AQCI 2
Lecture: European Policies and Practice toward Ethnic Minorities (SM628)
Student: Angela Perinpanayagam
Date: 20/10/2015 (Winter Semester 2015 / 2016)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. CENTRAL QUOTATION
“Western countries have learned some hard lessons over the years about the management of ethnic
relations in a democracy, and hopefully ECE countries can learn something from these mistakes […] Yet
there are many ways in which the problems in former Communist countries are unique, and for which the
West offers no models or solutions.” (Kymlicka, 2001, P.82)a
2. ARGUMENT
Kymlicka, in this section of the book, provides a paper that explores dominant expert views established by
Western liberal theorists. He states how ECE countries are constantly pressured by Western countries and
International organizations to adopt Western models of minority rights in order to improve their treatment
of ethnic and national minorities. Consequently, Kymlicka explicitly questions the theoretical basis, validity
and practicality of so-called Western models that are supposed to enlighten Central/Eastern European
countries with best practices. He identifies the inherent trade-offs in adopting such measures in different
settings and by doing so implicitly examines the feasibility/impossibility of exploring a one-fits-all approach
in dealing with complex issues such as minority rights, which in its own way is discriminatory towards the
rest of the world that is most often forced to look up to the West regardless of whether it is good for them
or not. Kymlicka promotes a sharing of knowledge where the West and Europe (and presumably the rest of
the world) could learn from each other.
3. QUESTION
Kymlicka presents ‘the best (and worst) of both worlds’, but one feels that this section of the paper fails to
explore means to provide models theoretical basis or establish identified best-practices. Since Kymlicka
acknowledges the existence of a few “good solutions” from which the rest of the world could learn from
the West and vice versa, it would have been interesting to see some indication of how such solutions could
be established/theorized (tools/mechanisms) in an academic sense to be adopted and replicated.
4. EXPERIENTIAL CONNECTION
The view “Not all that is Western is good!” is quite a familiar ideology to me as I come from an Asian
country that is quite often subjected to pressure from the International community to adopt Western
models to solve national problems. This, I know by experience, has time and again failed to provide
positive results simply because issues concerning humans are dynamic and varied and answers to such
problems cannot simply be replicated; such models can only serve as references for customized action.
5. TEXTUAL CONNECTION
“It is not simply the system which has to change, or opportunities to be equalized, but – we must also work
to change people’s attitudes […]. ” (Hancock, 2000)b. Hancock in his writing argues against one-dimensional
approaches and speaks of a need to change the culture of “discriminatory practices” perpetuated for
centuries; he argues for a comprehensive approach to deal with problems just as Kymlicka does in his
writing. Though different in topic, both writers identify forms of perpetuated discrimination and speak of
awareness and education as a means to achieve productive leading to sustainable changes.
6. IMPLICATIONS
Comprehensive action backed-by education and awareness is projected as one of the best methods to
address social problems by Hancock and this one believes is a key ingredient in practical policy-making.
Policy-making must be informed, up-to-date and innovative, hence the need for improved awareness as
opposed to the blind following of so-called common practices and best-practices.
AQCI 2
Citations
a) Kymlicka, Will (2001)”Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe”, in Kymlicka,
Will, Opalski, Magda (eds.) Can Liberal Pluralism be Exported?, Oxford: Oxford University Press,
pp.13 – 103
b) Hancock, Ian (2000) “The Consequences of Anti-Gypsy Racism in Europe” in Other Voices. The
(e)Journal of Cultural Criticism, v. 2, n.1 (February 2000),
http://www.othervoices.org/2.1/hancock/roma.html
AQCI ASSESSMENT FORM
Student’s
name:
Angela
Perinpanayagam
Name
of
assessor:
Essay title:
AQCI 2 – Based on the writings of Kymlicka and Hancock
Excel Go
lent od
1) Is the chosen quotation central to +
the author’s argument?
+
2) Has the main argument been fully
understood (including its ‘for’ and
‘against’ sides, if applicable)?
+
3a) Is the question raised
important/relevant/interesting?
3b) Has this question not been fully +
answered in the text?
+
4) Is the experiential connection
relevant/interesting?
+
5a) Is the textual connection
relevant/interesting?
5b) Has it been cited properly?
+
5c) Has it been adequately explained
how the present text's argument
contrasts with, contradicts, confirms,
clarifies, or elaborates the other
text's argument or point?
+
+
Aver
age
Date: 20/10/2015
Po
or
Not
accept
able
Comments
AQCI 2
6) Have the implications been well
understood, can they have a practical
impact for policy making?
7) Expression/Presentation
a) Are the style, grammar and +
general use of English adequate?
b) Is the AQCI professionally +
presented?
Essay grade:
Further comments: