International studies, Vol. IV No. 3-4, 2004.
Conference paper
Concepts, Models, and Mechanism of Political Representation of National Minorities and Integration Policy
Mitja Žagar
; Director, Institut for National Questions (Ljubljana, Slovenia) and university professor at the Law Faculty and Faculty for the Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana
Abstract
The author presents, in short, some of the characteristics of contemporary democracy as it is being defined by different authors, and also offers some questions and standards for national minorities protection. In this context, the author mentions several concepts, models and mechanisms for the representation of national minorities. The author's hypothesis is based upon the fact that status and protection of national minorities, as well as their political participation must be regulated in such a way so that that they can be, on the basis of generally accepted standards, as adjusted as possible to the specific needs and interests of particular minorities communities. It means that some solutions and models can't be easily and non critical transported from one sphere into another, or automatically adapted to different situations. It also means that during the creation and conduction of certain solutions, the situation, characteristics and needs of the particular surroundings and communities, as well as their interests and demands, must be taken into consideration.
Keywords
democracy; national minorities; political participation
Hrčak ID:
287137
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2004.
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