Minorities
The New Europe's Old Issue
Description:... Carnage in the former Yugoslavia, the break-up of Czechoslovakia, the return of anti-Semitism throughout Eastern Europe, attacks on foreigners in Germany, indeed the resurgence of xenophobic nationalism in many parts of the continent, east and west. All of this lends testimony to the fact that attitudes towards, and in some cases the behavior of, minorities is once again threatening the political stability of Europe. The question of minority rights - if minorities should enjoy group rights and if so what the concomitant responsibilities are - is one that lies at the center of the political debate in Europe. The contributors to Minorities: The New Europe's Old Issue address virtually all of the ethnic questions that threaten post-Cold War Europe's security. The studies include examination of country-specific groups such as ethnic Russians in the "near abroad" (successor states in the Former Soviet Union) and the political development of minorities in Bulgaria, discussion of the situation of one prominent transnational minority - the Jews, the role of both international institutions and governments (including local governments) in alleviating inter-ethnic tension and safeguarding minority rights and a provocative piece on the international terrorism that could arise if the minority questions are not settled.
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