Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. Nr.20, June 2013 Important to Participate in the Building of New Ideas, to C
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Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. Nr.20, June 2013 important to participate in the building of new ideas, to criticize the established order and Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. Nr.20, June 2013 Volume 21: September 2013 Academic year 2013-2014 Editor in Chief Rodrigo Vaz Catholic University of Portugal Portugal Editorial Board Caitlin Bagby, USA King’s College, London, United Kingdom Péter Király, Hungary Central European University, Budapest, Hungary Andrijana Nikic, Montenegro University of Montenegro, Montenegro Reint-Jan Groot Nuelend, The Netherlands University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Vit Simral, Czech Republic IMT, Lucca, Italy / Charles University, Prague / Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic Advisory Board Manuel Garreton, Chile, João Carlos Espada, Portugal, Carole Pateman, England, Leonardo Morlino, Italy, Phillippe Schmitter, USA Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. Nr.20, June 2013 Content Editorial Message…...………………………………………………….4 Rodrigo Vaz When nationalism meets electoral schemes: the intricate situation of the Aromanian minority from Romania……………………………………5 Sergiu Delcea American policy on the Balkans: Sucessful story or a diplomatic failure?.……………………………………………………………......12 Frosina Doninovska Rentier state as an obstacle to development in the Middle East……….20 Andrzej Guzowski From Yeltsin to Putin: Moscow’s Perception of the Peace Process on the Korean Peninsula……………………………………………………..30 Wonhee Lee Politikon:IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. 21, September 2013 Editorial Message Dear Reader, Let me start by welcoming you to yet another issue of POLITIKON. In this issue we publish the papers selected from the submissions we received to our call for papers. Very soon, in November, we will celebrate the first anniversary of the re-publishing of POLITIKON, which undoubtedly fills all IAPSS members with joy, particularly the ones directly contributing to the success of the journal. November also promises to be a celebrating moment to IAPSS as in this month our organization turns 15 years old. This marking moment will be integrant part of the program of our upcoming Academic Conference and General Assembly in Bucharest, Romania, from the 19th to the 24th of November. More information on the Conference Website. Feel very much invited to join us! I am also very happy to inform you that observing the challenges that Political Science students and young scholars may face while submitting an article, the Editorial Board is currently working in the preparation of some guidelines on how and what to submit – and how and what not. Those guidelines will be published soon in the POLITIKON page of IAPSS website. Together with, the call for papers for the next issue will also be issued. For now, I will leave you with the selected articles. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]. Enjoy! Best wishes, Rodrigo Vaz POLITIKON, Editor in Chief Head of Academic Department International Association for Political Science Students 1 Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. 21, September 2013 When nationalism meets electoral schemes: the intricate situation of the Aromanian minority from Romania Sergiu DELCEA1, Central European University, Budapest Abstract he resurgence of ethno-centered, exclusionary types of nationalisms in Eastern Europe after the fall of the communist regimes in 1989 represents a multi-layered phenomenon with complex ramifications. The aim of this paper is to delve into an extremely complicated case surrounding a very peculiar T minority - the Aromanians living in Romania. This analysis aims to show that although Romania's approach to minority representation is a non-essentialist one on paper, the reserved seat system is sometimes still laced with nationalistic overtones. As a minority with a highly debated historical legacy, the Aromanians lack legal recognition and are subjected to an assimilation process that is not always as soft as it might seem. If Romania is to continue its already protracted democratic transition solving the puzzle surrounding the Aromanians seems to be a key stepping stone. 1 Sergiu Delcea is a second year MA student in the Nationalism Studies Programme, Central European University, Budapest, with a previous background in Political Science (graduated BA studies in 2012) from the University of Bucharest. He is currently a member of the editorial board for the IAPSS blog A Different View, where he is exploring his current research interests that revolve around linking nation-building processes and welfare-regime construction (with a focus on Eastern Europe). 