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- Title
National Minority participation: lessons for developed democracies from less developed democracies?
- Authors
Fearon, Catherine
- Abstract
The article examines the most effective means by which democracies can insure effective minority participation in the governmental decision-making process. The processes created in the aftermath of sectarian and ethnic conflict in Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina are explored. The international legal instruments created for those countries by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are described, along with their guiding principle that failure to insure national minority rights can undermine international security. The arrangements to guarantee minority rights and some degree of power in the governments of Northern Ireland and Bosnia-Herzegovina, while cumbersome, have succeeded in their main aim whatever the cost to efficient decision making. The structures employed by those countries could be of use to more developed democracies struggling with the issues posed by new minority populations created by immigration.
- Subjects
REPRESENTATIVE government -- Law &; legislation; DECISION making in political science; NORTHERN Ireland politics &; government, 1994-; BOSNIA &; Herzegovina politics &; government, 1992-; MINORITY voting rights; PROPORTIONAL representation
- Publication
Helsinki Monitor, 2007, Vol 18, Issue 3, p237
- ISSN
0925-0972
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1163/157181407782177130