IPR Policy Brief - Why European organisations fail to be truly transformative actors in interethnic relations

Minority rights are central to many debates in and across Europe, particularly where policymaking is concerned with the ever-present risk of ethnic tension and conflict in the region. Research carried out by Professor David Galbreath (University of Bath) and Dr Joanne McEvoy (University of Aberdeen) critically examines how minority rights are thought about, discussed, and acted on by key European organisations; particularly given the on-going process of EU enlargement. Their central argument is that although debates are often framed in terms of deepening integration, enhancing democracy and respecting human rights, the research shows that the overriding concern of European organisations involved with this agenda has been the protection of minority rights to reduce the likelihood of regional instability. Whilst policy priorities are weighted towards, and therefore largely restricted to, mitigating the risks of immediate conflict rather than empowering minorities, the deeper root causes of tension remain. As a result of adopting strategies that only minimally address the issue of majority-minority ethnic tension, the research argues that European organisations have so far failed to realise their ability to be truly transformative actors in interethnic relations.