Publication: Racism in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond
Reply-To: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 09:57:25 +0200 (EET)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: Publication: Racism in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Publication: Racism in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond
Open Society Institute
Racism in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond: Origins, Responses,
Strategies
Report
Budapest, Hunqary
19 July 2000
Preface
On July l9, 2000, a small, diverse group of individuals met in
Budilpest to share perspectives on the contours of racism in Europe
today and the development of strategies to combat it. Participants
included Europeans, East and West, as well as Americans and Africans,
officials of government and intergovernmental bodies, human rights
activists, historians, lawyers, psychologists and educational experts.
The fruitful discussion which ensued gave rise to a number of
suggestions for tackling some of racism's most troubling contem-porary
manifestations.
The following were among the principal themes addressed:
- Although hard to measure with precision, Europe is experiencing
simultaneously an apparent rise in racist rhetoric and violence, and
more concerted efforts by institutions of government and civil society
to combat racism.
- Racism takes different forms in varying contexts - from
anti-immigrant hostility to violence against Roma to lingering
anti-Semitism. Nonetheless, there is space for a common platform for
all those who seek to challenge racist expressions and acts.
- Though important in itself, the adoption of broad
anti-discriminatory legal norms at European level must be accompanied
by national and local initiatives to ensure effective implementation
and popular support.
- To date, the EU accession process has contributed significantly to
the strengthening of anti-discrimination movements in Central and
Eastern Europe. How to deepen and make self-sustaining the struggle
against racism not only in candidate countries, but also throughout
Europe, is a major challenge for the future.
In recent years, the continent-wide debate about racism, racial
discrimination, and ethnic intolerance in Europe has grown wider,
deeper and more inclusive. This report reflects, and is offered as a
contribution to, this continuing evolution. Part one is a synthesis,
which seeks to gather the principal strands of thought and place the
meeting in a broader context. Part two consists of transcriptions of
the presentations and portions of the more
informal exchanges. Part three gives the texts of two recent and
significant legal developments at European level, and a list of
participants is also included.
The July 19 meeting yielded a wide range of often diverging opinions.
However, their inclusion in this publication does not imply
endorsement of any individual speaker's viewpoint by OSI or any of the
participants. Although every effort has been made to reflect
accurately the substance and tenor of the discussion, any inadvertent
errors are the sole responsibility of the reporting team.
James A. Goldston
Deputy Director
Open Society Institute
Contents
P A R T I
Rapporteur's Notes
(Stephen Humphreys, Program Coordinator, Open Society Institute, acted
as Rapporteur and drafted this synthesis, which was edited by James
A.Goldston, Deputy Director, Open Society Institute)
1. Introduction: Racism and Law in Europe Today
2. Theory: Origins and Contours
2.1 A Twin Legacy: Holocaust and Cold War
2.2 Minority Rights and Non-discrimination
2.3 Racism and Political Power
2.4 Citizens and Migrants
3. Practice: Responses
3.1 Responses to Racism I: Litigation in the United States
3.2 Responses to Racism II: Reconciliation in South Africa
3.3 Responses to Racism III: Civil Society
4. Instruments: Strategies
4.1 Legal Instruments
4.2 Education
4.3 The Media
5. Future Steps
Notes
P A R T I I
Presentations and Selected Discussions
1. Introduction
James A. Goldston
2. Current Work of Selected Organisations. Fighting Against Racism
2.1 The European Union
Dr. Seme Winkler
2.2 The United Nations
Prof. Thee van Boven
2.3 Open Society Institute and the Soros Foundations Network
Emily Martinez
3. Sources, Origins, Characteristics of Racism in Central and Eastern
Europe
3.1 The Rise of Extremism in Central and Eastern
Nils Muiznieks
Discussion
3.2 The Legacy of the Holocaust and its Relevance to the
Contemporary Struggle
Against Racism
Waclaw Dlugbborski
Discussion
3.3 Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and the Extreme Right in Europe
Andras Kovacs
3.4 Racism and Political Power: To What Extent are they Linked?
Anton Pelinka
Discussion
3.5 Racism and Xenophobia
Saskia Dam
Discussion
4. Societal Responses to Racism
4.1 Confronting Racism in Europe: Is there a Strategy in Europe?
Dimitrina Petrova
Discussion
4.2 American Responses to Racism
Theodore M. Shaw
Discussion
4.3 South African Responses to Racism
Kabelo Lengane
Discussion
4.4 Beyond Law: The Limit and Possibility of Litigation and Law
Reform
Geoffrey Bindman
Discussion
5. Concretising Strategies
5.1 Anti-discrimination vs. Minority Protection
Gabriel Andreescu
5.2 Education
Barry van Driel
Discussion
5.3 Monitoring Hate
Irena Maryniak
Discussion
5.4 Media: A tool for Good and Evil
Gordana Jankovic
Discussion
P A R T III
Legal Texts
1. Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June2000
Implementing the Principle of Equal Treatment Between Persons
Irrespective of Racial or Ethnic Origin (European Union 'Race
Directive')
2. Protocol No.12 to the European Convention on Human Rights
-----------
OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE-BUDAPEST
Address
Oktober 6 u. 12
H-1051 Budapest, Hungary
Telephone (36-1) 327-3100
Web Site http://www.osi.hu
OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE-NEW YORK
Address
400 West 59th Street New York, NY 10019 United States of America
Telephone (1-212) 548-0600
Web Site http://www.soros.org
Copyright � Open Society Institute, November 2000
All rights reserved. ISBN: 963 7316 68 X
--
==============================================================
MINELRES - a forum for discussion on minorities in Central&Eastern
Europe
Submissions: [email protected]
Subscription/inquiries: [email protected]
List archive: http://www.riga.lv/minelres/archive.htm
==============================================================