The chapter analyzes the importance of the Bolzano recommendations of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities for the development of the international protection of national minorities and European standards of minority protection. As so called “soft law” these recommendations establish the standards of the protection and treatment of national minorities by the states considering the contacts and relations of those minorities with their kin nations and states as well as the relations and treatment of states with their kin national minorities in neighboring countries, thereby contributing to the prevention of conflicts between those countries. The chapter can be considered a contribution to the development of the theory and standards of international protection of national minorities.
F.31 Development of standards
COBISS.SI-ID: 11931981The monograph provides an insight into the unique and at the same time not well known mix of cultural, linguistic, ethnic and other social features, which are present among the inhabitants of four villages in the south of Bela Krajina. This border area due to Uskok origin of indigenous inhabitants in these respects differs from the surrounding area for centuries, though the situation does not remain static. The monograph is the result of years of research in this area and seeks to answer the following questions in particular: Can the population of these villages be regarded as articulated national community with all the features that are generally regarded as a necessary condition for recognition of an ethnic group as a national minority in international practice? Does this population desire the status of a national minority and does it possess adequate social vitality that would enable it to exercise the minority rights in case of recognition of the status of a national minority? Translation of the monograph in the Serbian language provides for the dissemination of the results of the scientific research of the INV/IES to a wider interested public in the international arena, particularly in the area of former Yugoslavia. After two presentations of the publication in Belgrade and Niš we got many positive responses to the monograph from the Serbian academic community and the wider public.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 12337997Council of Europe contracted the authors to draft the report on constitutional, legislative and institutional framework in Albania pertaining to the situation of national minorities that shall focus also on the gap between the normative arrangements and the actual situation in specific spheres of life. The report follows the structure and formal logic of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM); it detects and analyzes the key problems indicated by the analysis in different spheres of life. In addition to the indication and description of problems, the analysis suggests also some possible recommendations and measures that could contribute to the improvement of the situation and rights of national minorities and persons belonging to them that shall be discussed by the Council of Europe and Albanian Government in the process of dialogue. This analysis and its practical implications represent a direct transfer of research and scholarly findings and results into social practice, politics and normative arrangements of the country pertaining to the situation and rights of national minorities in Albania.
F.23 Development of new system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
COBISS.SI-ID: 12501837This chapter presents the research results on cultural aspects and life of the Slovenian national minority in Italy, comparing it to other minorities in Central Europe. It consists of a comparative study in the field of culture of 18 autochthonous minorities living in 6 European states (Slovenia, Italy Hungary, Romania, Austria, Slovakia), including the Slovenian national minority in Italy. It devotes special attention to the attractiveness of the minority culture both for the minority and the majority population. Moreover, it explores the ability of the minority culture to attract youth. Finally, it compares the financial provisions regarding the cultural activities of the minorities under scrutiny. The findings of this comparative study are directly applicable in the elaboration and execution of minority and cultural policies.
D.06 Final report on a foreign/international project
COBISS.SI-ID: 12063053This scholarly article examines the possibilities of utilizing regionalism (particularly in SE Europe) as possible tools for successful diversity management in plural and diverse contemporary societies. It stresses that regionalism as a specific form of territorial autonomy should be considered one of concepts and mechanisms that could be used in concert with other concepts and mechanisms (such as e.g., nonterritorial autonomies). Successful strategies of diversity management and policies should create and provide stable conditions and framework for coexistence and equal cooperation in those societies. In his analysis the author pays particular attention to possible introduction territorial and nonterritorial autonomies, regionalism and federalism and their applicability in South Eastern Europe. Successful diversity management seems to be particularly important in divided societies, where there appears to be a greater likelihood of possible escalation of conflicts. Concluding sections, written as a policy paper, offer general strategic recommendations for the countries of the region, particularly addressed to the governments and civic society actors indicating the possible steps and activities that can contribute to the promotion and introduction of regionalism and autonomies in these countries, thereby contributing also to peace and stability in Europe. The article was written based on the paper presented at the international scholarly and political conference in Serbia upon the invitation of editors.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 12434253