Cultural Autonomy, Minority Rights and Globalization
Steven C. RoachOverview
This book analyzes the role of cultural autonomy in advancing minority rights protection on the national and global level. It assesses the historical and legal limits of the right to self-determination and autonomy and draws on Marxist internationalism, liberal nationalism and EU integrationist studies to examine the relationship between cultural autonomy and globalization. As such, emphasis is placed on the sociological and historical value of cultural autonomy, with the aim of working beyond formalistic and utilitarian approaches to cultural autonomy. The volume will appeal primarily to upper-level undergraduate and graduate level students of political science and international law interested in rethinking the role of cultural autonomy in an age of globalization.Synopsis
Perhaps the most important issue regarding the struggle to contain national and ethnic conflict, says Roach (U. of Colorado-Boulder), is how to limit state sovereignty regarding the severe abuse of minority rights without at the same time undermining state sovereignty as a legal construct of international relations. He investigates the social, political, and global dimensions of the dilemma by exploring the prospects for an effective transnational regime of minority rights. After discussing the history of minority rights and international law, social determinants of cultural autonomy, and the 2004 European Union Constitution, he cites case studies of Kosovo, Kurds and Turkey, and Basques and Spain. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR