interethnic interaction and wider social cohesion. Although it is clear that the recognition of specific group identities and accommodation of (minority) rights is essential for pursuing peace, stability, diversity and genuine equality in each of the four analysed countries, it is also evident that imbalance favouring the ethnic concept of nation and failure to establish stronger institutional links of common citizenship, inevitably leads to parallel (one could even argue “segregated”) societies where different groups simply live next to each other but do not genuinely interact, which is detrimental to social cohesion and social stability and prosperity in the long run.
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Community, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

4. Regional Development Performance in Council Areas of Scotland with the Highest Percentage of Gaelic Speakers

Author:
Craig Willis
Publication Date:
01-2020
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Research on Gaelic language in Scotland has increased substantially in recent decades, as has Scottish regional development programmes following devolution. However, the overlapping of these two aspects remains limited, particularly in the context of regional development data available on regions where Scottish Gaelic speakers mostly reside. This Research Paper uses the OECD Regional Wellbeing index as a framework to measure regional development in Scotland at the level of council area, comparing this with its percentage of Gaelic speakers. Equivalent data for eight of the eleven OECD topics is analysed and the focus is placed on the three council areas with significant Gaelic speaking populations – Argyll and Bute, Na h-Eileanan Siar and Highland. The results show that these three regions consistently perform average or good across the eight topics measured, in comparison to the national average in Scotland. This demonstrates that Gaelic language is not a hindrance to development and the three regions perform comparably to other remote council areas such as the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Topic:
Development, Minorities, Language, Regionalism, and Identity
Political Geography:
Britain, United Kingdom, Europe, and Scotland

5. Economic Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Roma Communities in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine

Author:
Craig Willis
Publication Date:
10-2020
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Research Paper focuses on economic effects experienced by Roma communities in seven non-EU states during the COVID-19 pandemic and states’ consequent lockdown measures in the first half of 2020. Roma communities in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine, were all facing socio-economic exclusion and marginalisation before the pandemic and international organisations were warning very early on that Roma communities were at serious risk during the pandemic, including in the fields of employment or loss of income. This research paper uses primary data collected from a survey of 440 Roma individuals across the seven states in order to add empirical evidence to an under-researched area. The main findings include that almost 73% of them experienced a reduced income and the major reason for this was due to access to or demand for informal work was hindered by the lockdowns. Moreover, most Roma who needed to borrow money did so through private means (family and friends) rather than through official or state institutions.
Topic:
Economics, Minorities, Ethnicity, Public Health, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia

6. Inclusion in Crisis: The Case of Irish Travellers during the First Months of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Author:
Akofa Boglo
Publication Date:
12-2020
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Since the World Health Organisation characterised Covid-19 as a pandemic in early 2020 (WHO, 2020), the spread of the virus and efforts to control it have necessitated an ongoing restructuring of interactions between individuals, communities and entire societies. The pandemic has been an inconvenience for some and a disaster for others. Minority communities in particular have increasingly been shown to be disproportionately affected by the direct and indirect impact of the virus, which has highlighted and exacerbated existing inequalities. This paper aims to add to efforts to understand the impact of this multi-faceted crisis on societies and in particular minority communities through an assessment of the space between government and minority community responses in the Republic of Ireland. By considering how Traveller organisations have worked to protect the Traveller community, and the extent to which this effort was met and supported by the Government of Ireland’s ‘governance response’ during the first ‘wave’ of the pandemic, this case study aims to contribute to understandings of minority agency and inclusion in liberal democratic societies both during and outside of times of crisis, and hopes to show that moments of upheaval are not by necessity points of deterioration for minorities, but can carry the potential for more inclusive practices, processes and societies moving forward.
Topic:
Minorities, Public Health, Pandemic, COVID-19, Identity, and Travel
Political Geography:
Europe and Ireland

7. Administrative-Territorial Reform through Municipal Amalgamation and the Protection of National Minorities: European Standards and a Few Examples

Author:
Ljubica Djordjevic
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to depict some basic considerations regarding the protection of national minorities in light of the creation of larger municipal units through amalgamation reforms. The paper provides an outline of the European standards for the change of municipal borders, both the general ones stipulated in the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the specific ones prescribed in the two European conventions striking for the protection of national minorities. The topic is further elaborated through the presentation of examples of four countries that performed some sort of ‘minority mainstreaming’ in the territorial reform. Albania, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands have been identified as interesting case-studies for two reasons. First, in all four cases, the question of the effects of municipal amalgamation on the protection of national minorities has been raised and addressed during the monitoring on the implementation of the two European ‘minority conventions’. Second, the four examples offer a variety of approaches towards (more or less successful) accommodation of the amalgamation reform for the sake of the protection of national minorities.
Topic:
Nationalism, Governance, Minorities, Reform, Local, Identity, Protected People, and Territory
Political Geography:
Europe

8. Does Regional Development Matter in Minority Politics? Regional Development in the Recent Electoral Activity of Three national Minorities

Author:
Sergiusz Bober
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The aim of the present Working Paper is to draw attention to the political activity of three national minorities (German in Denmark, Danish in Germany and German in Poland) concerning regional development. The analysis is focused upon electoral manifestos/political programmes produced by three political actors - that is the Schleswig Party (representing German minority in Denmark), the South Schleswig Voters´ Association (representing Danish and Frisian minorities in Germany) and the German Minority Electoral Committee (representing German minority in Poland’s Opole Voivodeship) - in connection with the recent regional and local elections held in the areas inhabited by the aforementioned minority groups. The conducted research leads to the following main conclusions: (1) regional development features prominently in the analysed documents; (2) each political actor offers nuanced conceptualizations of regional development; (3) influences of sustainable approaches to development are noticeable, as well as perceptions of development not limited to a narrowly defined economic output; (4) all actors are pragmatic when it comes to the potential political alliances necessary for the achievement of their regional development goals.
Topic:
Development, Politics, Minorities, Elections, and Regionalism
Political Geography:
Europe, Poland, Germany, and Denmark

9. National Minorities and Regional Development: A Comparative Overview of the Three Baltic States

Author:
Craig Willis
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Working Paper is a mapping exercise of the minority communities in the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, with regard to the regional development within the countries. Using census data combined with a series of regional development indicators from Eurostat and OECD Regional Well-Being, an overview of each of the countries’ regions at the NUTS Level 3 is provided, as well as a comparison across all three. This research finds, through a series of bivariate regression analyses, that within and across all three countries, there is no statistical linear relationship between the percentage of minority population in a region and multiple indicators of regional development – including GDP. Rather, the main dividing line is between capital city regions and the rest of the country/s. Yet, in peripheral regions, the regional development indicators show that regions with a large minority population are not necessarily any worse off than other peripheral regions which have a low minority population – particularly the case in Lithuania. This offers some evidence that a large minority population is not a hindrance to a region’s development. Nonetheless, the research provides an overview of the challenges in which many regions home to a large percentage of minorities possess, particularly in the areas with a high ethnically Russian population percentage. Thus, this Working Paper concludes by identifying patterns and outliers of regions in order for intensified and comparative further case study research at the micro level.
Topic:
Development, Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Regionalism
Political Geography:
Europe and Baltic States

10. Words that Hurt (1): Normative and Institutional Considerations in the Regulation of Hate Speech in Europe

Author:
Kyriaki Topidi
Publication Date:
09-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Europe is experiencing at present intense dilemmas in regulating hate speech and online harassment. Free speech exercise can be offensive and even contribute to a climate of prejudice and discrimination against minorities. Often, the media exacerbate the tendency by reporting negatively about minorities. The first working paper on this topic engages with the normative dimensions of the balance between the need to control and limit incitement to violence in reconciliation with the fundamental right to freedom of expression. Three distinct aspects of hate speech are covered: the first relates to the role of freedom of expression as a tool of inclusiveness. With the limits of liberal tolerance being unclear, just like the definition of hate speech itself, legal actors and systems are torn between criminalising the speaker’s motive alone or in conjunction with the effects of the speech. A survey of recent related European Court of Human Rights case-law demonstrates these ambiguities. The second aspect covered looks at the challenges of the regulation of the freedom of expression in the digital age, with emphasis of the online dimensions of the phenomenon from a legal perspective. The final aspect of the paper proposes an actor-based analysis of hate speech, as it emerges from the current regulatory frameworks applied. This section deals not only with the role of the State but also with that of equality bodies, political parties and private businesses in providing more efficient networks of protection of minorities from such violent expressions of hatred.
Topic:
Minorities, Discrimination, Hate Speech, Institutionalism, and Normalization
Political Geography:
Europe

11. Words that Hurt (2): National and International Perspectives on Hate Speech Regulation

Author:
Kyriaki Topidi
Publication Date:
09-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Faced with a piecemeal approach to hate speech in Europe, leading to the reduced visibility of the phenomenon with often serious consequences, a variety of regional and international organisations have contributed legal documents and interpretative recommendations that attempt to guide states in their practice of combating hate speech. The present paper, following up on a previous one, will engage first with the international legal and regulatory framework of hate speech, placing emphasis on the European elements of the system in place. At a second stage, the paper will briefly survey twenty European national systems exposing the variety of regulatory patterns on the issue. Finally, the study will conclude with a list of common observations pertaining to the regulation of hate speech in the European continent, as they have emerged from the comparative analysis of the case-studies.
Topic:
Governance, Minorities, Regulation, Discrimination, Hate Speech, and Institutionalism
Political Geography:
Europe

12. Would an EU-wide Basic Income Compliment the aims of the Minority SafePack Initiative?

Author:
Craig Willis
Publication Date:
10-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The broader goals of the Minority SafePack Initiative call for a pact between minorities and majorities in order to preserve, develop and promote the linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe in relation to the high number of national minorities inside the European Union. After a successful campaign and the collection of over 1,100,000 validated signatures, the Initiative is ready to be submitted to the EU Commission alongside concrete legislative proposals. This Working Paper examines how the EU-wide proposals for a basic income possibly fit theoretically with the Initiative, discussing basic income more generally as well as two proposals from Van Parijs and DiEM25. Developing four core areas as assessment criteria, the Working Paper finds that basic income theory overlaps significantly in terms of potential impact on the capacity for living in homeland, learning in mother tongue, preservation and development of identity and culture, and aiming for equality. However, these potentially diminish if the amount of a basic income is not enough to meet basic needs, as could be the case with the two proposals analysed – particularly when applied in the EU member states with a higher cost of living. Nonetheless, the differentiation between the Euro-dividend and the Universal Basic Dividend in terms of funding mechanism offers a significant factor which could change the normative understanding of a basic income – with the latter possibly better suiting the idea of a pact between different groups in society, in this case the majority and national minorities.
Topic:
Regional Cooperation, Labor Issues, European Union, Income Inequality, and Universal Basic Income
Political Geography:
Europe

13. Moldova: Four Priorities for Mainstreaming Minority Rights

Author:
Anita McKinna
Publication Date:
02-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The economic and political challenges currently facing Moldova are formidable. The focus of the EU’s reform priorities for Moldova lie in the realms of combating systemic corruption, minimising the politicisation of state institutions, and improving judicial independence and financial governance. The general absence of volatile inter-ethnic tensions in Moldova has meant that minority rights here has received less international attention than other post-communist states. Advocating for the protection of the rights of minorities is reserved primarily for specific human rights defenders, and finds little space in the wider discourse regarding Moldova’s future. Yet Moldova’s geographic, historical and geopolitical location between Russia and the EU mean that it must play a delicate balancing act in which ethno-cultural harmony lies at the heart. This Issue Brief outlines the four pressing issues that currently restrict Moldova’s ethnic minorities’ participation in public life, and discusses opportunities for overcoming these restrictions to ensure stable inter-ethnic relations in Moldova.
Topic:
Governance, Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Civil Rights, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Moldova

14. Building Bridges Within and Across Diverse Societies: The Role of States

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Can national minorities be successful in bringing societies together by linking communities within and across state borders if states are not supportive to their initiatives? To open a discussion on the topic, the current issue brief focuses on the actor behind the scenes – the state – and its role in the establishment of a sociopolitical environment that if not supportive, as a minimum would not impede their efforts. By identifying and analysing several types of roles that a state can play, the paper introduces analytical models aiming to provoke a critical reflection and to emphasise that understanding complex phenomena needs a comprehensive approach and a focus both on content and structure but also in the dynamics of their interplay.
Topic:
Civil Society, Nationalism, Governance, Minorities, Ethnicity, Diversity, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

