Journals / Adam Akademi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2014 / Cilt: 4 - Sayı: 2
Multiculturalism in Europe and the Balkans
- Pages
- 13–26
- DOI
- —
Abstract
This study discusses the process of recognition of ethnic and cultural diversity in Europe and the Balkans. While European states, under the framework of protecting national domestic minorities pursuant to “European Heritage” on the basis of ethnicity and culture, the others favored to “integrate” international minorities to society. This distinction is nothing but an externalized and institutionalized form of “we”-“they” or “us”-“them” distinction having persistently occupied European mentality as early as the dawn of imperialism till present day. Although in Balkans multiculturalism has at all times existed as a reality, it has not necessarily been viewed as a positive concept from an ideological and political dimension. Multiculturalism phenomenon has been overshadowed by the process termed Balkanization. Upon the short-term trials in Europe and instabilities & conflicts having emerged in Balkans after Cold War, European public has, with the initiatives of European Council, secured an international protection on domestic minorities. Thus they have in a way limited multiculturalism with domestic minorities. In that respect, in political and legal texts on both international and national scale they started to draw definite distinctions between domestic minorities and international minorities. Keywords: Multiculturalism, Europe, Balkans, Integration, Balkanization, Immigrant and Domestic Minorities.
Özet
This study discusses the process of recognition of ethnic and cultural diversity in Europe and the Balkans. While European states, under the framework of protecting national domestic minorities pursuant to “European Heritage” on the basis of ethnicity and culture, the others favored to “integrate” international minorities to society. This distinction is nothing but an externalized and institutionalized form of “we”-“they” or “us”-“them” distinction having persistently occupied European mentality as early as the dawn of imperialism till present day. Although in Balkans multiculturalism has at all times existed as a reality, it has not necessarily been viewed as a positive concept from an ideological and political dimension. Multiculturalism phenomenon has been overshadowed by the process termed Balkanization. Upon the short-term trials in Europe and instabilities & conflicts having emerged in Balkans after Cold War, European public has, with the initiatives of European Council, secured an international protection on domestic minorities. Thus they have in a way limited multiculturalism with domestic minorities. In that respect, in political and legal texts on both international and national scale they started to draw definite distinctions between domestic minorities and international minorities. Keywords: Multiculturalism, Europe, Balkans, Integration, Balkanization, Immigrant and Domestic Minorities.