Teorijski i kontekstualni problemi manjinske politke
THEORETICAL AND CONTEXTUAL ISSUES OF ETHNIC MINORITY POLICIES

Author(s): Tibor Pap
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Civil Society, Sociology, Government/Political systems, Electoral systems, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: identity politics; Luhmann’s social theory; minority theory; minority policy; political theory welfare state
Summary/Abstract: The primary aim of the present text is to develop theoretical foundations of ethnic minority policies in the context of political theory. It seems that the theoretical framework of this area is not sufficiently developed yet: it is primarily a question of the social situation of minority communities. Although this is constantly being discussed, there is little talk about the sources that create the minority situation. Politics is behind these forces. This is not just about bad – not democratic – politics. As long as unintentional negative consequences of economy policies are acknowledged and a separate tool, social policy, serves to mitigate them, we do not assume a similar connection between majority decision-making and the minority situation. In order to present this connection, it is necessary to elaborate the minority theory in detail. I start from the premise that the minority situation is a derivative of majority, ‘natural’, decision-making. In this sense, good policy can also lead to inequalities. These induce tasks that fall within the competence of the majority state. While the tasks that arise in the context of national cohesion (identity policy) are the subject of national policy. The effectiveness of minority policy largely depends on the extent to which the majority state intends to act as a partner in its implementation. Does it help or hinder the establishment of institutions that are essential for minority policy? Are there any minority policy institutions at all, and if so, how independent are they? Is there a properly trained team of professionals to solve minority problems? The Serbian model of personal autonomy, the institution of national councils, promises a constitutive solution that can also have a positive impact on negotiations with the EU. All these results should be discussed on a theoretical basis, and not just as a local feature.

• Details
• Contents