15. Majorities and Minorities in Post-Soviet Space

Author:
Federica Prina and Aziz Berdiqulov
Publication Date:
11-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The concepts of ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ are challenging terms to define in a clear and precise manner, especially in the unique environments of post-Soviet space. Linking the definitional complexities of ‘majority’ to the post-Soviet and postcolonial condition, this paper examines the majority-minority dynamics through the lenses of the fluidity of groups, the interaction of communities and the power differentials between communities. In doing so, the paper analyses cases from two post-Soviet countries. First, the case of Russia illustrates contentious identification of majority and minority communities, where an alternative vocabulary for definition of ‘minority’ and ‘majority’ emerged along with alternative understanding of related concepts. Second, the case of Tajikistan looks at the interplay of majority-minority concepts and discusses how the Russian community as a former ‘political majority’ adjusts to its new status of non-dominant group, while the Tajik community becomes the single subject of the nation-building policies.
Topic:
Post Colonialism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Identity, and Post-Soviet Space
Political Geography:
Europe and Post-Soviet Europe

16. Local Bodies for Interethnic Relations in the Western Balkan States

Author:
Ljubica Djordjevic
Publication Date:
11-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The paper examines local mechanisms for interethnic dialogue which have been established in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia, with the main question concerning why they have remained ineffective for such a long period of time. The focus lies on local councils (Serbia), commissions (Macedonia), and committees (Kosovo) established in the respective laws on local self -governance, as specific institutional mechanisms for both participation of national minorities in municipal affairs and dialogue among communities residing in a municipality. In all three countries these bodies have been institutionally set as consultative bodies attached to a municipal assembly which deals with the issues relevant for national equality (Serbia), relations between communities (Macedonia) or respect for rights and interests of the communities (Kosovo). The main purpose of their activity is to address recommendations and opinions , primarily to the municipal assembly. They should serve as a channel for smaller communities to express their needs and interests, and as a forum for interethnic dialogue in a municipality. Yet, although legally established almost 15 years ago in Serbia and Macedonia (2002) and 10 years ago in Kosovo (2008), these bodies still remain more of a form than a content. Legal vagueness, lack of municipal support, inactivity, poor transparency and democratic legitimacy are just some of the weak points which cause their po or performance.
Topic:
Governance, Minorities, Ethnicity, Local, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

17. (Un)Friendly School Environments? Bully and Microagression as a Cause for Roma Children's Academic Underachievement

Author:
Andreea Carstocea
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
When it comes to education policy-making for Roma children, both research and policy-making focus mostly on issues related to segregation, access to education, poverty, and social exclusion. One item that has so far been mostly absent is a focus on the school and classroom environment, namely the prejudiced, hostile, and discriminatory attitudes and actions either of teachers or of classmates towards Roma pupils. In response to this gap, this Working Paper will focus on bullying and microaggressions against Roma pupils in schools, acknowledging it as a significant factor shaping these children’s experience at school. After reviewing the relevant academic debates on bullying and microaggressions, the Working Paper will attempt to summarise the existing evidence of bullying of Roma children in schools across Europe. Finally, following an overview of the existing recommendations by European organisations, as well as of national level policy responses to this issue, the Working Paper will conclude that there is a pressing need for comprehensive data collection, academic research, and policy-making concerning bullying and microaggressions against Roma pupils in schools.
Topic:
Education, Minorities, Children, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Academia, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

18. The Influence of Dialogue Projects on the Reconcilation Process in Kosovo: Give Peace a Chance? - The Case of the Youth Peace Camp

Author:
Nevena Radosavlijevic
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The armed conflict in Kosovo was finished in 1999. Even though almost 20 years have passed, the process of reconciliation between Serbs and Albanians, who were the main actors of the war, is still under question. Even though most of the efforts towards reconciliation in Kosovo are attempted from the top-down level of governance, there are significant bottom-up activities as well. The aim of my research is to explore the influence of dialogue projects as a bottom-up tool to achieve the reconciliation in Kosovo. In order to explain this influence of dialogue projects, I am using the case of Youth Peace Camp (YPC) which can be seen as a dialogue project, organized by the Council of Europe. Through the empirical research about the Youth Peace Camp, my research seeks to find elements of reconciliation recognized by a theoretical framework. According to this framework, reconciliation can be seen as space where two sides of the conflict are meeting in order to work on (re)building relationships; where they speak of the past and share their sufferings and experiences, work on acceptance of each other without feelings of hatred, change perceptions by getting to know the “other” and work on a common, interdependent future. Based on survey and questionnaires with previous participants of the YPC, as well as on the participant observation and interviews with participants at the YPC 2018, I found correlations between the YPC impact and reconciliation. The results of this study are emphasizing the positive impact of the dialogue projects such as YPC on the reconciliation process in Kosovo. The biggest influence of the YPC is made on the theoretical components such as relationship building, experience sharing, mutual acceptance and the changing of perceptions. The aspects of acknowledgment and future planning are also tackled and recognized in my empirical research, but not in the same range as the other components. The overall impact of the Youth Peace Camp on the reconciliation process in Kosovo can be seen as a positive one. Since there is no negative influence, the main recommendation of this research is to implement and organize these kinds of projects as much as possible in order to foster the reconciliation process. Besides the practical implementation, more academic research is needed.
Topic:
Governance, Minorities, Youth, Peace, and Reconciliation
Political Geography:
Europe, Kosovo, Serbia, and Albania

19. Roma Policy-Making in Romania and Bulgaria: In Need to Prioritise Combating Anti-Gypsyism

Author:
Andreea Carstocea
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Policies instituted with a view to improving the situation of the Roma in Romania and Bulgaria in recent years have resulted in very limited positive outcomes, as evaluated by international organisations and independent NGOs. Based on a broad outline of these policies, this Working Paper will argue that recognising the impact that anti-gypsyism has on the lives of the Roma, as well as strongly prioritising actions to combat it, represent fundamental conditions for improving the situation of this community.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, NGOs, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe, Bulgaria, and Romania

20. The Trembling of a Complex Regional Consociation: 2018 Provincial Election in South Tyrol

Author:
Guido Panzano
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Located in the northeastern part of Italy, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen, also known with the historical name of South Tyrol, is one of the two provinces of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region. It is a border region and a deeply divided place, with a majority of German-speaking population (62.3%) and minorities of Italians (23.4%), Ladins (4.1%) and past and recent migrants (10.2%). On the 21st October 2018 almost 400,000 South Tyrolean citizens (69.1% Germans, 26.4% Italians, and 4.5% Ladins) casted their vote to elect the Provincial Council. This Working Paper therefore aims to analyse the party competition in this electoral campaign, underling specificities and evolutions of such a peculiar political system.
Topic:
Minorities, Elections, Local, and Regionalism
Political Geography:
Europe and Italy

21. The Mixed Tale of Croatia;a Implementation if the FCNM: Successful Legislative and Institutional Implementation Marred by Local Administrative Resistance and Misapplication

Author:
Dimitrios (Jim) Molos
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
With the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), the Council of Europe recognized that national minority protection was essential for European “stability, democratic security, and peace”. Yet, because the FCNM is nonjusticiable, and because its monitoring mechanism is voluntary and highly discretionary, many legal commentators’ initial predictions were ambivalent or pessimistic. Two decades and several monitoring cycles after the FCNM entered into force, there is sufficient data to begin assessing the accuracy of the initial predictions. This working paper answers a narrow question: to what extent have the FCNM’s monitoring procedure and the Advisory Committee’s recommendations been effective in facilitating Croatia’s implementation of its legal obligation under the FCNM? In brief, the Croatian implementation record reveals mixed results. Whereas Croatian authorities have made significant progress toward full and effective constitutional, legislative and institutional implementation of their FCNM obligations, this success has been marred by resistance and disobedience at the level of local application. An analysis of Croatia’s progress demonstrates that its national minority protection measures are not properly characterized as legislative lip-service, and that even though Croatia has much work to do to fully implement the FCNM, including on several issues of pressing concern, its real progress should be neither underestimated nor devalued. Ultimately, there are good reasons to be optimistic about the FCNM’s monitoring procedure’s ability to encourage States Parties to enhance their national minority protection, particularly at the legislative and institutional levels.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Legislation, Identity, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe and Croatia

22. National Minorities Vis-A-Vis Political Developments in Their Kin States. The Case of Flensborg Avis Newspaper

Author:
Sergiusz Bober
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Numerous national minorities residing in Europe produce their own printed or on-line media. In most of the cases, the content such minority media offers, includes also information regarding developments (political, economic, social) taking place in kin states. This Working Paper, through the analysis of content published in Flensborg Avis (the newspaper of the Danish minority residing in the bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein), aims to examine how such information is presented. In other words, does minority media rather passively convey content concerning aforementioned developments or actively participate in debates taking place in their kin state? Another related question is also addressed: does minority media feel obliged to follow the political line currently dominant in a kin state? The conducted analysis shows that Flensborg Avis is an example of a minority media actively engaged in debates concerning issues important for Denmark and presenting views not infrequently on a collision course with narratives dominating there.
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Media, Ethnicity, Identity, and Information Technology
Political Geography:
Europe and Denmark

23. Roms on Integration II: Analyses and Recommendations

Author:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Publication Date:
01-2017
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This volume contains the second set of reports on research conducted by the Romani Expert Groups for Romani Integration. The Expert Groups were established in fall 2004 as a follow-on to the fi rst global assessment of the needs of Macedonia’s Romani population, which the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) conducted the previous year with the generous support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Sida has also provided support for the current initiative from its inception.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Language, and Integration
Political Geography:
Europe and Macedonia

24. Policy and Legislative Challenges to Non-Discrimination, Minority Protection and Diversity Issues in Ukraine

Author:
Iryna Solonenko
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Ukraine is a country populated by many national groups. As recorded in the 2001 census, the main national groups2 living in Ukraine (apart from Ukrainians, which constitute the majority) include: - Russians 8,334,100 (17.3%) - Belarusians 275,800 (0.6%) - Moldovans 258,600 (0.5%) - Crimean Tatars 248,200 (0.5%) - Bulgarians 204,600 (0.4%). Ukraine also has smaller populations of Polish, Jewish, Romanian, Armenian, Hungarian, and other groups; altogether 100 different national groups according to the census. In some territories of Ukraine national minorities live so compactly that in some settlements (towns or villages) they comprise the majority or over one-third of the population. This is the case in the Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi, and Odesa oblasts (regions), as well as in Crimean Autonomous Republic, which was annexed by Russia in March 2014. As in many countries, ethnic and linguistic borders do not necessarily align in Ukraine: many of those who think of themselves as belonging to certain national groups (as reported by 2001 census), speak another language. Thus, although 4.6% of the Ukrainian population reported they belonged to a national group other than Ukrainian or Russian, only 2.9% named a language other than Ukrainian or Russian as their native language. Only 0.1% of them considered Ukrainian to be their native language. Between 1% and 89% of them (depending on ethnicity) consider Russian to be their native language. For instance, among Hungarians this share is 1% and among Greeks it is up to 89%. While 17% of the Ukrainian population said they were of Russian ethnic affiliation, 26.6% named Russian as their native language, indicating that a share of people who consider themselves to be of non-Russian ethnic affiliation regard Russian as their native language.
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Language
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, Ukraine, and Crimea

25. Ukraine: Four Pathways to Sustainable Ethno-Cultural Governance

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
10-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Reform is a word that is used frequently with respect to the democratic transformation of Ukraine following the change of regime after the manifestations and demonstrations in the Maidan square around the change of the year 2013/14. Unfortunately, very few analysts consider ethno-cultural governance and national minority protection important aspects of the reform efforts. Establishing permanent and functioning inter-ethnic structures receives little attention, except in the small circle of human rights defenders. Although a breakout of inter-ethnic tensions is on everybody’s mind, establishing lasting legal and political institutions for stable and peaceful inter-ethnic relations remains absent from most of the international debate on the future of Ukraine. Indeed, it has been argued that reforms with high relevance for the country’s future, such as territorial and administrative reforms have been largely ‘ethnically neutral.’ This Issue Brief discusses four pathways towards sustainable ethno-cultural governance and stable inter-ethnic relations in Ukraine and proposes institutionalized and open dialogue as well as awareness campaigns as a cross-cutting tool to avert tension.
Topic:
Civil Society, Governance, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Europe and Ukraine

