National cultural autonomy and linguistic rights in Central and Eastern Europe

Prina, F. , Smith, D. J. and Molnar Sansum, J. (2019) National cultural autonomy and linguistic rights in Central and Eastern Europe. In: Hogan-Brun, G. and O'Rourke, B. (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Minority Languages and Communities. Palgrave Macmillan: London, pp. 181-205. ISBN 9781137540652 (doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-54066-9_7)

Abstract

The theory and practice of national cultural autonomy (NCA) are examined from the perspective of national minorities’ linguistic rights in four countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): Hungary, Estonia, Serbia and Russia. The idea of NCA dates back to the end of the nineteenth century and is based on the principle of ethnic communities’ autonomy—within a multi-ethnic state—to manage their own linguistic and cultural affairs. The notion of NCA was rediscovered in the 1990s and incorporated into the law and practice of the said four countries. Using a comparative approach, the chapter reflects upon NCA’s potential contribution in advancing the linguistic rights of national minorities in CEE. It concludes that, while the actual autonomy afforded to minority institutions in CEE is often restricted, NCA may serve as a platform to articulate concerns of great salience to national minorities, encompassing minority participation and multilingual education.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Molnar Sansum, Dr Judit and Prina, Dr Federica and Smith, Professor David
• Authors: Prina, F., Smith, D. J., and Molnar Sansum, J.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• ISBN: 9781137540652
• Published Online: 12 December 2018
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 The Authors
• First Published: First published in The Palgrave Handbook of Minority Languages and Communities: 181-205
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
63246	1	National Minority Rights & Democratic Political Community: Practices of Non-territorial Cultural Autonomy in Contemporary Central and Easter Europe	David Smith	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/L007126/1	SPS - CENTRAL & EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES