Political Strategies of Non-Dominant Minorities in (Post-)Conflict Settings: Comparative Research on Small Ethnic Minorities in Croatia and Kosovo

ČERMÁK, Petr. Political Strategies of Non-Dominant Minorities in (Post-)Conflict Settings: Comparative Research on Small Ethnic Minorities in Croatia and Kosovo. In Exclusion amid Inclusion?: How Power Sharing Engages Non-Dominant Communities. 2017.

Basic information

• Original name: Political Strategies of Non-Dominant Minorities in (Post-)Conflict Settings: Comparative Research on Small Ethnic Minorities in Croatia and Kosovo
• Authors: ČERMÁK, Petr.
• Edition: Exclusion amid Inclusion?: How Power Sharing Engages Non-Dominant Communities, 2017.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

This preliminary version of the paper presents methodological and empirical framework of an ongoing research focused on political strategies employed by non-dominant ethnic minorities in (post-)conflict settings of Croatia and Kosovo. Both these states were caught in ethnic conflicts between local majorities seeking for their nation-states and strong Serb minorities opposing these ideas in 1990s. However, these ethno-territorial conflict also severely hit other local ethnic groups settled within the contested territories who thus appeared in a delicate situation during and after the wars. Many small ethnic communities had to face a dilemma if they should rather stay non-aligned or who should they take a side with, while both primary conflict parties were seeking for their loyalty and concurrently considered them as a potential threat. Aim of the exploratory part of this research is to identify these non-dominant communities and map their responses to such conflict and post-conflict situations and dilemmas. The explanatory part of the research will then use the collected data for broader comparative analysis to explain different strategies applied by non-dominant groups in different situations of an ethnic conflict. Within this working version of the paper, the concept of non-dominant minority is first developed in contrast to the dominant communities and it is set into the wider context of recent ethnic conflicts in the Balkans. Main defining criteria of a non-dominant minority are formulated and applied on local ethnic communities in Croatia and Kosovo. Altogether 25 local communities are identified as relevant for further research and main characteristics of these cases are presented. Structure of the collected data and fragments of the already collected and coded empirical evidence are also presented in the paper to illustrate the methods applied in the research.