26. Bilingual Education for Romani children : Theory and Practice

Author:
Timothy Jacob-Owens
Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This paper examines bilingual education as a means of improving educational attainment among Romani children. The paper begins by discussing how bilingual education fits with the international legal framework concerning language education for persons belonging to minority groups. Drawing on current thinking regarding language acquisition, the paper then sets out some key theoretical linguistic constraints to be taken into consideration in the context of education policy design, focusing primarily on the age of onset of acquisition (AOA). Two possible bilingual education models, Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) and Developmental Bilingual Education (DBE), are then presented and compared. There follows a brief discussion of current trends in language education policy for Romani children, focusing on the EU framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and its implementation in member states. Finally, a case study of the Amare Rromentza bilingual kindergarten pilot scheme in Romania is considered in light of the theoretical background. The paper concludes that bilingual education for Romani children can have very positive results in practice and merits more serious consideration among policymakers.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Language, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

27. Ethnic Minorities and Minority Rights in Europe : Theoretical Typologies

Author:
Alan B. Anderson
Publication Date:
09-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Based on earlier work (Anderson, 1989,1990) which was partially included in a presentation, “Defining Ethnic Minorities and Minority Rights in Europe: Implications of the ‘New Migration’” , at ECMI on May 4, 2017, this working paper describes and exemplifies four theoretical typologies, respectively on types of ‘indigenous’ (i.e. non-immigrant) minority situations; ‘immigrant’ minorities; alternative state policies; and minority responses to state policies.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Civil Rights, Identity, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe

28. Radicalization Among Muslim Minorities and State Response to Terrorism : Comparative Analysis of Britain and Russia

Author:
Utkur Yakhsiboev
Publication Date:
11-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This working paper is a comparative analysis of Muslim communities in the UK and Russia. Radicalization as a process and the factors for radicalization among Muslim communities in both countries are analyzed to detect the similarities and differences. Both states’ engagement in hard-line policies to tackle Islamic terrorism increases the use of undemocratic measures enhanced by the legal system of each state. Those measures are counter-productive; the social movement theory and the rational choice theory are used to emphasize that the radicalization leading to violence is a political movement intertwined with Islam.
Topic:
Religion, Minorities, Radicalization, Discrimination, and Violence
Political Geography:
Britain, Russia, and Europe

29. Italian Right Wing Populism

Author:
Marco Torresin
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Right wing populism and Euroscepticism have experienced an important growth in the last decades all around Europe. Italy has also been highly affected by this phenomenon and, since the early 1990s, various populist parties appeared on its political scene. Since the early 1990s Silvio Berlusconi`s Forza Italia, Umberto Bossi`s Lega Nord and Gianfranco Fini`s Alleanza Nazionale became the hegemonic forces of the conservative political area. However, since 2012, Beppe Grillo transformed Italian politics introducing a new form of populism: his Movimento 5 Stelle, not following the traditional left-right paradigm, represented a shock in the static world of the Italian politics. The working paper is going to focus on the phenomenon of right wing populism and Euroscepticism at national level, exploring the reasons for the success of Forza Italia, Lega Nord and Alleanza Nazionale- Fratelli d`Italia.
Topic:
Nationalism, Populism, Conservatism, Far Right, and Partisanship
Political Geography:
Europe and Italy

30. Nomen Est Omen? Naming and Renaming of Places in Minority Inhabited Areas in Georgia

Author:
Maria Diego Gordon
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Georgia is home for almost 490,000 members of different ethnic minority groups, people that are mostly inhabiting the Kvemo Kartli and Samkhtse-Javakheti regions. Since the beginning of the 1990’s claims have been made by local activists and some NGOs regarding the renaming of their villages in these areas. It has long been discussed the pivotal role played by place-names in the formation of the collective memory of a country. Hence, even though these names are perceived as an unquestionable part of everyday landscape, they are a really valuable reflection of the different political tendencies that the governments and regimes are following, for example, regarding ethnic and national minorities. Firstly, the aim of this working paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the changes that the topographical landscape in the minority inhabited areas in Georgia have experienced since 1921. Secondly, to explain and contextualize the reasons behind the very different regimes and governments to execute these changes.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Civil Rights, Identity, and Territory
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

31. Drafting Domestic Legislation Provisioning National Minority Rights : The Dos and Don’ts According to the Council of Europe

Author:
Ljubica Djordjevic and Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This paper deals with the issues considered to be of most relevance when drafting domestic legislation on national minority rights. This covers both technical/procedural issues and substantive issues. Among the technical/procedural issues it is important to: make clear the structure of the legal framework (should one comprehensive law on national minority rights be adopted or not) and the hierarchical relations within the legal framework, to ensure inclusive enacting procedure, and to bear in mind the processes/dynamics after the adoption of the law. Substantive issues refer to some of the central, conceptual questions (such as definitions, the self-identification principle, the character of national minority rights and similar), but also to the very core of regulations set out in the law. In the case of the latter, the paper focuses on the principle of equality, language rights of national minorities, and minority participation in public affairs.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Civil Rights, Domestic Policy, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

32. The Roma in Moldova

Author:
Andreea Carstocea and Raul Carstocea
Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
All international and domestic reports indicate that the Roma in Moldova are faced with very serious challenges with respect to their equal access to rights and basic services, particularly in the spheres of education, employment and housing. Stigma and stereotypes are widespread in society, driving discriminatory attitudes and practices towards them. The existing legislation, although fairly comprehensive, suffers from lack of adequate implementation and as such fails to address the many issues facing the Roma community. There is extremely limited academic research concerning the Roma community in Moldova. As such, the data summarized in this report has mainly been obtained from governmental and non-governmental sources, with a large contribution from data provided by international organizations.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Legislation, Community, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Moldova

33. Not Even in the Margins : Where are Roma with Disabilities?

Author:
Michael Szporluk
Publication Date:
02-2016
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
A major campaign to raise awareness of conditions for Roma living in Central and South-East Europe, the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, ended last fall. Governments made commitments, reported on progress, and civil society organizations monitored their work. The concluding report, A Lost Decade?, signals that results were mixed at best; yet for 15% of the population (i.e., persons with disabilities), there were no commitments, no reports, and no monitoring. For Roma with disabilities the decade didn’t start and lose momentum, it simply never happened. This study looks at the progress made through the Decade of Roma Inclusion (hereinafter Roma Decade) and European Union’s Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies (hereinafter EU Framework), provides information about Roma with disabilities, describes efforts to raise awareness of Roma with disabilities and protect their rights, and finally outlines the rights of ethnic minorities through an intersectional lens.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Disability, Local, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe

34. Dynamics of Integration in the OSCE Area: National Minorities and Bridge Building

Author:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Publication Date:
12-2016
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Report has been compiled in support of the 2016 German OSCE Chairmanship’s focus on “the situation of national minorities in times of crisis, their positive contribution to social integration and their potential to build bridges in international relations.” The Report presents 24 positive initiatives at bridge building taken throughout the OSCE area, including seven examples of legal instruments in cross-border regions and 17 examples of projects covering a number of themes identified in the political, cultural and socio-economic sectors.
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Borders, and Integration
Political Geography:
Europe

35. Minority Rights Governance: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Equal Treatment when Budgeting for Education

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
04-2016
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
When governments are faced with economic crises, the education sector is often the first sector to experience budget reductions. This may hit educational programmes for minorities disproportionally harder, if austerity measures are applied equally across the board, as positive measures adopted as a result of minority protection schemes are more costly than regular educational programmes. Minority educational programmes incur higher cost per pupil due to additional and extra-curricula topics and activities aimed at preserving and promoting minority cultures. Cutting special programmes may inadvertently or perhaps deliberately lead governments to discriminate against minority pupils, who have enrolled in minority schools or programmes. Unfortunately, there is little guidance for policy makers and school principals in this regard. International human rights law instruments prescribe positive measures without explaining how these should be safeguarded during economic hard times. Only two international soft law documents provide some guidance with regard to education for minorities. This Issue Brief will examine the standards and guidance available in international law and put these in a perspective of actual practice of education for minorities in Europe. The main argument is that equal treatment or equal reductions across the board do not secure equality; equitable processes protecting positive measures are needed.
Topic:
Civil Society, Education, Governance, Minorities, Civil Rights, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

36. Dynamic of Integration in the OSCE Area: National Minorities and Bridge Building

Author:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Publication Date:
12-2016
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Report is the main output of a project executed by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) in cooperation with the European Academy Bolzano/Bozen (EURAC) and independent researcher Dr. Nina Bagdasarova. The project was developed at the request of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) in response to the priorities set by the 2016 German OSCE Chairmanship. The project covered the period from March to December 2016, and preliminary results were presented at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting 10-11 November in Vienna while the final results were presented in a side event at the Ministerial Council 8-9 December in Hamburg. The research team would like to thank members of the HCNM office and OSCE missions for assisting it with dissemination of questionnaires, data collection and follow up as well as review of the Report. Any mistakes should be attributed to the research team, not the OSCE or HCNM staff
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Peace, Integration, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

37. 'Roma' Policy Making: Key Challenges and Possible Solutions

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Acknowledging the need for an integrated and targeted approach towards the inclusion of the largest European minority, the EU has moved forward over the past decade in its efforts to develop and launch policies and programmes aiming at bringing about a positive change to the situation of Roma. Despite the significant funds allocated for the implementation of initiatives and strategies, no significant impact has been accounted throughout Europe over the years. The current policy brief looks at some factors that appear to be key impediments to the development of a sustainable and successful policy and suggests steps for overcoming the identified problems.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Conflict, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

38. Instigations of Separatism in the Baltic States

Author:
Mindaugas Kuklys and Raul Carstocea
Publication Date:
06-2015
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Issue Brief deals with some recent attempts to instigate and foment separatism in certain regions of all three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Although these attempts would appear at first glance to be spontaneous, we argue that certain recurring elements and links between them seem to indicate that they are rather coordinated actions showing a certain level of organization. In turn, these recent cases have direct bearing on the relationship between minorities and majorities in the Baltic states after the Russian annexation of Crimea and the increasingly strong promotion of the Eurasian Union initiated by Russia. Despite the differences between Estonia and Latvia on the one hand – which have large Russian-speaking minorities continuing to face integration challenges – and Lithuania – with a relatively small and well-integrated Russian minority –, these recent calls for separatism are manifest in all three countries under consideration.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Separatism, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe and Baltic States

39. Ethnic Minority Women in Georgia - Facing a Double Burden?

Author:
Andrea Peinhopf
Publication Date:
02-2014
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In this paper I explore the situation of ethnic minority women in Georgia, focusing on gender -based violence, economic empowerment and political participation. Importantly these are not distinct topics, but interrelated phenomena: domestic decision-making structures and violence are the main obstacles to increased female participation in the political and economic spheres. Conversely, women's second-rate role here has diminished their ability to become financially independent and publicly recognized, which could strengthen their domestic position. Over the past years the Georgian government has introduced several legal measures directed at alleviating some of the problems Georgian women encounter and strengthening their position in society, including the National Action Plan on Gender Equality (2011-2013), the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2012-2015), as well as action plans on domestic violence (2011-2012), and trafficking in human beings (2011-2012). However, according to the UN Gender Thematic Group, consisting of domestic and international organizations with a gender focus, implementation of the national action plans has been uneven, with the National Action Plan on Gender Equality significantly lagging behind.
Topic:
Gender Issues, Human Rights, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

