Image ©Eurac Research | Chiara Mariz

This book is called the Protection of Minorities in Europe and it is an ABC, nothing more, and nothing less. As such, it has 26 entries and is organised in a modular fashion, making it a quick read. It is not exhaustive, but stimulating, not academic in depth, but connective in width. The entries cover various topics pertaining to minority protection in Europe with special attention devoted to the traditional, or so-called “national” minorities, while immigrants, indigenous peoples, homosexuals and transsexuals, as well as linguistic and religious minorities are also part of the discourse. The many cross-references placed within parentheses (→ keyword) highlight the connections, making the big picture visible.

The book was first published in German by Böhlau in 2010. In 2011 around 200 persons joined at the official presentation of the book in the Austrian Parliament and since then it has received a lot of positive feedback. Martha Stocker, former Vice President of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) even went so far as to say “this small book is big enough to be read by as many persons as possible – we have to make it available in English!”.

Book authors: Gabriel N. Toggenburg and Günther Rautz (Vienna and Bozen/Bolzano, May 2012). To order the book online, go to: https://bit.ly/3pitnOC

Autonomies:

Europe’s Prime Examples

Business and Economic Crises:

The Social Integration of Minorities

Case Studies:

Selected Minority Situations in Europe

Discrimination:

Of Equality and its Absence

Education:

Minorities in Schools and Universities

Formal Equality is Not Enough:

Positive Action is Needed

Grisons:

The Rhaeto-Romans in Europe

Homo- and Transsexuals:

The “other” Minorities

Indigenous Peoples:

The Sami and Inuit

Judiciary:

The Role of Courts in Minority Protection

Kaleidoscope of Demographic Change:

Immigration and its Challenges

Lisbon Treaty:

New Developments in the EU System

Media:

Minorities and Public Perception

NGOs:

Minorities and Civil Society

Organisations:

The Roles of the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the EU

Participation:

How Minorities Engage in Society

Quota and Proportional Systems:

Preliminary Compensation for Past Discrimination

Roma:

An European Minority

Speaking of Languages:

The Role of Lesser-spoken Languages

Transnational Cooperation:

The Transnational Nature of Minority Protection

Uncounted:

The Problem of Minority Enumeration

Veil:

Religious Diversity and Islam in Europe

What is a “Minority”?:

National, Ethnic, Autochthonous, Linguistic?

Xenophobia:

Combating Racism

Yin and Yang:

In the Protection of Minorities

Zero Tolerance:

The Effects of Population Relocation and Ethnic Cleansing