Managing Diversity

The protection of minorities is widely recognized as a precondition not only for the effective implementation of the human rights of minority group members but also for the stability of states and peace between states. The files of international organizations attest to how unresolved minority problems can tip over into conflicts with hundreds of thousands of victims, including internally displaced persons and refugees.

"Management of Diversity - a fresh look at an old problem" contains a position paper and essays by experts on minority protection. The experts consider different perspectives and conceptual approaches and analyze several paradigmatic cases. They believe that the focus should be on empowering ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, based on the free development of their identities and the promotion of diversity in a pluralistic society. They argue that enhanced protection of minorities might contribute to a world with less violence and poverty.

This volume combines international law and constitutional law perspectives, providing information, diagnosis and ideas concerning minorities’ situations. It is intended not only for specialists but also for a wider circle of readers in the hope that they gain insights that will enable them to find new ways to cope with minority problems in Europe and beyond.