40. Roma Inclusion: A Feasible EU Project

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
03-2014
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Dispersed all over the territory of the continent, Roma constitute the largest ethnic minority in Europe, which according to the estimates consists of 10-12 million people. Present in almost every country in Europe and sharing some similar cultural features, Roma are often referred to as 'transnational'. The heterogeneity of the group even within the different national states and the lack of structural ties among the communities at national and international levels, challenges the appropriateness of any generalization of issues and large scale approaches to addressing them. At the same time, Roma communities all over Europe share low social status and identical challenges to their integration in mainstream societies, which constitutes them as a transnational marginalised group.
Topic:
Globalization, Human Rights, Regional Cooperation, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

41. The Situation of Roma between Human Rights and Economics

Author:
Eben Friedman
Publication Date:
03-2014
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
If the dominant focus of documents on Roma published by intergovernmental organizations in the 1990s was on providing redress for past violations of human rights and protection fromfuture discrimination, this is no longer the case as of early 2014. Over the last decade, it has become increasingly common for calls to improve the situation of Roma to be justified in terms of economic benefits for society as a whole.
Topic:
Civil Society, Economics, Human Rights, Minorities, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe

42. What do the Crimean Tatars face in Crimea?

Author:
Alexander Osipov
Publication Date:
04-2014
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Issue Brief concerns further developments which the Crimean Tatars may experience after the Russian annexation of Crimea. The Crimean Tatars are the second largest minority in the Crimean peninsula, and they are represented by politically active movements with far-reaching claims concerning the status of Crimean Tatars and territorial self-determination. Within less than one month these people as well as their homeland have been transferred to another country with different political and legal systems and potentially a less friendly social environment. Since the contours of the future legal and institutional framework for the accommodation of Crimean Tatars are not fully clear, one can project the major organizational setups and patterns of Russian ethno-politics onto Crimea and tentatively assess their applicability. We can conclude that in a formal sense the Russian rule does not promise the Crimean Tatars much more than they already had in Ukraine, but puts them at risk of a strict police control and pressure. Such arrangements as territorial and non-territorial autonomy, power-sharing, 'rehabilitation' of the Crimean Tatars as victims of the past repressions may take place but they would have limited practical sense. Cultural programmes and recruitment of Crimean Tatars to the regional administration are unlikely to be legally guaranteed and will be fully dependent on the discretion of Russian and Crimean authorities.
Topic:
Culture, Minorities, Ethnicity, Conflict, and Identity
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, Ukraine, and Crimea

43. What next for Moldova's Minorities after Crimea?

Author:
Federica Prina
Publication Date:
07-2014
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This Issue Brief examines the possible consequences of Russia's annexation of Crimea on Moldova and its national minorities. It further reflects on the factors that hinder greater integration of persons belonging to minorities, and the expression of minority identity in Moldova/Transnistria. The Issue Brief argues there are two indirect consequences of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. First, the annexation deepens the polarization between the pro-Russia and pro-EU camps in Moldova, which manifests itself in multiple ruptures within Moldovan society. Second, such a polarization furthers a tendency to marginalize (non-Russian) minorities, which implies a reduction of the spaces for the articulation of minority concerns and the expression of minority identity.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, Conflict, and Identity
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, and Crimea

44. Challenges facing Researchers on Roma Minorities in contemporary Europe: Notes towards a Research Program

Author:
Aidan McGarry and Annabel Tremlett
Publication Date:
01-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
European institutions are now developing two new initiatives that are significant in their scope and outlook. First, a common 'EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies' is underway for 2020, aimed at creating a set of common policy aims and outcomes for all member states. This Framework is attempting to place the responsibility for Roma integration in the hands of member state governments, who have been hitherto unwilling or unable to address the socio-economic and political disadvantage of Roma. Second, the Council of Europe and the EU (in a joint action) have established a new; 'European Academic Network on Romani Studies' (2011-2013), recognizing the importance of quality research in understanding the complexities of such historically disadvantaged and heterogeneous communities. These initiatives provide the opportunity to draw on our experiences as researchers in this field and highlight the gaps in our knowledge along with methodological and theoretical caveats and challenges that still need to be addressed.
Topic:
Human Rights, International Law, Socialism/Marxism, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

45. The Dual Consequences of Politicization of Ethnicity in Romania

Author:
Monica Andriescu and Sergiu Gherghina
Publication Date:
02-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The processes of nation and state formation have been challenged in specific ways by the transitions in post-Communist Europe. The number of ethnic minorities, their territorial concentration and strength generated situations in which either state division was imminent (e.g. former Yugoslavia) or secession threats were latent. Many political actors transformed these situations into (personal or own group) advantages. Among the new democracies in which ethnicity could be considered a relevant societal division, Romania is an appealing case due to its developments over time. The violent clashes between the majority population and the Hungarian minority in 1990, in the aftermath of regime change, appeared to set the pace of the inter-ethnic relations after the regime change. In this context, the politicization of ethnicity to spawn national and ethnic solidarity in Romania was the logical consequence. How did this process influence the evolution of inter-ethnic relations in post-communist Romania?
Topic:
Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

46. Promoting Minority Rights through Education

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
05-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (EDC/HRE) was adopted in 2010 and signed by 47 member states. The endorsement of the Charter was recognized as a major achievement of almost 10 years of developing ideas and strategies, public and political debates, intensified discussions among institutions and stakeholders, international consultations, policy provisions and decision implementation.
Topic:
Education, Human Rights, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

47. Paternalistic versus participation oriented minority institutions in the Danish-German border region

Author:
Adrian Schaefer-Rolffs and Kai-Uwe Schnapp
Publication Date:
05-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Democracy can, according to Robert Dahl, be understood as a political system in which those affected by a decision have a proper chance to take part in making this decision. Although it is accepted by political theorists as well as many men and women on the street, this norm is not easily implemented in all situations. One situation in which implementation might not be as straightforward is the proper political participation of any kind of minority, be it national, ethnic, religious, cultural or otherwise. This question of minority political participation has grown in importance in Europe over the last decades. This is the case, because European nations are beset by a total of more than 300 national and ethnic minority groups with over 100 million members. Awareness and appreciation of this fact has massively increased recently in terms of politics as well as with regard to discussion in the social sciences. While there are at least some explicit perceptions of the institutional quality of participatory rights and facilities across Europe, there is almost no empirical account of the role and the perception of political rights and/or institutions that foster minority political participation.
Topic:
Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe, Germany, and Denmark

48. Minority Participation in Kosovo Elections : Opportunities and Challenges

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
06-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Voting is a fundamental democratic right that empowers people to exercise their civil control over the politics and politicians, over the different branches of power, over the development paths of their countries. Democratic electoral systems in Europe vary greatly. But the electoral systems alone, although contributing to the specific architectures of the national democracies, are not the only factors that determine the quality of the democracy in place. Focused on legislation, rules and procedures, policy analysts sometimes tend to look at voters as "beneficiaries" and not as the active subjects who in fact have the power to change the status quo or to contribute to deformities of the political system in place, by not exercising their political and civil rights.
Topic:
Democratization, Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

49. Minorities, Media and Intercultural Dialogue

Author:
Sabrina Colombo, Federica Prina, Alkistis Zavakou, and Fulvia Ghirardi
Publication Date:
11-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
References to 'intercultural dialogue' are not uncommon in international documents. In particular, Article 6(1) of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (hereinafter FCNM) reads: The Parties shall encourage a spirit of tolerance and intercultural dialogue and take effective measures to promote mutual respect and understanding and co - operation among all persons living on their territory, irrespective of those persons' ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identity, in particular in the fields of education, culture and the media.
Topic:
Regional Cooperation, Mass Media, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

50. Renewed Non-discrimination and Equality Promises for National Minorities in Europe

Author:
Liefke Dolmans and Elisabeth Kühn
Publication Date:
11-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
One of the founding principles of the European Union is the recognition that every individual is of equal value. On top of this, the 2000 Race Directive reaffirms the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. Discrimination and inequality are nevertheless still major problems for vulnerable ethnic and national minorities in Europe, as the results of the most recent EU MIDI-survey describes. Bearing in mind the principle of equality, it is not surprising that two new equality concepts arrived at the Council of Europe and EU level in the last years: 'The new commitment to equality and non-discrimination' and 'full and effective equality.' In a communication Note from July 2008, the European Commission expressed its desire for this 'renewed commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity,' which proposes a shift from formal equality to a more substantive equality approach. In this paper, we will consider whether this statement is an exemplary expression of an assumed development in the EU, namely that of broadening and strengthening equality and non-discrimination legislation and, furthermore, whether a possible development from formal to substantive equality is also effectively taking place. We analysed whether this trend is only visible in the European Commission or also present within other players in the non-discrimination and equality field. We then sought to understand whether this trend is visible in theory as well as practice. This paper furthermore analyzes whether this trend enlarges the protection scope against discrimination for national minorities, or if this equality manifestation truly supports national minorities to be recognized as equals with the majority.
Topic:
Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

51. Education in Member State Submissions under the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies

Author:
Eben Friedman
Publication Date:
12-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The European Union's (EU) strategy for recovery from the economic crisis that began at the end of the first decade of the 2000s is organized around three priorities: smart growth, sustainable growth, and inclusive growth (European Commission 2010: 9). While the three types of growth are presented as mutually reinforcing, explicit attention to minorities in general and to Roma in particular comes only under the heading of inclusive growth, defined as "empowering people through high levels of employment, investing in skills, fighting poverty and modernising labour markets, training and social protection systems so as to help people anticipate and manage change, and build a cohesive society" (European Commission 2010: 17). As part of the "European Platform against Poverty" planned in the area of inclusive growth, the European Commission (EC) calls on Member States "[t]o define and implement measures addressing the specific circumstances of groups at particular risk (such as one-parentamilies, elderly women, minorities, Roma, people with a disability and the homeless" as a means of "rais[ing] awareness and recognis[ing] the fundamental rights of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, enabling them to live in dignity and take an active part in society" (European Commission 2010: 19).
Topic:
Economics, Education, Human Rights, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

52. Beyond the Limits of Multiculturalism : The Role of Europe's Traditional Minorities

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
07-2013
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In the debate on multiculturalism in Europe, traditional minorities are often excluded even though their experience with diversity is longer than most. This is because the received wisdom in Europe seems to equate multiculturalism with immigration and lately mainly with Muslim communities. This is different in the Anglo world, and especially in the context of Canada and Australia, where traditional minorities and indigenous groups are considered a dimension of multiculturalism. However, traditional minorities have been part of the European fabric of cultures for centuries, and they have contributed to making multiculturalism work through a number of inter-cultural dialogue mechanisms. This Issue Brief will discuss the role of traditional minorities in multiculturalism, in particular in terms of institutional arrangements at different levels of government.
Topic:
Multiculturalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, Diversity, and Institutions
Political Geography:
Europe

53. Changing the Angle: Does the Notion of Non-Territorial Autonomy Stand on Solid Ground?

Author:
Alexander Osipov
Publication Date:
07-2013
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The ideas of non-territorial autonomy (NTA) for ethnic groups are used increasingly often, but in such a way, that perhaps it would be prudent at this point to take a step back and ask what some may already view as a naive question; namely, to ask why the notion of NTA is necessary and what added value it brings about. I would argue that the relative popularity of the concept rests not on real achievements in policy-making or research but rather on several taken for granted assumptions. The latter ones require a highly critical examination, and this brings us to a reconsideration of the role the notion may play and the scope of its potential application.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Diversity, Identity, and Territory
Political Geography:
Europe

54. National Minorities and the Media Situation in Georgia

Author:
Tobias Akerlund
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In recent years Georgia has seen positive developments on the policy level as well as on the ground concerning media. The Law on Broadcasting already obliged the Georgian Public Broadcaster to highlight the concerns and issues of relevance to minorities, in addition to airing programs in minority languages. To improve the situation for minorities in Georgia, The National Concept for Tolerance and Civil Integration was adopted in 2009 and contains provisions to remedy deficiencies with regard to media. Despite these positive developments, however, access to information remains an impediment to integration into wider society as Georgia‟s minority communities are largely distanced from mainstream media due to a lack of quality information in the languages they understand.
Topic:
Non-Governmental Organization, Mass Media, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

