Institutional Recognition And Accommodation Of Ethnic Diversity

This thesis focuses on federalism and ethnic diversity. Using two case studies, South Africa and Ethiopia, it sets to examine whether institutional designs in a form of federalism can serve as an effective instrument to respond to ethnic claims while at the same time maintaining national unity in the context of multi-ethnic societies. The issues this study investigates are not only topical to multi-ethnic states around the world but constitute the core problems to which communities, ranging from the troubled Sudan to Nigeria and from the Western Sahara to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are struggling to find solutions. In this regard, the thesis may assist those multi-ethnic states that are struggling to find institutional solution to the ethnic conflicts that characterise their society.

How federalism can be used to provide recognition and accommodate ethnic groups is an important topic, not only in Africa, but in multi-ethnic communities around the world. Examining how institutions of multi-ethnic states have been designed to accommodate ethnic diversity while at the same time maintaining national unity, this book locates institutional responses to the challenges of ethnic diversity within the context of a federal arrangement. It examines how a federal arrangement has been used to reconcile the conflicting pressures of the demand for the recognition of distinctive identities, on the one hand, and the promotion of political and territorial integrity, on the other. Comparative case studies of South Africa and Ethiopia as the two federal systems provide a contrasting approach to issues of ethnic diversity. Suggesting new ways in which federalism might work, the author identifies key institutions lessons which will help to build an all-inclusive society.

In recent years, the saliency of conflicts pitting different ethnic, racial and religious groups against one another has increased dramatically. The world of nation-states is much more diverse than previously realized; only a small number of the 185 independent countries are truly homogeneous. With the end of the cold war, the relative importance of ethnic conflicts as a threat to international peace and stability is far greater. An international set of scholars collaborate in this volume to explore policy alternatives which can contribute towards the accommodation of cultural diversity.

Academic Paper from the year 2016 in the subject Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society, Ethiopian Civil Service University (federalism and legal studies), course: Federalism and Human Rights, language: English, abstract: The existing ethnic federal arrangement of the Federal democratic republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) is devised with the aim to accommodate the interests of distinct ethnic groups in Ethiopia. This paper attempted to conceptualize federalism as a tool for ethnic diversity accommodation through reviewing the existing literature on federalism, FDRE and south regional state constitution, city proclamations, and primary data from interview made and with researchers’ interpretive arguments. The finding reveals that federalism at city government status contributes to accommodate rights, interests, needs and claims of competing ethnic groups, especially of ethnic minorities better at kebele institutional structures than at city institutional structures. At city institutional structures the indigenous groups are better protected rather than the non indigenous groups. Hence, the success of this process highly depends on the mechanisms adopted for sharing powers and responsibilities; the nature, subject and degree of decentralized power; and the willingness of authorities to allow the groups to exercise those powers, with other factors. Finally, This Paper tries to recommend complementary legal instrument for farther enhancement of ethnic diversity accommodation at city government status.

In an age of multiculturalism and identity politics, many minority groups seek some form of official recognition or public accommodation of their identity. But can public institutions accurately recognize or accommodate something as subjective and dynamic as "identity?" Avigail Eisenberg and Will Kymlicka lead a distinguished team of scholars who explore state responses to identity claims worldwide. Their case studies focus on key issues where identity is central to public policy. By illuminating both the risks and opportunities of institutional responses to diversity, this volume shows that public institutions can either enhance or distort the benefits of identity politics.

Critical reflections by established academics on the crisis of multiculturalism that occurred in Great Britain, Netherlands and Canada. It provides an occasion to develop a sophisticated understanding of societies characterized by religious, ethnic and cultural diversity.

Scientific Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society, , language: English, abstract: This paper attempts to assess the rights to electoral participation and representation of non-territorial minorities in Oromia Regional State/Ethiopia. In doing so, secondary documents like, journal articles, books, Magazines and reports were used. Data’s were also collected from different Medias and newspapers to get the full picture of the study issue. Accordingly, the paper generalizes that the Oromo use the regional autonomy for complete identification of their ethnic group and the nonterritorial minorities clearly lack legal and institutional protection in the regional states. Ethiopia designed ethnic based federal state structure to respond to the challenges of minorities by developing a counter-majority institutional system. However, the ethnic based federal state structure also creates local tyranny which will further complicated the challenges of minority rights at the local constituent unites of the federation. More importantly, the ethno-territorial organization of the federating unites of Ethiopia left a number of non-native peoples of the country out of the constitutional recognition under the regional constitutions. As one of the regional states of Ethiopia, Oromia Regional State, the largest in size and number of residence, is the major regional state which large number of non-territorial minorities are found. The allocation of home land for each major ethnic group in the country complicated the right of these dispersed non-territorial minorities in the regional state.

This book enhances our understanding as to how diversity and equality are managed in different national contexts. Focusing on workplace equality, diversity, and inclusion, this book brings together a unique blend of scholarly research and professional practice, evidenced through an array of individuals both outside and inside organizations.

Despite decades of nation-building exercise, ethnic-based claims for substantive equality, justice and equitable political inclusion and socio-economic order continue to result in communal rivalries. These are claims that define and represent the issue of minorities in Africa, of which these conflicts are manifestations. Although ethnic conflicts in Africa have been a subject of a large number of studies, the potential and role of norms on minority rights to address claims that ethno-cultural groups raise has not received the attention it deserves. Based on materials from normative political theory and international human rights law and using an empirical and prescriptive analysis, this book defends a robust system of minority rights built around culture, equality and self-determination. This is employed to elaborate an adequate constitutional design providing policy frameworks (multilingual language policy, recognition and affirmation of cultural diversity,), structures (that ensure just representation and participation of members of all groups) and norms (that guarantee substantive equality and the rights to language, religion and culture). The study then proffers two cases studies (South Africa and Ethiopia) to ascertain how such constitutional design might be translated into actual policy frameworks, institutions and norms.

The management of ethnic diversity has become a topical and often controversial subject in recent times, with much debate surrounding multiculturalism as a systematic and comprehensive response for dealing with ethnic diversity. This book engages with these debates, examining the tangible outcomes of multiculturalism as a policy and philosophy in a range of traditional and 'newer' multi-ethnic nations. Exploring the questions of whether multiculturalism can promote 'ethnic harmony', employment equity and trust between various minority and non-minority groups, Managing Ethnic Diversity also adopts a comparative perspective on the experiences of multiculturalism in various international contexts, in order to examine whether lessons learned from some jurisdictions can be applied to others. With an international team of experts presenting the latest research from the UK, North America, Europe, China and Australasia, a truly global dialogue is fostered with regard to the utility and limits of multiculturalism in local and comparative contexts. As such, Managing Ethnic Diversity will appeal to social scientists interested in race and ethnicity, multiculturalism and migration.