Page 23 - Pelc, Stanko, ed., 2015. Spatial, social and economic factors of marginalization in the changing global context. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
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beyond this simple perspective there are other concerns, such 2015 conference of igu commission 21
as the access to and the exercise of power, which determine the re-
lationships between majority and minori-ties.
Every society is a system, composed of numerous elements, and
they are usually minori-ties of some sort. This fact is often forgot-
ten by the mainstream and/or dominant social group(s). Certain
minorities are therefore either overlooked or persecuted, and al-
so the political system tends to ignore them. Ethnic and cultural
groups figure prominently among such minorities, but we can add
others, such as the handicapped, the poor, the unemployed, or
ex-convicts. However, there is also the possibility of an alternative
ap-proach: minorities can be seen positively, as a sign of diversity
and a reminder of certain human duties. Diversity is desirable be-
cause it is the opposite to (sterile) uniformity and a challenge to lin-
ear thinking. It also ensures the long-term survival of a society and
its development potential.
The paper addresses the minority issue by drawing on the ex-
ample of Switzerland, a country composed of several overlap-
ping minority groups. The political challenge is substantial, and the
changing national and international contexts put the system to a
constant test.
Indigenous Peoples’ in International and Local Contexts:
Declarations, Practices, Dilemmas and Future
Applications
Prof. Dr. Ruth Kark
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Mount Scopus, Jerusalem
ruthkark@mail.huji.ac.il
Mrs. Havatzelet Yahel
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
havatzelety@gmail.com
Indigenous Peoples’, Western colonialism, Europe, Asia, Africa, America
In 2007 the UN adopted a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP). Although this document is not legally binding,
it is widely perceived as the apex of international recognition of the
special rights of indigenous peoples.
as the access to and the exercise of power, which determine the re-
lationships between majority and minori-ties.
Every society is a system, composed of numerous elements, and
they are usually minori-ties of some sort. This fact is often forgot-
ten by the mainstream and/or dominant social group(s). Certain
minorities are therefore either overlooked or persecuted, and al-
so the political system tends to ignore them. Ethnic and cultural
groups figure prominently among such minorities, but we can add
others, such as the handicapped, the poor, the unemployed, or
ex-convicts. However, there is also the possibility of an alternative
ap-proach: minorities can be seen positively, as a sign of diversity
and a reminder of certain human duties. Diversity is desirable be-
cause it is the opposite to (sterile) uniformity and a challenge to lin-
ear thinking. It also ensures the long-term survival of a society and
its development potential.
The paper addresses the minority issue by drawing on the ex-
ample of Switzerland, a country composed of several overlap-
ping minority groups. The political challenge is substantial, and the
changing national and international contexts put the system to a
constant test.
Indigenous Peoples’ in International and Local Contexts:
Declarations, Practices, Dilemmas and Future
Applications
Prof. Dr. Ruth Kark
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Mount Scopus, Jerusalem
ruthkark@mail.huji.ac.il
Mrs. Havatzelet Yahel
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
havatzelety@gmail.com
Indigenous Peoples’, Western colonialism, Europe, Asia, Africa, America
In 2007 the UN adopted a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP). Although this document is not legally binding,
it is widely perceived as the apex of international recognition of the
special rights of indigenous peoples.