55. Chinese in Georgia

Author:
Jiayi Zhou
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In the two decades after independence, Georgia's open economy and lax immigration policies have engendered, for the first time, immigration from far outside of the region. On the streets of Tbilisi, the most conspicuous of these migrants are from India, China, and the countries of Africa. Of those from India, a substantial number are students of medicine, or enrolled in other professional courses. Africans in Georgia are mostly driven by work opportunity with a few students in higher education institutions. Chinese immigrants, on the other hand, are almost entirely driven by economic opportunities. A modern Chinese presence in Georgia began in the 1990s with the beginning of Chinese state-owned investment ventures in the region, as well as a burgeoning restaurant scene. In 2000s, this expanded to encompass a trickle and then an influx of Chinese migrant shop owners and market vendors. The third wave of migration occurred in 2010 as a result of contract construction workers. As of today, there are around 1,000 Chinese now divided into five groups: specialists, businessmen, shopkeepers, contract workers, and those in the restaurant and catering sector. This paper will focus on the history of Chinese migrants in Georgia, driving causes, their level of integration (or lack thereof), vulnerabilities, and their status in Georgian society. It will also cover increasingly large-scale economic ventures in the country, the status of Chinese as a foreign language in Georgia, and the role of the PRC Embassy in the Chinese community.
Topic:
Economics, Migration, Immigration, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Africa, China, Europe, Asia, and Georgia

56. National minority groups in post-Lisbon Europe: the presence of Europeanisation and transnational human rights in one policy field

Author:
Tamara Jovanovic
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This working paper explores the role of some recent components under the European Union legal and political aegis and its coexistence with the CoE, here approached as a potential advancement of the protection, promotion and preservation of national minority groups in European Union member states. Although the European Union has been slow in the development of clear competences on minority rights, several considerations pertinent to national minorities can be depicted across the European Union frameworks. The European Union treaty is committed to the safe guard of human rights and the respect for minorities in its 'values article' which are applicable under Community Action. This basis is further accompanied by other policy functions which stimulate action on the promotion and preservation of minority identities, in particular in the fields of language and culture. Such policies are prescribed in different degrees of European Union competences and modes of implementation, ranging between formal legal effects and informal political consequences, generating varied forms of Europeanization. At the same time, nearly all European Union member states are bound by additional transnational regulations on human and minority rights, such as those developed by the Council of Europe. This level of transnational human rights is gradually also becoming embodied into European Union structures, while already embodied by most European states' constitutions. By taking account of some developments under each process, their interaction, but also coexistence, this paper aims to identify how Europeanization and transnational forces can help to construct and sustain a policy field, namely a national minority policy.
Topic:
Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

57. Islam and Religious Transformation in Adjara

Author:
Thomas Liles
Publication Date:
02-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
While Adjara's Islamic identity has been in decline, the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) has increased its presence in Adjara's capital Batumi and western lowlands since the 1990s. Today Islam retains a strong presence primarily in the republic's eastern highlands (upper Adjara), specifically in the Khulo district and to a lesser extent in the more rural areas of the Shuakhevi and Keda districts. With financial support from the state, the GOC maintains a growing presence in upper Adjara, and conversions to Christianity in the area are becoming more common. Simultaneously, certain segments of the region's Muslim population express dissatisfaction with perceived state discrimination, mainly resulting from the lack of state funding for local Islamic institutions and the difficulties of legally registering such institutions. With the creation of the new Administration of Georgian Muslims (AGM) in May 2011 and the passage of a new law on the registration of minority religious groups in July 2011, this discontent may well subside. However, it is still too early to tell whether these laws will have a significant effect in upper Adjara.
Topic:
Islam, Religion, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

58. Georgia's Muslim Community: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

Author:
Conor Prasad
Publication Date:
02-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In early May 2011, an Administration of Georgian Muslims (AGM) was established. Although founded with government help and by government officials, it is officially a non-governmental organisation (NGO) whose aim is to manage and address problems and issues affecting Georgia's diverse Muslim population. The new administration replaces the semi-independent, Baku-based Caucasus Board of Muslims (CBM) which until recently was the governing body for Georgia's Muslims.
Topic:
Islam, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

59. European Minority Rights Law: Unilateral Legislation in Favour of Kin-Minorities

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
07-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The international approach to unilateral legislation with extraterritorial reach is quite clear. General principles of customary international law entrust the state where national minorities reside with the task of securing the rights of all persons within its jurisdiction. Preferential treatment of national minorities by their kin-state is considered the exception unless it is established through bilateral treaties, or as a minimum agreed among the parties involved. The League of Nations system was the first European multilateral attempt to provide protection for minorities outside the mother state through bilateral treaties. After the collapse of the League of Nations system and the transfer of international protection of minorities to the United Nations system, bilateralism was not specifically promoted but nonetheless carried over as the main approach to kin-minority protection. This approach came under pressure after 1989 and the collapse of Communism when a number of countries adopted unilateral laws on kin-state minorities and compatriots living abroad. The bilateral approach received renewed attention, therefore, as part of the multilateral approach promoted by the international community after 1989.
Topic:
Human Rights, International Law, Governance, Sanctions, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and United Nations

60. Policy-to-Outcome Indicators and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Author:
Federica Prina
Publication Date:
09-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Indicators to measure the performance of international human rights treaties are increasingly a requirement in the assessment of the impact of legal standards. In the case of national minority standards, the Council of Europe's Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) began its work on indicators in 2008. A study to theorize and conceptualize political indicators describing the performance of the FCNM was produced in the areas of legal and political adaptation of provisions in the states parties to the instrument. The study concluded that further efforts should be made to encompass performance indicators assessing the direct impact of the FCNM on the lives of persons belonging to national minorities. Meanwhile, there has been no parallel process by the Council of Europe to compile indicators of impact for its other legally binding instrument that is of special relevance to national minorities: the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (the Charter). This paper provides a preliminary conceptual framework for the development of indicators to measure the impact of the Charter in the states parties to the instrument, using a policy-to-outcome approach.
Topic:
International Law, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe

61. The Re-Politicization of European Minority Protection : Six Cases from the FCNM Monitoring Process

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
04-2012
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The FCNM was received fairly well among the member states. Within the first two years after adoption 33 countries had signed the instrument. In the next two years another three countries signed, and since 1999 seven countries have signed. Some countries have decided not to sign. Among experts the reception of the FCNM was slightly different. Critics pointed out that an international instrument without a petition process and a strong power to sanction states would not have effect on the protection of beneficiaries. The ultimate power of the FCNM rests in the CM which issues country-specific resolutions on the basis of a monitoring process trusted to a group of experts, the Advisory Committee and a preliminary drafting trusted to one of the subsidiary groups of the CM, the Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H). The FCNM has developed a near consensus approach to the protection of persons belonging to national minorities. This consensus became pronounced also through the monitoring process and the CM was able to adopt resolutions within a reasonable length of time from the start of the monitoring. However, the second decade of the FCNM appears to show a different reality. There seems to be an increasing activity at the political level during the process of drafting the CM resolutions. This has slowed the monitoring process and given rise to concern that the FCNM is not enjoying the initial support that it did. The political process is the focus of this paper. This paper seeks to investigate the process in the GR-H, as well as examining which countries are experiencing a slower process and the issues raised.
Topic:
Human Rights, Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe

62. The "Peoples' Congresses" in Russia: Failure or Success? Authenticity and Efficiency of Minority Representation

Author:
Alexander Osipov
Publication Date:
08-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This paper addresses the phenomenon of public fora which are designed to represent certain ethnic groups and are set up through popular vote. The academic and practical interest in such "congresses" results from the fact that over time it has been shown that these endeavors have: (1)proven to be viable and durable organization structures for about two decades; (2)secured flexibility in their establishment and functioning;(3) provided for mass participation in public discussions and voting; (4) avoided "identity trap" and most complexities related to setting qualifications and the selection of eligibility criteria for the participants; (5) been a bridge between minority activists and public authorities. At the same time, the real practical outcomes, the ability to act independently and visibility of the "congresses" on the political landscape are far from being obvious, and this raises questions about the reasons for such doubtful achievements and the very meaning of "representation" in such a context.
Topic:
Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Asia

63. Minorities and Green Political Thought: Normative challenges to an ideal ethics?

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
What does Green minority action do to our traditional views of minorities as conflict-prone, rights claiming entities that defy definition and pose constant tension in normative political theory? Normally concerned with justification of such issues as the right to existence, the right of self-determination, the protection of culture and language, and steeped in discourses of politics and struggles for recognition as well as of identity and difference, and multiculturalism versus egalitarianism, political theory has confined itself to addressing minority issues in terms of normative accommodation. The arrival on the scene of Green political thought has not c hanged this (as yet) but the empirical facts may force normative political theorists to engage with Green theory as well as impel Green political thought to address normative minority accommodation. It is the possibility of the latter that I will explore in this paper.
Topic:
Climate Change, Environment, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe, Germany, Denmark, Latin America, North America, and Mexico

64. Language Policies and Law in Education in Post-Soviet Belarus

Author:
Iryna Ulasiuk
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The dissolution of the Soviet Union brought to the fore claims of linguistic minorities which had been ignored far too long. In almost all of the former Soviet republics language became an impetus to national revival and an important instrument in consolidating the newly independent states. At times excessively accentuated and overly politicized, the language issue demanded immediate reaction. It was not, therefore, surprising, that almost all of the former Soviet republics rejected to various degrees the legal dogmas which had been created in the Soviet Union and moved towards the weakening of the bonds within the former USSR, the lowering of the status of the Russian language as a symbol of long-term oppression and, as a consequence, the strengthening of the position of the titular language. Belarus has somewhat stood aloof in the process. With Russian being the de facto main language, and Belarusian playing largely a symbolic function, the position of other languages spoken by minority groups residing within the territory of Belarus seems indeed precarious. The present paper seeks to identify the main tendencies in the development of language legislation in the area of education, which has traditionally been considered as determinant for the survival of the language, in Belarus. It investigates the place of the Belarusian legislation in the field of education reserved for the language rights of the titular nation and those of national minorities.
Topic:
Education, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Belarus

65. Cyprus – Should the UN Withdraw?

Author:
Jan Asmussen
Publication Date:
04-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Ban Ki Moon’s long awaited progress report on the negotiations in Cyprus did not come up with a final recommendation on how long the United Nations will be committed to engage in Cyprus. However, he warned that the UN would not continue indefinitely to spend efforts and money on a process that does not seem to render any progress. Indeed there is not much to suggest that a negotiated solution is anywhere close to be concluded in the foreseeable future. This appears strange as on the onset the past three years have seen the most intensive and most comprehensive negotiation process ever.
Topic:
Diplomacy, International Cooperation, United Nations, and Negotiation
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus

66. A Resolvable Frozen Conflict? Designing a Settlement for Transnistria

Author:
Stefan Wolff
Publication Date:
11-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The conflict over Transnistria is a territorial dispute in which one of the conflict parties (Transnistria) seeks independence while the other (Moldova) aims to restore its full sovereignty and territorial integrity. For close to two decades, the situation has been stagnant: a ceasefire agreement signed in 1992 in Moscow between the Russian and Moldovan presidents at the time—Yeltsin and Snegur—established a trilateral peacekeeping mission (Russia, Moldova, Transnistria) and a buffer zone along the Dniestr/Nistru River. Protected by these arrangements and an additional Russian military presence, Transnistria has developed into a de-facto state of its own, albeit without international recognition and heavily dependent on Russia.
Topic:
Territorial Disputes, Minorities, Ethnicity, Conflict, Settlements, Independence, and Identity
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, Moldova, and Transnistria

67. Ethnic or multi-ethnic parties? Party competition and legislative recruitment in Moldova

Author:
Oleh Protsyk and Ion Osoian
Publication Date:
03-2010
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Securing adequate representation of minorities in institutions of the state is commonly described in the literature as an important mechanism for addressing issues of ethnic tensions in culturally diverse societies. A proportional electoral system is generally perceived as more friendly for representation of minority interests than a majoritarian single member district system. The introduction of the former system in a number of post-communist countries encouraged institutionalization of ethnic minority parties. These parties became a permanent part of the political landscape in South Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and Romania.
Topic:
Democratization, Politics, Ethnic Government, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Romania

