Ethnic Minority Attitudes toward Minority Rights in Kin-States

• In Event: Democratic Erosion in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Nationalizing states often employ various strategies to manage ethnic minorities inherited from predecessor empires, commonly opting for assimilationist policies. Conversely, kin-states work to counter these measures through their own set of policies aimed at protecting these ethnic groups. Despite the prevalence of these opposing strategies, little research exists on how such interplay between nationalizing states and kin-states influences the political attitudes of ethnic minorities residing within their borders. This st udy aims to fill this gap by examining the attitudes of ethnic minorities in nationalizing states toward minority rights in their respective kin-states. Utilizing public opinion data from Bulgaria, this research explores the factors influencing the varying attitudes of Bulgarian minorities toward Kurdish minority rights in Turkey. The study seeks to unravel the complex interactions between state policies and ethnic minority attitudes, thus shedding light on an under-researched aspect of minority rights.

Authors

• Ekrem Karakoc, SUNY, Binghamton University

• Oner Yigit, Binghamton University