News from the ECMI InfoChannel

2023-11-27

ECMI Minorities Blog. Francophone, Francophile, and Gallo-Romance peripheries in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley

Mattia Bottino

The blog post discusses the linguistic and cultural peculiarities of Piedmont and the Aosta Valley, two regions that have historically straddled France and Italy. It provides a brief historical linguistic overview of the development of Gallo-Romance languages (French, Franco-Provençal, and Occitan) in these regions. The piece describes the Francophile and Francophone orientation of Piedmont throughout its history, as well as the belated introduction of Tuscan (Italian). It stresses the singularity of Piedmontese, and its close linguistic relation to neighbouring Gallo-Romance languages. Against this background, the text assesses the current state and vitality of Franco- and Gallo-Romance peripheries within the borders of Italy, and explains how such identities have evolved, been reshaped or become politicized. Primordialist and constructivist perspectives on national (and minority) identities are combined to better understand the development, decay, and reconfiguration of linguistic and cultural identities in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley.

2023-11-24

Senior Researcher Felix Schulte Explores Territorial Autonomy and Ethnic Conflict Resolution at Åland Islands Peace Institute

In a recent visit to the Åland Islands Peace Institute, Senior Researcher Felix Schulte addressed members of the Åland regional parliament and presented his research at the Institute's research seminar.

2023-11-07

ECMI Senior Researcher Andreea Cârstocea's Crucial Role in Crafting OSCE High Commissioner's Recommendations

In a significant milestone, Andreea Cârstocea, an ECMI senior researcher, played a pivotal role in the development of the Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life. The recommendations were officially launched on 24 October during the 30th Anniversary Conference of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

2023-10-23

ECMI Minorities Blog. From Acquisition to Activation: How Language Planning Can Promote New Speakers’ Minority Language Use

Ruth Kircher & Mirjam Vellinga

New speakers (individuals acquiring minority languages outside the home, typically later on in life) can make important contributions to minority language revitalisation. However, this can only happen if they become active and frequent users of the minority languages they have learnt. In many contexts, this is not the case. Taking Frisian in Fryslân as a case study, this blog post examines new speakers’ activation (the process by which they become active and habitual minority language users) – focusing specifically on how this is affected by traditional minority language speakers’ behaviours. The findings highlight how the complex dynamics between traditional and new speakers can hinder the latter’s activation. The blog post discusses the implications of these findings, concluding that there is a need for prestige planning to ameliorate intergroup relations – and thereby foster new speakers’ activation and promote minority language revitalisation.

2023-10-16

Politics & Civil Society Cluster Representatives Attend ELEN General Assembly in Cagliari

The European Centre for Minority Issues, through its Politics & Civil Society cluster, participated in the European Language Equality Network’s (ELEN) General Assembly held in Cagliari. ELEN, a network dedicated to promoting and safeguarding European lesser-used languages, hosted the assembly in the presence of esteemed international organizations, calling for Italy to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML).

2023-10-13

ECMI Researcher Andreea Cârstocea Addresses OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference

ECMI Senior Researcher Andreea Cârstocea delivered a presentation at the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on October 11, 2023. The conference, organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), focused on critical human rights and minority issues.

2023-09-27

Von der Forschung zur Sprachplanung: ECMI Forscherin Ruth Kircher stellt politischen Vertretern der Provinz Fryslân ihre Forschungsergebnisse vor und spricht Empfehlungen aus

Erst kürzlich haben wir von Ruths Forschung im Bereich intergenerationaler Sprachweitergabe innerhalb der Familie berichtet. Ihr Forschungsspektrum bezieht sich jedoch nicht nur auf die Weitergabe von Minderheitensprachen durch Muttersprachler*innen an ihre Kinder, sondern (unter anderem) auch auf das Phänomen der new speakers und ihren Einfluss auf Minderheitensprachen. Zusammen mit Mirjam Vellinga von der Allgemeinen Friesischen Bildungskommission (Afûk), hat die Wissenschaftlerin einen Bericht über diese Forschung für die Regierung der Provinz Fryslân verfasst. Dieser spricht auch forschungsbasierte Empfehlungen für zukünftige Sprachplanung aus und wurde kürzlich besprochen.

