Effectiveness of Ethnic Territorial Autonomies: An Approach to the Taxonomy of Interactions

356
DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2017-61-6-84-92

K. Sulimov (k.sulimov@yandex.ru),
Perm State University, 15, Bukireva Str., Perm 614990, Russian Federation

Acknowledgements. The article has been supported by a grant of the Russian Science Foundation. Project no. 15-18-00034 “Securing a Balance in Interethnic Relations: Regional Autonomies, the State Integrity and the Rights of Ethnic Minorities”.


Abstract. Social sciences take in the importance of the mode of interactions between actors who are involved in interethnic relations. This mode is critical for achieving a balance between actors’ public positions and preferences. The majority of academic researches devoted to the phenomenon of ethnic territorial autonomy (ETA) focus on the arrangements between state and ethnic minorities, firstly, and different tiers of authorities, secondly. Studies of interethnic relations either actualize the problem of ethnic conflicts resolving, or concern an effective participation of ethnic minorities in cultural, social and economic life, and in public affairs. Thus, ETA is regarded both as an instrument and as an arena for parties to dispute. Another perception of an ethnic territorial autonomy is a tier of authority without special distinguishing features. In this article, the author proposes a new approach for consideration, which allows to gain a better understanding of the way an ethnic territorial autonomy balances preferences and expectations as well as positions of actors relevant to it. ETA is an entity with relatively high level of self-governance. The character of its cooperations with other parties concerned and political key players is important to a balance. An ethnic territorial autonomy interworks with both external actors (such as national state, international community, and kin-state) and internal actors, most notably other ethnic minorities that live in the autonomy. The proposed approach allows contemplating an autonomy as a key actor of comprehensive system of external and internal interactions. The author frames the taxonomy of effective and non-effective practices that secure an interethnic balance and functional systems of these two types of contacts around ETA. The character of  territorial autonomy authorities’ participation in these interactions, the possibility to de-politicize the ethnicity within them, their consistency, the weight of some of their mechanisms etc. are criteria for the taxonomy. This project view claims to conceptualize ineffectiveness as both risk and probability of refusal to cooperate. It is argued that the securing of an interethnic balance needs both external and internal interactions. 

Keywords: ethnic territorial autonomy, ethnic group, authority, interaction, inter-ethnic balance, interaction mechanism 


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For citation:
Sulimov K. Effectiveness of Ethnic Territorial Autonomies: An Approach to the Taxonomy of Interactions. World Eñonomy and International Relations, 2017, vol. 61, no. 6, pp. 84-92. https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2017-61-6-84-92



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