Research project financed with funds from the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Research Activities (ARRS)
Project leader: Inštitut za narodnostna vprašanja (INV)
Partners: SLORI, Slovenski znanstveni inštitut (SZI), University of Maribor, Faculty of Social Sciences (FDV), University of Ljubljana.
Contact person for SLORI: Zaira Vidau
Duration of the project: 2021- 2024
The goal of the project is to conduct comprehensive and in-depth research on the political participation of Slovenian minorities and their members at all levels (from local to national) in the countries bordering the Republic of Slovenia, namely Austria, Croatia, Italy and Hungary. The project aims to find out what the forms and modalities of this participation are, how effective they are in realizing the needs and interests of minorities and their members, to what extent they ensure their inclusion, integration and equality. In particular, the project aims to understand how political participation and the activities of elected and/or appointed minority representatives have affected the position and status of minorities and their members in each country, and how and to what extent they have contributed to improving their social inclusion, integration, and participation in all spheres of life. Therefore, as a starting point and framework for the research, we will first analyze the constitutional and legal framework and regulation of minority rights and political participation of minorities and their members, legislation and electoral system and policies for minorities in the countries under study and, through comparative analysis, the similarities and differences between them. Based on the collected data and research results, we will identify the gap between the legislation (legal and policy framework, proclaimed principles) and the real, actual situation of minorities. The research conducted in each country will be complemented by a comparative analysis that will present, analyze, comment on and evaluate the similarities and differences.