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International Conference Democratization and Europeanization in the Western Balkans: Ethnic Diversity as a Factor of Democratic Consolidation
Vienna 25./26. November 2010
Organised by University of Vienna, Institute of Political Science Research Platform POTREBA and Karl-Franzens University of Graz Centre for Southeast European Studies; Venue: The Renner Institute, Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf Hotel 2, Hoffingergasse 33, 1120 Wien
November 25th, 19.00: Conference Opening/Public Debate: Ethnicity and Democratization - The Western Balkans on its way to the European Union With Florian Bieber, Joseph Marko, Anna Krasteva, Igor Stiks Chair: Vedran Dzihic
November 26th: Conference Workshop Program/ Selected papers:
Opening 9:00-10:00
Panel 1, 10:15-12:15 Accommodating Differences in the Western Balkans Chair: Joseph Marko . Edin Hodzic: The Promise and Limits of Collective Equality: The Dubious Role of International Human Rights Law in the Construction of Majorities and Minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2. Thorsten Gromes / Bruno Schoch: Democratization of post-civil war societies - an impossible thing to do) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia in comparison 3. Aisling Lyon: There are No Territorial Solutions to Ethnic Issues. Municipal Decentralisation: Between the Integration and Accommodation of Ethnic Difference in the Republic of Macedonia Discussant: Dorothee de Neve
Panel 2, 13:30-15:30 : Europeanitzation and Interethnic Relations Chair: Anna Krasteva 1.Edina Szöcsik: Ethnic minority parties in the EU accession process: The case of the Hungarian and the Bosniak minority parties in Serbia 2. Simonida Kacarska: The impact of EU political conditionality in the Western Balkans - minority protection in the case of the Republic of Macedonia 3. Franziska Blomberg: The ‘do-no-harm' Debate in External Democracy Promotion: Assessing the Limits of Consociationalism Discussant: Igor Stiks Coffee
Panel 3, 16:00-18:00 Case Studies from the WB Chair: Florian Bieber 1. Jadranka Čačić-Kumpes / Margareta Gregurović / Josip Kumpes: Relations between Ethnic Majority and Minorities in Croatia and Realisation of the Rights to Cultural and Ethnic Diversity 2. Sergej Flere / Andrej Kirbiš: Ethnic Minorities and Political Participation: A Comparative Study of West Balkan Countries 3. Jelena Dzankic: The Curious Case of Montenegro's Minorities: citizenship, participation, access to cultural and socio-economic rights Discussant: Caroline Leutloff-Grandits
18:15 - 19:15 closing note by Organizers
POTREBA - Processes of Transformation and Europeanisation in the Balkans
The research platform POTREBA of the Institute of Political Science at the University of Vienna merges various research initiatives on Transformation, Democratisation and Europeanisation in South-East Europe. The title "potreba" (engl.: need, purpose, requirement) points to various demands and challenges the societies of the region are confronted with. Since almost 20 years the citizens of Former Yugoslavia witness re-definitions of statehood, identities, territory, institutional structures, power relations, etc. In the last years the "need" for EU integration is increasingly purporting course and content of these changes. Yet, the linear course of these changes is regularly challenged. Therefore, POTREBA puts an emphasis on the analysis of main transformation dilemmas in the region, stemming from unfinished nation-state building processes and Europeanisation. It puts a question mark behind its title and thus behind the assumption of linearity of Transformation and Europeanisation. With the implementation of the two starting projects, as well as cooperation with related research initiatives, POTREBA seeks to generate new theoretical and empirical insights for transformation and democratisation studies.
Projects:
Europeanisation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. Internal Preconditions and Consequences of EU-Accession financed by ÖNB from 01/2008 until 01/2010
Tranformation and Democratisation in the Balkans: Shaped by Tensions between Europeanisation and Building Nation-sates. A case study of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia financed by FWF from 01/2008 until 01/2011