68. Convergence in European Policy Making: What do Article 15 (FCNM) and the EU Regional Policy Have in Common?

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
12-2010
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Minority protection is expanding its focus from protection-only to protectionand-empowerment, or from a politics of identity to a politics of identity related interests. To most, minority protection means the idea that there are compelling reasons why members of ethnic, cultural, national, racial and linguistic minorities require certain special protection rights in order not to suffer assimilation, suppression or persecution. However, in the European context, minority protection has also come to mean a right to attain a decent life. A decent life means a good life. The notion of the good life is of course essentially contested. The problem of protecting the right to a good life is not therefore what is a good life? – but how do minorities achieve and enjoy what they consider a good life?
Topic:
Regional Cooperation, Minorities, European Union, Identity, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe

69. National Minorities in the 21st Century Europe: New Discourses, New Narratives?

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
12-2010
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
For centuries national minorities in Europe have lived in the shadow of the historical events of the 19th and the 20t h centuries. Whether for humanitarian reasons or to protect the identity of national minorities, major European treaties settling inter-state wars have had to address minority issues to secure the peace. For this reason, national minorities have frequently been seen not only as obstacles to nation and state building but also as anomalies in international relations.1 At times labelled as troublemakers and war mongers, national minorities have seldom been afforded ethical standing in the writing of Europe’s history.2 While the settlement after the First World War might be called an ‘honourable’ settlement, the settlement after the Second World War basically erased some national minorities from the European map. The integration discourses of the 21st Century seem to bring changes to this scenario.
Topic:
Nationalism, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Regionalism
Political Geography:
Europe

70. Institutions of Georgia for Governance on National Minorities: An Overview

Author:
Giorgi Sordia
Publication Date:
09-2009
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Since the 'Rose Revolution' in November 2003, significant reform has taken place in Georgia. The new Georgian government led by Mikheil Saakashvili, eager to push forward the process of reform and enhance the pace of integration with Euro-Atlantic structures and institutions, has taken a range of important steps to develop the institutional arrangement of government. A number of key ministries have been radically reformed, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Education and Science. Structural reform is also ongoing in many other ministries and state bodies.
Topic:
Democratization, Politics, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

71. The value of power, the power of values: a call for an EU Grand Strategy

Author:
Sven Biscop (ed.)
Publication Date:
10-2009
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In its 2003 European Security Strategy (ESS), the EU has a grand strategy, embracing all instruments and resources at the disposal of the Union and the Member States, but a partial one. The ESS tells us how to do things – in a preventive, holistic and multilateral way – but it is much vaguer on what to do: what are the concrete objectives and priorities of the EU as a global actor?
Topic:
Economics, Emerging Markets, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, and Regional Cooperation
Political Geography:
Europe

72. A Way Out? Initial Steps Towards Addressing Romani Issues in Georgia

Author:
Giorgi Sordia
Publication Date:
05-2009
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Romani community are one of the least studied ethnic minorities in Georgia and issues such as their history, daily life, relations with other ethnic groups and the problems they face remain virtually unexplored. Unlike many European countries where over the past decade the protection of Romani rights and promotion of their integration into society has become systematic, in Georgia the facilitation of equal possibilities for Roms and protection of their rights exists only at a rudimentary level. One of the main reasons for this is undoubtedly the limited information on Roms and their conditions, both among the authorities and in society as a whole. The first systematic research on Roms in Georgia was conducted in 2007 and later published by the European Centre for Minority Issues. This initial publication provided a brief introduction to the history of the settlement of Roms in Georgia, their dwelling places, demographical data, social structure of the community and the economic, social and other problems facing the community. As a result of this research, the following main problems of the Romani community were revealed: extreme poverty, unemployment, poor access to education and health care, isolation from the larger population of the country and lack of official documentation. Following this initial research, the European Centre for Minority Issues has continued to study the Romani community, which has helped to provide a fuller demographic profile of the Roms, a more thorough understanding of their problems, and the collection of additional information about the community’s ethnic and cultural characteristics. At the same time, a survey—conducted with the help of questionnaires—has provided documentation on the Romani social problems, enabling us to obtain a more accurate picture of the situation of the Romani community settlements. It has also helped to identify precisely those Roms who suffer from lack of documents and what type of documents they need, and also provided us with a more comprehensive understanding of the scope of the problem of non-enrollment of Romani children in the education system. This research was conducted from mid 2008 to early 2009.2 Hence, in supplementing the data provided in ECMI Working Paper #39, this Issue Brief provides a set of additional findings relating to the demography and status of the Romani community in Georgia. With thepublication of this data, we hope to provide a further impetus to Georgian policy makers and civil society organizations in addressing some of the acute problems faced by the Roms in the country and offer insights that can be helpful to this end.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Integration, Identity, Inclusion, and Protected People
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

73. The Recent Flow of Asylum-Seekers from Georgia to Poland

Author:
Jenny Thomsen
Publication Date:
12-2009
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Over the past months Poland has witnessed an exceptionally large number of Georgian citizens applying for asylum. From April to November 2009, approximately 4,000 Georgian citizens have crossed the Polish border with the aim of applying for asylum. This number is astonishing in comparison with previous years when only approximately 400 applications were received in the entire period between 2000 and 2008.2 In parallel, there has recently been an increase of asylum-seekers from Georgia in other European Union countries, with about 2,000 applications in Germany and 2,000 in the Baltic States, Greece, Switzerland, Italy and Austria together. Some of these people initially arrived in Poland and have thereafter disappeared from the asylum camps while their asylum application was still in process. Given that Georgia’s total population is about four and a half million inhabitants this number is extraordinarily high. The number of Georgian asylum-seekers in Poland has now even exceeded the number of persons from Chechnya seeking asylum. Out of the approximately 4,000 Georgian citizens applying for asylum between April and November, about 60% were persons aged 18-34. Children up to 13 years old constituted roughly a fifth of the asylum-seekers and people aged 35-64 made up about the same number. Males represented nearly two thirds and particularly young males between 18-34 were overrepresented, constituting around 40%. The flow of Georgian citizens to Poland peaked in July and August with 1,038 respectively 1,371 Georgian asylum-seekers. In September, the number had decreased to 317, in October to 205 and in November further to 143. The large majority of the asylum-seekers from Georgia (about 90%) are reported to be Yezidi-Kurds, generally poorly educated and sometimes even illiterate. The remaining part is reportedly ethnic Georgians, Armenians and Azeris.
Topic:
Minorities, European Union, Ethnicity, Discrimination, and Asylum
Political Geography:
Europe, Poland, and Georgia

74. No Way Out: An Assessment of the Romani Community in Georgia

Author:
David Szakonyi
Publication Date:
02-2008
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Romani community is the most marginalized and disadvantaged ethnic community in Georgia. Although accurate estimates are hard to establish, the population is thought to number up to 1,500 persons, living in multiple small settlements across Georgia. Extreme poverty, unemployment, lack of education and health care, and isolation from larger society comprise several of the major problems the community as a whole is facing. The overall situation for the Roms in Georgia has significantly deteriorated since the Soviet period, leaving the population practically devoid of any means to lift themselves out of their often devastating circumstances.
Topic:
Education, Ethnic Conflict, Health, and Poverty
Political Geography:
Europe, Asia, Soviet Union, and Georgia

75. Representation and Democracy in Eurasia's Unrecognized States: The Case of Transnistria

Author:
Oleh Protsyk
Publication Date:
06-2008
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Like the majority of modern states, non-recognized or de facto states are governed indirectly through elected representatives who are entrusted with the task of carrying out most of the functions of government. Issues of representation are central to an understanding of modern polities and have therefore generated substantial academic interest with regard to the identity and performance of representatives. Non-recognized states have largely been spared such detailed scrutiny of their domestic politics and patterns of representation, even though requests by these states for recognition draw increasingly on claims to democratically-secured genuine representation.
Topic:
Democratization and Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Eurasia, and Asia

76. Reciprocity or the Higher Ground? The Treatment of Ethnic Russians in Georgia After the "Spy Scandal" of 2006

Author:
David Szakonyi
Publication Date:
02-2008
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Upon comparison of the treatment of one another‟s ethnic community following the spy scandal,‟ clear differences emerge between Russia‟s and Georgia‟s approaches to the issue. In contrast to the full-fledged targeting and expulsion of both legal and illegal residents on the part of Russia, Georgian officials, media outlets, and citizens responded admirably to the tenuous situation, with few reported incidents of discrimination. However, anti-Russian sentiments, at least at the elite political level, are still very much present among Georgian society, and the consequences of the agitated, negative rhetoric towards Russia by several Georgian leaders could lead to an environment of increased animosity towards Russian speakers. Without specific steps taken by the Georgian government, media outlets, and society as a whole to reduce anti-Russian sentiment, there is a danger of further incensed political relations negatively affecting interpersonal relations between the ethnic Russian minority and the Georgian majority.
Topic:
Intelligence, Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, and Conflict
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Georgia

77. Ethnic Data Collection: The Case of the Civil Service in Eastern Europe

Author:
Oleh Protsyk and Konstantin Sachariew
Publication Date:
02-2008
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Representative bureaucracies are an important indicator of ethnically inclusive societies. Minority group support for the policies and institutions of a state is often directly linked to the extent to which these groups are being represented, not only in politics but also in the state apparatus. A bureaucracy that reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of the population is also likely to be more responsive to the needs and aspirations of minority groups in multiethnic societies. A substantial body of academic research in this area suggests that there is significant empirical support for this responsiveness thesis. The normative appeal of the representative bureaucracy concept has yet to be translated across most of Eastern Europe into specific policies designed to make the actual practice of civil service recruitment and promotion more open to minorities. In fact, what is often found by ECMI and other organizations working on various aspects of minority participation in public life is a lack of even basic systematic data on levels of minority inclusion. The lack of this type of data is often attributed to national legal provisions regulating personal data collection. In particular, ECMI research on minorities in public bureaucracy was hindered by the existence of numerous limitations on possibilities for collecting primary data or on obtaining access to the data already available. A similar problem has arisen in relation to ECMI research on socioeconomic exclusion of minorities, for which it has been difficult to obtain minority-related data on employment, education and health services. This paper begins by outlining the importance of minority civil service inclusion in the general discussion of minority participation in public life, so as to demonstrate the salience of the issue in recent academic and policy discussions of minority issues in the European context. It then turns to an analysis of how legal norms and policies in the areof bureaucratic recruitment and promotion affect the availability of data on minority representation in civil service. Finally, this paper will discuss the options and strategies available to the researcher in situations of limited availability/poor quality of official data. It briefly examines the utility of approaches such as the analysis of employment rosters using algorithms based on last names, snowball sampling techniques, interviewing, and requesting data from ethnic minority organizations.
Topic:
Civil Society, Ethnicity, Bureaucracy, Data, and Civil Servants
Political Geography:
Europe

78. Language Loss and the Ethnic Identity of Minorities

Author:
Ulrike Schmidt
Publication Date:
11-2008
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
With the enlargement of the European Union, language, as a crucial element of ethnic identity, has recently again advanced to the focus of the European political and social stage. In the European tradition, language has become a major marker of belonging to a particular ethnic or national group. Recent conflicts in South Eastern Europe, but also along regional borders in Western Europe - as in Catalunya or Corsica - have often revolved around issues of language. These conflicts have demonstrated that the reality in most European countries differs from the traditional image of linguistically homogeneous states and is further questioned by the demand for recognition by regional speakers who have become ethnic or regional minorities in this nation-state system.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Language, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

79. Economic Exclusion of Ethnic Minorities: On the Importance of Concept Specification

Author:
Tim Dertwinkel
Publication Date:
12-2008
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
This issue brief is a plea for a more systematic investigation into the concept of economic exclusion of ethnic minorities.1 What does “economic exclusion” exactly mean? How does it relate to the broader and more established phenomenon of social exclusion? Is economicexclusion, especially when applied to historical ethnic minorities, worthwhile studying in its ownright, or is it just a fashionable reframing of “older” development concepts such as poverty or inequality? It is exactly these questions that this issue brief attempts to shed some light on. I argue that such an exercise is overdue mainly for the two following reasons: first, there is a recent abundance in the use of the term “economic exclusion”, prominently taken up and further promoted by the work of minority rights related institutions, NGOs and practitioners. Second, and in sharp contrast to fast emerging policy programs and legal frameworks, theoretical orconceptual clarifications of economic exclusion - as well as empirical results on factors promoting or mitigating exclusion - are rare. The main argument put forward here is that so far, working definitions of economic exclusion are broad and extensive, and tend to vary according to institution. No standard definition of economic exclusion exists so far. This lack of conceptualspecification makes it almost impossible for empirical work to catch up with recent normative developments
Topic:
Economics, Minorities, Ethnicity, and Exclusion
Political Geography:
Europe

