New Nation States And National Minorities

CONTENTS.

The twentieth century saw the emergence of new states shaped on the classic nation-state model. How has this model been moulded and implemented? What have been the implications for minorities in these new nation-states? And how have minorities responded to nationalising processes? Following a discussion by Rogers Brubaker of his concept of nationalising state, contributions to this volume examine the dynamic relations between national minorities and nation-states established in the course of the last century, including Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, Malaysia and Israel. This book’s original theoretical framework and comparative approach offer a new understanding of the complex interactions between the formulation of a state identity and the aspirations of those who do not fit in the proclaimed core nation. In light of recent developments in ‒ notably ‒ Ukraine and Israel, this book is essential reading for all those interested in the rights and protection of national minorities and, more broadly, in the debates over the definition of the polity in a tense environment.

The author deals with the problem in political theory of how modern nation states must be structured in order to realise the two separate goals of equality of opportunity and the recognition of cultural diversity between groups. Subsequent chapters argue against a number of West European critics for a society of this type and the concept of multiculturalism is developed as it is applied in other contexts in Eastern Europe and North America.

Why was there such a far-reaching consensus concerning the utopian goal of national homogeneity in the first half of the twentieth century? Ethnic cleansing is analyzed here as a result of the formation of democratic nation-states, the international order based on them, and European modernity in general. Almost all mass-scale population removals were rationally and precisely organized and carried out in cold blood, with revenge, hatred and other strong emotions playing only a minor role. This book not only considers the majority of population removals which occurred in Eastern Europe, but is also an encompassing, comparative study including Western Europe, interrogating the motivations of Western statesmen and their involvement in large-scale population removals. It also reaches beyond the European continent and considers the reverberations of colonial rule and ethnic cleansing in the former British colonies.

Ethnic diversity is on increase in Europe; at the same time, there is evidence of growing anti-immigrant feeling in some countries, such as Spain (especially in the Southern provinces). In order to build a politically united and democratic Europe, the accommodation of ethnic diversity and the integration of ethnic minorities are both key challenges. This book tries to explain ethnic problems in Europe.

This book explores a largely forgotten legacy of multicultural political thought and practice from within Eastern Europe and examines its relevance to post-Cold War debates on state and nationhood. Featuring a Preface by former UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke, it weaves theory and practice to challenge established understandings of the nation state. Eastern Europe is still too often viewed through the prism of ethnic conflict, which overlooks the region’s positive contribution to modern debates on the political management of ethno-cultural diversity, and towards the construction of a united Europe ‘beyond the nation-state’. Based on extensive archival research in Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Russia, as well as the League of Nations Archive in Geneva, this book explores this neglected multicultural legacy and assesses its significance in the post-Cold War era, which has seen the reappearance of national cultural autonomy laws in several states of Eastern Europe. Ethnic Diversity and the Nation State is invaluable reading for students and scholars of political science, history, sociology and European studies, and also for policy makers and others interested in minority rights and ethnic conflict regulation.

In This Collection Leading Academics And Intellectuals Reflect Upon The Concept Of A Minority And Examine Minority Rights In A Historical And Comparative Political Perspective, Covering The Experiences Of Minorities In India, China, The Eastwhile Soviet Union And Bangladesh.