The Ethnic Diversity Managemement in
the EU: a Paradigmatic Change?
Ahmed Hamila
Department of Political Science
Université de Montréal
State of the UE in Canada
European Union Centre of Excellence
University of Victoria, Victoria (BC)
July 16-18
“The enlarged EU is more than ever
home for people of diverse cultures,
traditions and beliefs […] a shift is
needed from ‘multicultural’ to
‘intercultural’ societies if we are to
make the most of the cultural
diversity.”
Commissioner Ján Figel,
Member of the European
Commission responsible
for Education, Training,
Culture and Youth (2008)
Is there a paradigmatic change in the way the EU manage the
ethnic minorities?
Hypotheses:
1.
There is NOT a paradigmatic change regarding the
protection of individuals with ethnic belonging
1.
There is a paradigmatic change regarding the protection of
ethnic minority groups
Plan
1.
Two dimensions of ethnic diversity
management (individuals/groups)
1.
Different level of change
(settings/instruments/paradigm)
Part 1: Two dimensions of ethnic
diversity management

Protection of individuals with ethnic
belonging
Non-discrimination

Protection of ethnic minority groups
Multiculturalism ⇒ Interculturalism
Dimension 1: Protection of individuals with
ethnic belonging





1997: Treaty of Amsterdam (EU)
2000: Directive 2000/43/CE and Directive 2000/78/
CE (Council of the EU)
2001-2006: Action programme to combat
discrimination (Council of the EU)
2004: Green Paper on equality and nondiscrimination in an enlarged EU (European
Commission)
2008: Framework decision 2008/913/JHA (Council
of the EU)
Dimension 2: Protection of ethnic minority
groups

February1995: Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities (Council of Europe)

February 2006: Recommendations on Policing in MultiEthnic Societies (OSCE)

May 2008: White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue (Council
of Europe)
2008: European year of Intercultural Dialogue (European
Commission)

Part 2: A paradigmatic Change?
Policy Paradigms, Social Learning, and the
State (1993), Peter Hall
First-order change: settings
Second-order change: instruments
Third-order change: paradigm
Individuals
Groups
First-order
change
(settings)
X
X
Second-order
chabge
(instruments)
X
X
Third-order
change
(paradigm)
X
Dimension 1: Protection of individuals
with ethnic belonging
First-order change:

Precision of legislative tools
Second-order change:


More binding legislative tools
New actors invested
Third-order change:

No third-order change
Dimension 2: Protection of ethnic
minority groups
First-order change:

Broader categories of protection (national minorities and ethnic
minorities)
Second-order change:



Legislative and non-legislatives tools
Domain change (from security to social cohesion)
New actors invested
Third-order change:

From multiculturalism to interculturalism
Conclusion
Is there a paradigmatic change in the way the EU manage the
ethnic minorities?
No, there is NOT a paradigmatic change regarding the protection of
individuals with ethnic belonging (but there are first and second order
changes)
Yes, there is a paradigmatic change regarding the protection of ethnic
minority groups