80. Supporting Local Romani Coordinators: A Practical Guide to Integrating Roms in Municipal Government

Author:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Publication Date:
03-2007
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The purpose of this brief publication is to encourage replication and continuation of the pioneering work of the 3 main initiators with the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) as implementing agent in building the capacity of local Romani coordinators (RCs) and their nonRomani counterparts in thirteen municipalities in the Republic of Serbia. To this end, the guide brings together materials for relevant actors in Serbia and potentially other countries in the broader Balkan region interested in increasing and improving integration and contacts between Romani communities and local authorities.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Local, and Integration
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

81. Resettlement of Ecologically Displaced Persons Solution of a Problem or Creation of a New?

Author:
Tom Trier and Medea Turashvili
Publication Date:
01-2007
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
A much overlooked issue of social, political and humanitarian concern in Georgia has been the resettlement of so-called ecological migrants, or eco-migrants, i.e., persons who have been displaced due to natural disasters in their native villages. Resettlement and internal migration is not a new phenomenon in Georgia. Already in the 19th century, Georgians were relocated to populate sparsely inhabited border regions. Later with the Soviet collectivization of the 1930s-1950s, thousands of mountainous people were resettled, forcibly or voluntarily, to lowland parts of the country. In addition, regions that had been emptied of their indigenous populations during Stalin’s mass deportations of the 1940s were then repopulated with Georgians from other regions. In the 1950s and 1960s in particular, much of the population of the mountain regions of Ajara was resettled into other regions, in order to regulate the demographic balance and avoid over-population in the mountains. Since the early 1980s, the process of migration from mountainous regions has been further exacerbated by climate changes, which have had quite a significant impact on the livelihoods of the mountainous populations. Hence, over the past quarter of a century, tens of thousands of people have become homeless as a result of flooding, landslides, and/or avalanches. Various governments have responded to natural disasters in these mountainous regions of Georgia, beginning with the Soviet authorities of the 1980s, to the nationalist regime of Gamsakhurdia, over the leadership of Shevardnadze, and finally to the current Saakashvili government. Each has pursued a different approach. While in the early and mid 1980s, the process of resettlement was quite wellorganised, the late 1980s saw a serious increase in the number of natural disasters in Georgia’s mountain regions, coinciding with the breakdown of Soviet structures and the ensuing corruption. With the coming to power of a nationalist government under the leadership of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, resettlement policies were largely guided by a nationalist agenda designed to repopulate the minorityinhabited and border regions of Georgia with ethnic Georgians. Ecologically displaced persons soon found themselves as tools to advance such policies. During Shevardnadze however, this issue was literally ignored. After the “Rose Revolution” in 2003, the Saakashvili government took steps to address the problems of eco-migrants, although by all appearances consistent policy for addressing such issues is still out of sight.
Topic:
Migration, Minorities, Ethnicity, Displacement, Resettlement, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:
Europe and Georgia

82. The Economic Dimension of Minority Participation in Europe

Author:
Jonathan Wheatley
Publication Date:
02-2007
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The issue of equal economic opportunities for members of national and ethnic minorities in Europe is important not only for economic prosperity, but also for the future peace and security of the European continent. Unequal access to employment, education, health and housing has, over the past fifty years, undermined political and economic stability in regions as diverse as the Balkans, Northern Ireland, South Tyrol and Cyprus. However, while European academics, think tanks and policy-makers have focused on social and economic exclusion on the one hand, and minority rights on the other, few attempts have been made to link the two.
Topic:
Security, Economics, Minorities, and Participation
Political Geography:
Europe

83. Roms on Integration: Analyses and Recommendations

Author:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Publication Date:
01-2006
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The data gathered through this research point out certain problems with the state of health of the Romani population in the Republic of Macedonia. A conclusion is that these problems require special attention as well as great seriousness and precision in approach in order to fully defi ne and elaborate the health-related problems Roms face. Nevertheless even the data resulting from our research sounds an alarm for undertaking concrete steps towards the improvement of the health condition of the Romani population. With regard to vaccination, it would be desirable to organize visiting-nurse service teams which would take care of the children that have been brought back from Western countries and would make sure that they are vaccinated and registered while also taking care of those who have not yet been registered. The services responsible for sending invitations to vaccination should also perform their tasks more responsibly, as a large number of families have stated that for whatever reason they do not receive such invitations. Frequently, health workers verbally pass information about coming vaccinations to the mothers. As a result, it often happens that the mothers forget the date of vaccination. It is a fact that a large number of Romani mothers have a relatively low level of education and are not familiar with the purpose of the vaccines. It is therefore necessary to find a way for them to be familiarized with the purpose as well as the timing of vaccinations.
Topic:
Health, Minorities, Ethnicity, Discrimination, and Integration
Political Geography:
Europe and Macedonia

84. Enhancing Minority Governance in Romania. The Romanian Draft Law on the Status of National Minorities: A Consultation with Civil Society

Author:
Christopher Decker and Roxana Ossain
Publication Date:
07-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) and the Romanian Department of Inter-Ethnic Relations (DRI) organized the third event of the Improving Inter-Ethnic Relations through Enhanced Minority Governance Project on 16–17 March 2005 in Sinaia, Romania. The head and both deputy heads of the DRI attended the roundtable along with numerous members of the human rights/minority rights NGO community. Additionally, some members of national minority organizations attended. The fundamental purpose of the meeting was to provide civil society an opportunity to discuss the draft law with representatives of the Romanian Government and to offer suggestions to improve the draft. It was noted that this was the first time that civil society organizations national minorities have been able to have a forum to discuss a draft law before it was presented to parliament. This report seeks to provide an account of the discussions that took place during this meeting.
Topic:
Civil Society, Ethnic Conflict, and Human Rights
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

85. Enhancing Minority Governance in Romania. The Romanian Draft Law on the Status of National Minorities: Issues of Definition, NGO Status and Cultural Autonomy

Author:
Christopher Decker and Aidan McGarry
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
ECMI and the DRI organized the second event of the “Improving Inter-ethnic Relations through Enhanced Minority Governance” project on 17–19 March 2005 in Sinaia, Romania. The head and both deputy heads of the DRI attended the roundtable along with national minority members of the Romanian Parliament and representatives of the national minority organizations represented on the Council of National Minorities. There were two fundamental purposes for the meeting. One was to provide the group with background information on the three major issues that will feature in the draft law on the status of national minorities, namely: defining a national minority; the status of national minority organizations under Romanian law; and cultural autonomy. The second purpose was to facilitate dialogue between the national minorities and the government concerning these main issues to be addressed in the draft law, so as to allow the government to hear the concerns and wishes of the national minority groups. It was noted that this was the first time that national minorities have been able to have a forum to discuss a draft law before it was presented to parliament. This report seeks to provide an account of the presentations and discussions that took place during this meeting, including some of the theories and practicalities of differing forms of definition, laws concerning NGOs and political parties, and models of cultural autonomy used in European states.
Topic:
Ethnic Conflict, Human Rights, and Non-Governmental Organization
Political Geography:
Europe

86. Enhancing Minority Governance in Romania. Report on the Presentation on Cultural Autonomy to the Romanian Government

Author:
Christopher Decker
Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
ECMI organized the first event of the “Improving Inter-Ethnic Relations through Enhanced Minority Governance” project on 3 February 2005 in Bucharest, Romania. The deputy prime minister, the head of the Department for Inter-ethnic Relations and four members of parliament attended the meeting. ECMI and two experts met with the group in the Government Building to discuss the issues surrounding cultural autonomy and the draft law on the status of national minorities. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the government with information concerning the issue of cultural autonomy for the draft law on the status of national minorities, which is currently being drafted by the Hungarian Democratic Union from Romania (UDMR) and the other 18 national minority parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies. This report seeks to provide an account of the presentations and discussions that took place during this meeting, including the theory and practicalities of cultural autonomy and the model of cultural autonomy used in Estonia.
Topic:
Demographics, Government, and Human Rights
Political Geography:
Europe, Estonia, and Romania

87. National Minority 'Regions' in the Enlarged European Union: Mobilizing for Third Level Politics?

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
07-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Laeken Declaration adopted by the European Council in December 2001 recognized, for the first time in European Union (EU) history, regions as potential co-architects of a new and more democratic EU. The Laeken Declaration also initiated the Convention to draft a new Constitution for Europe. The Constitution was negotiated during the Intergovernmental Conference and presented to the citizens of Europe in June 2004. On 29 October 2004, it was signed by heads of states and governments and sent to parliaments for ratifications and referenda. The Constitution provisions an expansion of the principle of subsidiarity affording greater influence to European citizens residing in self-administering and self-governing regions. Article III-270 of the Constitution will empower the Committee of the Regions (CoR) to petition the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on policy matters violating the principle of subsidiarity as laid out in the Constitution. This could become a substantial empowerment of European regions. Although most national minorities do not constitute designated European regions and the Constitution may not be ratified anytime in the near future, the envisaged empowerment of the CoR may nevertheless contribute to a redefinition of the national minority political space. With some of the new members and accession states representing 'regions' of strong national minority identities, the EU may be facing new challenges of integrating diversity. The influence of national minorities in the decision-making processes may therefore assume relevance in the enlarged EU.
Topic:
Demographics, Human Rights, and Politics
Political Geography:
Europe

88. The Lisbon Strategy and Ethnic Minorities: Rights and Economic Growth.

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The fact that member states’ approach to social inclusion is weak, whether rightsbased or growth-motivated is perhaps not surprising. Ethnic minorities are often considered second-class citizens, especially if they do not hold legal citizenship. Indeed, in some member states ethnic minorities are denied citizenship. But even in those member states where members of ethnic minorities do obtain citizenship, second-class status is often the norm. This is, of course, a reason why the rights-based approach is important. But it continues to be based on the assumption that social exclusion of ethnic minorities is but an economic burden to society, as if eliminating social exclusion would balance the books and jump-start the economy. It does not take into account that social exclusion is a drawback to economic growth because it is seen as a static phenomenon rather than an investment opportunity. EU policy makers would gain by recognizing that ethnic minorities constitute an untapped asset to society, a dynamic force that is amenable, adjustable, and willing. There is no reason to believe that members of ethnic minorities have less energy than the rest of us. To tap into this energy, the rights-based approach alone will not do. It must go hand in hand with investment policies towards economic growth. If EU policy makers were to see ethnic minorities as a vital investment component in the quest for economic growth, perhaps the recovery of the Lisbon Strategy might speed up.
Topic:
Minorities, European Union, Ethnicity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Political Geography:
Europe

89. The Aspect of Culture in Promoting Social Inclusion in the European Union: Is the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC) Working for Ethnic Minorities?

