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Summer School in Human Rights, Minorities and Diversity Management
Bolzen, Italy

Announcement follows

Since 1999 the Institute for Minority Rights organizes a Summer School on the topics of Human Rights, Minorities and Diversity Management. The international Summer School hosts 20 - 30 students from all over the world and offers a platform to discuss and elaborate on current topics in the field of diversity management with outstanding academic experts but also practitioners from international organizations, such as political advisers of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, lawyers from the European Court of Human Rights, experts and members of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities etc.

Special Focus 2013: The Revival of Self-determination: opportunities, concerns and challenges

In the last few years, claims for self-determination, secession and independence have entered a new phase. In Western Europe, the borders of states seemed settled yet independence movements re-gained importance in Scotland, Catalonia and Flanders. In other parts of the world, claims to form an individual state are long-standing issues and have proven to be very durable. For instance, Tibet has been claiming for its self-determination and independence from virtually 100 years. Such demand fuelled after the Chinese occupation in 1950. Other territories such as Palestine, Abkhazia and many more also have been fighting for their right to self-determination since several decades.

The International Summer School “Human Rights, Minorities and Diversity Management: Self-determination" takes up these new and old trends and analyzes them from a variety of different perspectives. The prominent role of international law in the debate of secession and self-determination will be further complemented by perspectives of political science and sociology. One the one hand, sub-national political parties as well as social movements have always been important drivers of self-determination claims. On the other hand, international players such as the United Nations, the European Union and others, maneuvered by their members, play a significant role in hindering or facilitating the right to self-determination. The emergence of new states through unilateral declarations of independence, such as in the case of Kosovo, are confronted with bilateral agreements, such as in the case of Slovakia and Czech Republic.

In particular, the Summer School aims to discuss the following topics:

• external self-determination vs. various forms and degrees of self-government
• the role of regionalist and nationalist parties
• the role of violence in independence movements
• minority rights protection
• economic and financial implications of secession and independence.

The Summer School aims to cover a broad range of geographical spectrum of independence movements, from cases in Europe (e.g., Scotland, Basque Country, Corsica, South Tyrol, Flanders) and the Balkans to Russia and Asia , the Middle East (e.g., Palestine), Asia (e.g., Tibet) and eventually excursions to Africa, South America and Canada. The Summer School brings together leading academic experts in the field of international law and political science, but also offers students a possibility to discuss with practitioners from international organizations, leaders of political and social movements and journalists.

Teaching body: Joseph Marko (University of Graz), Joshua Castellino (Middlesex Law School), Brendan o'Leary (Queen's University Belfast), Luis de la Calle (Juan March Institute), Kris Deschouwer (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Wolfgang Benedek (University of Graz) etc.

Who should participate?

• Post-graduate students wishing to acquire greater competitive personal competence beneficial for a future career in academia or in practice-oriented professions;
• Lawyers, economists, political and social scientists and others working in non-governmental organizations;
• Civil servants from local, regional or national administrations who primarily deal with minority and diversity related issues and therefore require both theoretical and practical training in this year’s topics; and
• Journalists and teachers interested in recent developments, current theories and advanced training in related fields.

Why should you participate?

• Listen to the experiences from the Summer School students in 2010
• Read, what former students think about the Summer School: Brian Seaman (Calgary-Canada), Evi Kostner (Italy).
• Have a look at the Summer School flyer.

Tuition fees and Scholarships

• Tuition fee including lunch: 350€ - Accommodation, travel costs and other expenses are not covered by the tuition fee.
• Convenient accommodation for every participant will be arranged by the organizers in the Youth Hostel of Bozen/Bolzano.
• 8 Scholarships covering accommodation in a 4 bed-room at the Youth Hostel as well as reducing the tuition fee to 150 € are available. Selection is based on the application and in particular the short essay.

Apply here

Website: http://www.eurac.edu/en/research/institutes/imr/activities/Training/summerschool.html
Email: meir@eurac.edu