2023-09-15

Craig Willis Presents Research on the Embrace of TikTok by Catalan Media Outlets at London Conference

The Centre for Catalan Studies at Queen Mary University of London hosted a one-day conference on Wednesday, 13th September. Among the presenters was ECMI Researcher Craig Willis, who delivered a comprehensive quantitative analysis of official TikTok channels belonging to television, radio, and print media outlets in Catalonia.

2023-09-13

ECMI Minorities Blog. Indigenous Languages and Psychological Well-Being: Comparing Educational, Healthcare and Employment Opportunities in Greenland, Sápmi, and Scotland

Seira Duncan

The past several years have seen increased documentation of the association between indigenous language utilisation and psychological well-being. Scotland is the northernmost non-Arctic country and has been fostering ties with its northern counterparts in recent years; like Greenland and Sápmi, it has indigenous languages. This post compares educational, healthcare, and employment opportunities in these regions and analyses the wider psychological implications of indigenous language utilisation in these sectors. While there appears to be room for improvement in all sectors in the three regions, Greenland, Sápmi, and Scotland will likely benefit from strengthening cross-regional dialogues.

2023-09-13

Radiointerview: ECMI Forscherin Ruth Kircher über ihr neues Friesisch Forschungsprojekt

Ende August verbrachte unsere Kollegin Ruth Kircher einige Tage auf der Nordseeinsel Föhr. Im Rahmen ihres Aufenthalts besuchte Ruth die Ferring Stiftung (in Alkersum) und wurde vom Friisk Funk zu ihrer aktuellen Forschung interviewt. Wie Ruth im Interview verrät, soll bald ein Fragebogen für Friesisch-sprechende Familien erscheinen und es werden darüber hinaus auch Live-Interviews erfolgen. Hier geht es zum Interview.

2023-09-11

Exploring Diversity and Minority Rights in Europe: A Glimpse into the Latest JEMIE Issue

At the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), we are thrilled to unveil the latest issue of the Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe (JEMIE), Vol. 22 No. 1 (2023): General Issue.

2023-09-05

Exploring Ethnic Conflict and Reconciliation: Highlights from ECMI's 13th Annual Summer School

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is proud to reflect on the success of the 13th Annual Summer School on National Minorities in Border Regions, held from August 27 to September 3, 2023, in the vibrant cities of Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia. This year's summer school, in cooperation with the Coppieters Foundation and with the gracious support of the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade, delved into the pressing theme of "Ethnic Conflict & Reconciliation."

2023-08-10

Job Announcement: Researcher

We invite applications for a Researcher (TV-L 11, 100%) for research on national minority issues in Europe broadly defined. The Centre is looking to fill a research position recently left vacant and without any specific thematic focus. Novel, cutting edge research themes are therefore encouraged, or as early-career scholarly projects. While the general thematic scope is open, applicants are encouraged to think about possible synergies with one or more of the existing Clusters, including more direct collaboration with one or another Head of Cluster.

2023-08-03

Deutsche Zuzügler in Nordschleswig: Zwischen Identitätspflege und Integration

Der Zustrom deutscher Einwanderer in Süddänemark ist so hoch wie noch nie. Nun stellt sich die Frage, wie sich das langfrisitg auf die autochthone deutsche Minderheit vor Ort auswirken wird. Die Forschungsstudie des ECMI wird dies näher untersuchen und verfolgt das Ziel, eine harmonische Integration zu fördern.

2023-07-25

ECMI Minorities Blog. New Jewish Approaches to Public Life in Turkey: The Case of Avlaremoz

Nesi Altaras

Founded in 2016, Avlaremoz began its life as an online publication created by a group of Jews and non-Jews from Turkey to educate the Turkish public about antisemitism and the Holocaust. The small platform presents a new Jewish approach for participating in public life in Turkey. This piece uses examples from Avlaremoz’s coverage of Holocaust education, queerness, language politics, and Armenian issues to clarify this novel politicisation of Jewish identity.

2023-07-21

Intersectionality Workshop: Minority Women and Intersectionality: A Renewed Research Agenda?

ECMI`s research cluster Culture & Diversity recently held a running Intersectionality Workshop titled Minority Women and Intersectionality: A Renewed Research Agenda?