Author:
Tove H. Malloy
Publication Date:
09-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In the context of making the European economic area competitive while reaching certain social and economic goals, the 2000 European Council at Lisbon initiated an ambitious implementation scheme on its Social Agenda introducing the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC) as an instrument to streamline and optimize Community and Member States’ policies. The OMC method is a ‘soft governance’ approach aimed at generating real political commitment and different types of norms, procedural as well as substantive, through a highly institutionalized process of information sharing, deliberation, monitoring and learning.1 The method was first introduced in the area of employment and has been followed by an OMC on Social Inclusion (OMC/Incl.). Other focus areas are social protection/pensions and health care. The OMC on employment has recently undergone a first evaluation, and the Commission is preparing to subject the OMC/Incl. to its first evaluation.2 No OMC focuses specifically on minority inclusion but the OMC/Incl. has developed into one of the key areas of European Union (EU) policy implementation that addresses the socioeconomic exclusion of members of ethnic and Roma/Sinti minorities.
Topic:
Economics, Regional Cooperation, Minorities, European Union, and Social Services
Political Geography:
Europe

90. Informal International Consultative Meeting in the Area of Minority Issues

Author:
Colleen French
Publication Date:
10-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
In September 2002, senior representatives of intergovernmental and major nongovernmental institutions addressing minority issues gathered in Flensburg for a consultative meeting which sought to facilitate an informal exchange between the different organizations on emerging issues and strategies. As a follow up measure, the European Centre of Minority Issues (ECMI) held a second 'Informal International Consultative Meeting of Major Actors in the Area of Minority Issues', at ECMI Headquarters, Flensburg, Germany on 17 and 18 September 2004.
Topic:
International Relations, Government, and Human Rights
Political Geography:
Europe

91. Between Integration and Resettlement: The Meskhetian Turks

Author:
Tom Trier and Oskari Pentikäinen
Publication Date:
08-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The Meskhetian Turks is a population, which was deported to Central Asia, along with seven other ethnic groups in the Soviet Union during World War II. Whilst other deported people, Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Karachais and Kalmyks were rehabilitated after Stalin's death and allowed to resettle in their pre-deportation territories, three groups were not permitted to return. These included the Crimean Tatars, who were only to be rehabilitated with the demise of the Soviet Union, and have subsequently returned in significant numbers to Crimea in Ukraine over the past 15 years. Another group, the Volga Germans, originally deported from the Soviet Volga German Republic, have largely emigrated to Germany in the post Soviet Era, and do not have territorial aspirations in the Volga region. Hence, the Meskhetian Turks are the last of the 8 deported peoples, for whom rehabilitation and resettlement remains unresolved.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution and Ethnic Conflict
Political Geography:
Europe and Central Asia

92. Russian-Speaking Minorities in Estonia and Latvia: Problems of Integration at the Threshold of th European Union

Author:
Peter Van Elsuwege
Publication Date:
05-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The restoration of the Baltic states' independence, back in 1991, brought about a number of political and legal challenges. The presence of large nontitular communities in Estonia and Latvi has proven to be the most pressing of these. Notwithstanding the fact that the European Commission already in 1997 concluded that 'on the whole the rights of the Russian-speaking minorities are observed and safeguarded', the legal status of these living relics of the Soviet period remains controversial. A resolution of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, adopted on 13 June 2002, criticised the protection of national minorities in Estonia. In the lead-up to the December 2003 parliamentary elections, the Russian Duma adopted a resolution 'on gross violations of human and minority rights in the Republic of Latvia'. Dmitry Rogozin, chairman of the Parliamentarian Committee on International Relations, announced that Russia should consider the weapon of economic sanctions to put pressure on the Baltic state, which he described as 'a land of hooligans' where 'Nazis have come to power'. Whereas these statements have to be situated within the context of the ongoing election campaign, the remarks of Alvaro Gil-Robles, European Council Commissioner for Human Rights, are to be taken more serious. During his visit to Riga in October 2003, the High Commissioner criticized the lack of citizenship for more than twenty per cent of Latvia's population and recommended the granting of voting rights to non-citizens in municipal elections. On the other hand, Günter Verheugen, EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement, declared that Latvia fulfils all the criteria in the field of societal integration and has complied with all international requirements regarding its ethnic minorities.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution and Ethnic Conflict
Political Geography:
Russia and Europe

93. Institutionalizing Ethnicity in the Western Balkans: Managing Change in Deeply Divided Societies

Author:
Florian Bieber
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Ethnic politics continue to dominate political discourse and institutions in the post-conflict regions of former Yugoslavia (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia). This has rendered these regions dependent on external intervention and blocked or delayed political and economic development, including the process of integration into European and Euroatlantic structures. Some of the post-conflict arrangements have rightfully come under criticism—both from within and outside the region—as obstacles in the normalization of ethnic relations. While the status quo needs revision and a different approach to institutional design is required, this paper argues against abandoning groupbased institutions altogether. Instead, it argues for a more dynamic and processoriented approach to accommodate ever-changing interethnic relations.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution, Ethnic Conflict, and War
Political Geography:
Europe, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Macedonia

94. Violence in Kosovo and the Way Ahead

Author:
Harald Schenker
Publication Date:
03-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The events of 17-19 March 2004 have shocked both the international community and local institutions: protests against the alleged killing of three ethnic Albanian children escalated into violent clashes between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, and clashes with the international peacekeeping forces in Kosovo, UN Police and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). The past four years seemed to be characterised by relatively positive developments in Kosovo. However, the recent troubles that left over 28 civilians and 1 KFOR soldier dead and hundreds wounded, 3,600 Serbs displaced, 30 Serbian churches and 200 Serbian houses destroyed, show that current policies on the international and local sides will have to be examined and revised and that, generally, much remains to be done in Kosovo for sustainable peace and genuine development. The fact that Kosovo Albanian leaders were as surprised by the events as the international community seems to indicate that the origins of the event are to be found below the political level and beyond the control of the political parties. In spite of their public appeals to stop the violence, the leadership failed to fully acknowledge responsibility and to deal with events appropriately, without relating the violence to issues of independence and transfer of competences. The events also indicate that the optimistic analysis of Kosovo’s current situation needs revisiting. Consequently, security policy and relations between the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions of SelfGovernment (PISG) have to be reconsidered. It is too early to tell what exactly will be the consequences of events on UNMIK and PISG policies and activities, especially regarding the standards implementation plan and, more generally, the future of the province. A careful review of the political and security situation and of the roles of the parties involved should be encouraged.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Conflict, Violence, and Diversity
Political Geography:
Europe and Kosovo

95. Cyprus after the Failure of the Annan-Plan

Author:
Jan Asmussen
Publication Date:
06-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
On 24 April 2004 Greek and Turkish Cypriots decided in separate simultaneous referenda on whether or not Cyprus would join the European Union on 1 May 2004. While 64.91% of Turkish Cypriots accepted the Annan Plan, an overwhelming majority of 75.83% of Greek Cypriots rejected the UN blueprint. The extent of the Greek Cypriot “Oxi”(No) brought an end to a large scale effort by the United Nations Secretary-General to broker a final deal for a solution of the “oldest item continuously on the peacemaking agenda”.1 Apart from the UN, the United States (Special envoy: Thomas Weston), the United Kingdom (Special envoy: (Sir David Hannay) and the European Union have constantly observed and tried to facilitate the process. Consequently, there has been a great deal of disappointment among those engaged in finding a solution. The most outspoken comment came from EU Enlargement Commissioner, Günter Verheugen who on 21 April declared that he felt “cheated” by the Greek Cypriot Government. Kofi Annan’s latest report clearly puts most of the blame for the failure on the Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, and his government and stresses that “if the Greek Cypriots are ready to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots in a federal structure based on political equality, this needs to be demonstrated, not just in word, but in action.”3 Apparently, the international community never took the possibility of such an outcome into consideration. As a result, both the EU and the UN concentrated on pressuring the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey to accept the UN Plan. At the same time no efforts were made to secure a more positive attitude by the Greek Cypriot leadership. Today the international community is in a stage of shock and has clearly not developed an alternative plan to cope with the new situation.
Topic:
International Cooperation, United Nations, Minorities, European Union, Leadership, Ethnicity, Diversity, and Peace
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus

96. A New Challenge for Kosovo’s Emerging Democracy. November 2004.

Author:
Adrian Zeqiri
Publication Date:
11-2004
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
On 23 October 2004, elections for the central institutions of Kosovo were held for the second time. According to CoE and OSCE observers, the elections were held in a free and fair environment and there were no irregularities in the process. Shortly after the publication of the election results, LDK (the largest party) and AAK, (a party stemming from former KLA structures) announced their decision to form a coalition government. This decision points to a number of new factors that may shape future political developments in Kosovo, set against a backdrop of urgent Standards implementation and future status negotiations. The NATO-led intervention in 1999 established the territory as a UN protectorate, under charge of the international community in all major spheres of life. Since then Kosovo has seen a gradual empowerment of local institutions over a period of four elections, both municipal and central. The 2004 central elections were organized largely by local institutions, reflecting the ability of Kosovo actors to successfully adopt responsibility for the running of the territory. Unlike the previous broad-based coalition government emerging from the 2001 elections, the recent agreement between LDK and AAK sees parties taking up positions of power and opposition within the new assembly. This constellation presents a new challenge for the fragile political environment of Kosovo. The international community may now be faced with a more confrontational political landscape and the more politicized Albanian politicians will be tested to function within this new arrangement. This report serves to analyse the election results and their implications for the formation of a Kosovo assembly. It will further discuss the impact of these developments in the current and upcoming intensive political period in Kosovo.
Topic:
Development, Minorities, Elections, and Democracy
Political Geography:
Europe and Kosovo

97. The Spectre of Territorial Division and the Ohrid Agreement

Author:
Eben Friedman
Publication Date:
06-2003
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Should stalling win out over implementation of the Framework Agreement, support within the ethnic Albanian population for radical groups outside of politics could increase, and recent converts to the political process might be propelled back into the realm of violent action.12 If non-implementation risks provoking violence on the part of segments of the ethnic Albanian population, however, so is inexpert implementation of the Framework Agreement likely to encourage violence on the part of radical ethnic Macedonian groups anxious to capitalize on popular discontent associated not only with the terms of the Framework Agreement, but also with the country’s dire economic situation. Moreover, both of these scenarios are likely to increase support for proposals to partition Macedonia, the liabilities of which have been discussed above. Thus, given the alternatives, it is crucial that the provisions of the Framework Agreement be implemented competently and in a timely manner.
Topic:
Minorities, Ethnicity, Conflict, Borders, and Diversity
Political Geography:
Europe and Macedonia

98. Kosovo/a Standing Technical Working Group, Training Workshop and Study Visit - Council of Europe

Author:
Graham Holliday
Publication Date:
11-2002
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
A joint study visit and training workshop was organized by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Political Affairs at the Council of Europe (CoE). This workshop took place at the CoE headquarters in Strasbourg between 18 and 21 November 2002, and brought together approximately forty local experts from Kosovo and sixteen officials of the CoE. The general aim of the study visit/training workshop was to increase awareness of different dimensions of the CoE's work on standard setting and technical assistance in Europe, within the framework of building democratic and inclusive institutions. Special attention was paid in the training sessions of the workshop to raising awareness of international standards on minority and human rights legislation and protection, but provision was also made to cover other aspects of democracy building that were of particular interest to the project participants, such as evolving standards and good practice in local governance, social cohesion and education. The workshop further provided a forum for the participants to discuss the applicability of these standards to the Western Balkans, and to the future development of Kosovo in particular.
Topic:
Civil Society, Democratization, and Development
Political Geography:
Europe

99. Kosovo/a Standing Technical Working Group, Fourteenth Meeting: Kosovo's Health Care System: Invasive Procedure Needed

Author:
Robert Curis
Publication Date:
07-2002
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The 14th meeting of the Standing Technical Working Group (STWG) organized by the European Centre for Minority Issues, Kosovo, on 17 July 2003 brought together approximately 25 local and international experts on issues of health and social welfare in an open Civic Forum. The aim of the forum was to generate critical dialogue between party representatives and Assembly members, members of civil society, and a team of experts on key issues of health policy development, debating needs for reform and highlighting areas of particular attention.
Topic:
Civil Society, Development, and Human Welfare
Political Geography:
Europe

100. Kosovo/a Standing Technical Working Group, Thirteenth Meeting: Integration Returns

Author:
Robert Curis
Publication Date:
06-2002
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The International Community should concentrate its efforts on the process of returns rather than looking to the numbers of individual returnees. . The present authorities (Provisional Institutions of Self Government – PISG – and United Nations Mission In Kosovo) should be assisted in promoting the right of all Internally Displaced Persons to return to their homes or remain in their present domicile, through ensuring the necessary social, institutional and legal preconditions for minorities to remain in Kosovo. This will help in promoting confidence building and dialogue that work toward reconciliation and tolerance between communities. . Financial assistance should be given towards organizing a proper education system for young people – if the process of returns targets only older people the effectiveness of the process is at stake. Financial support for returns should continue to be provided. Financial and technical assistance should be provided to finish projects begun in the last few years (reconstruction of houses, etc.)
Topic:
Civil Society, Development, and Economics
Political Geography:
Europe