Minority Languages in Europe Frameworks, Status, Prospects

by Hogan-Brun, Gabrielle; Wolff, Stefan

• ISBN13: 9780230217034
• ISBN10: 0230217036
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-15
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

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.

Author Biography

GABRIELLE HOGAN-BRUN is Research Fellow in Language Studies at the
University of Bristol. Her publications in sociolinguistics include numerous articles on the language situation in the Baltic, and on the German language. She is the author of National Varieties of German Outside Germany (2001). She runs the British Academy funded Baltic Language and Integration Network (BlaIN).

STEFAN WOLFF is Lecturer in the Department of European Studies, University of Bath, UK. He has written extensively on a wide range of ethnopolitical issues, and his publications include Disputed Territories: The Transnational Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict Settlement (2002), Peace at Last? The Impact of the Good Friday Agreement on Northern Ireland (2002, with Jrg Neuheiser) and Managing and Settling Ethnic Conflicts (2002, with Ulrich Schneckner).

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