Synopses & Reviews
Minority languages are part of Europe's shared cultural heritage and there is a broad consensus that it is important to protect and encourage linguistic and cultural diversity during the process of continuing European integration. But what legislative and policy instruments can be effective? Are there conflicts between language rights and the social policy demands of nation building? How are general European concerns reflected or challenged within individual countries? This volume illustrates the intellectually productive debate among sociolinguists, linguistic anthropologists, political scientists, lawyers, language activists and policy makers. The contributions focus on the current status of minority languages within a 'Europe of the regions', the future prospects for minority languages in the continuing process of European integration, and the effectiveness or otherwise of current national and European frameworks in ensuring future linguistic and cultural diversity.
Review
"This book is a ...must...for those interested in multilingualism, language planning and language policy, whether teachers, students, politicians and scholars in the field. I recommend '
Minority Languages in Europe' not only because of its timeliness and relevance, but also because of its multidisciplinary approach to a better understanding of language conflicts in Europe."--Professor Dr. Peter H. Nelde, Director of the Research Centre on Multilingualism, University of K.U.Brussels
Review
'This book provides a highly useful interdisciplinary treatment of the challenges and opportunities confronting minority languages in Europe. Although problem spots change over time, some fundamental questions keep resurfacing, and the legal and institutional approaches in the first chapters of this volume offer a well-balanced introduction to essential aspects of minority language issues. The general papers are complemented by careful case studies, and this book is destined to remain a valuable resource for students and scholars in years to come.' -
François Grin, University of Geneva'Important reading for anyone interested in minority languages, in particular recent developments in Central Europe. The chapters in the book represent a good overview of the current debates on language rights, linguistic diversity and efforts at protection and promotion by international treaties and organizations. It is a rich and fascinating collection which adds a number of in-depth case-studies on German minorities, national minorities in the Baltic states and the Romani language. Those are minorities that have not received much attention in the literature thusfar and these contributions will not get outdated easily. The book sheds real light on issues of minority languages and language policy.' - Dr Durk Gorter, Ikerbasque research professor, University of the Basque Country
'This book is a...must...for those interested in multilingualism, language planning and language policy, whether teachers, students, politicians and scholars in the field. I recommend Minority Languages in Europe not only because of its timeliness and relevance, but also because of its multidisciplinary approach to a better understanding of language conflicts in Europe.' - Professor Dr. Peter H. Nelde, Director of the Research Centre on Multilingualism, University of K.U.Brussels
'This is a timely work which contains a fascinating discussion of key areas in managing Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity. It may contribute in theoretical and empirical terms to a better understanding of the challenges facing the new Europe, and the legal and political imperatives for diversity.' - Dr Fernand De Varennes, Senior Lecturer, Murdoch University School of Law, Western Australia
Synopsis
Minority languages in Europe, as part of a common cultural heritage, need protection. The contributions to this book reflect urgent, stimulating and productive debates among researchers in sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, politics and sociology, and among language activists and policy makers. At the heart of the debate are the effectiveness of the existing political and legal frameworks aimed at protecting linguistic and cultural diversity, and prospects for the survival of minority languages in the process of European integration.
About the Author
GABRIELLE HOGAN-BRUN FIL is Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, UK. Her research fields are language and migration, language ideologies, language policy, with particular focus on Central/Eastern Europe. Among her main recent publications are
Language Policies and Practices in the Baltic States (with U. Ozolins, M. Ramoniene and M. Rannut, in polity series of "Current Issues in Language Planning," 2007), the guest-edited the special journal issues "Language and Social Processes in the Baltic States surrounding EU Accession" (in
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2005), and "Baltic Sociolinguistic Review" (in
Journal of Baltic Studies, 2005). She is Editor of the journal
Current Issues in Language Planning, and of the book series Palgrave Studies in Minority Languages and Communities. She has also directed the British Academy funded Baltic Language and Integration Network (BLaIN; www.blain-online.org).
STEFAN WOLFF is Professor of Political Science at the University of Nottingham, UK, where he also directs the Centre for International Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution. He has written extensively on ethnic conflict and conflict resolution, and his publications include Disputed Territories: The Transnational Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict Settlement (2002), Managing and Settling Ethnic Conflicts (2002, with Ulrich Schneckener), The Ethnopolitical Encyclopaedia of Europe (2004, with Karl Cordell), Autonomy, Self-governance and Conflict Resolution (2005, with Marc Weller), and Ethnic Conflict: A Global Perspective (2006). He is co-chair of the Specialist Group on Ethnopolitics of the UK's Political Studies Association and the founding editor of the group's journal Ethnopolitics.
Table of Contents
List of Tables and figures
Preface
Acknowledgements
Notes on Contributors
PART I: INTRODUCTION
Minority Languages in Europe: An Introduction to the Current Debate; G.Hogan-Brun& S.Wolff
When Language is 'Just Symbolic': Reconsidering the Significance of Language to the Politics of Identity; C.O'Reilly
PART II: LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORKS
Devising an Adequate System of Minority Protection in the Area of Language Rights; K.Henrard
Facilitating or Generating Linguistic Diversity: The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; M.N.Craith
The Practitioner's Perspective: Minority Languages and Linguistic Minorities in the Work of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; J.Packer
PART III: CASE STUDIES
Ethnic Germans as a Language Minority in Central and Eastern Europe: Legislative and Policy Frameworks in Poland, Hungary and Romania; K.Cordell& S.Wolff
Baltic National Minorities in a Transitional Setting; G.Hogan-Brun
Politics and Language Rights: A Case Study of Language Politics in Croatia; V.Pupavac
'Minor' Needs or the Ambiguous Power of Translation; C.Millán-Varela
On Policies and Prospects for British Sign Language; G.H. Turner
The Changing Status of Romani in Europe; D.W.Halwachs
PART IV: CONCLUSION
Language, Nationalism and Democracy in Europe; S.May
Index