45 Sergiu DELCEA When nationalism meets electoral schemes espite a rather tumultuous start in secure any kind of legal recognition for the the early 90s Romania has been Aromanians. slowly improving its institutional The contentious stake here is that Dapproach to minority protection vocal Aromanian grass-roots organizations (Bernd Rechel(ed), 2009: Ch. 13 M. Ram), are striving for recognition as a "national owing in no small part to its growing minority" (Kymlicka&Opalski,2001:13-107) international commitments. However, there arguing that under the blurry Romanian are still rather blurry lines when it comes to legislation only this legal status will ensure defining who gets to be declared a minority cultural and linguistic protection (which is and gain political representation. the aim of Romania's minority legislation Furthermore, language rights packages projects5). Romania's monolithic approach is represent a very contentious issue that are grounded in a historicist discourse claiming generally transcribed into public debate as that the Aromanians are an integral part of threats to national integrity (as they are an organically defined nation hence making generally show-cased around the Hungarian their claim illegitimate for a number of minority). What seems to emerge is a rather reasons: Parliamentary representation is fuzzy picture, that leaves room for done through the regular channels (since potentially problematic case around they are equated to the bulk of the nation), minorities with very intricate backgrounds. language rights are not necessary since This paper will provide a case-study Aromanian is a dialect of Romanian and for of a rather small minority that stands at a the groups of Aromanians that are claiming crossroads between multiple discourses and descent from other nations representation is competing claims: the Aromanians2 living in done indirectly via minority representations Romania. There is an interesting paradox at of those respective states. In addition, the play surrounding the recognition of this Romanian politicians' second core argument minority3: recognized as a cultural minority is that since mass migration towards by the Council of Europe in 1997 (which Romania in the interwar era was voluntary, Romania has ratified in 2007), the the second/third/fourth generation Aromanians are subject to a soft assimilation Aromanians today cannot claim national process via an indigenization discourse, minority status. without being recognized as a minority of My main argument is that the any sort by the Romanian state. Despite Aromanian minority stands at a very having sued the Romanian state as early as dangerous crossroads between a circular 2005, grass-roots organizations (mostly legislation that aims to preserve the status uniting around CAR - Council of quo of reserved seats system and the Aromanians from Romania4) have failed to political value of nationalist rhetoric. Despite creating an over-representation of minorities (with the exception of the Roma, see 2 Methodologically, throughout this paper I Protsyk&Matichescu, 2010), the Romanian have used "Aromanians" as an umbrella electoral system disenfranchises minorities term. However, it must be clearly stated that from pursuing own agendas. On the other a wide body of literature shows a very high side of the spectrum, although Romania's degree of cultural and linguistic stance towards minorities is in not an fragmentation within this community 3 According to Romanian sources about 5 26.000 individuals in 2006 http://www.dri.gov.ro/documents/lege_mi 4 Throughout this paper I will mostly use noritati_forma_finala_guvern.pdf Last CAR as a reference point as it is not only the Accessed: 3rd April 2013 - Art 3-5 enshrined most vocal grass-roots organization, but also that any individual has the right to self- well-connected in an international network identification, and the state-mandated of Aromanian bodies. protection of identity 46 Politikon: IAPSS Political Science Journal Vol. 21, September 2013 essentializing one, there is a very blurry identity and the objective requirements for legislation as to which groups gets to be a considering the group as completely minority and enter into either direct electoral distinctive (K. Henrard (ed),2013- competition or the reserved seats system. forthcoming: ch. by Andras Pap). Although in post-socialist Romania, To begin with, I will first present the nationalist rhetoric is not an outward force historicist arguments claiming that in electoral competitions, it still seems to be Aromanians are part and parcel of the at least a latent hot potato: the 1999 history Romanian nation. For the sake of space I textbook scandal that lead ultimately to the will not present here this entire narrative, fall of the Government on grounds of "Anti- but focus on a few key issues that come up Romanian feelings" (TRENCSENYI&